THE DEBUT SINGLE 'BRISTOLIAN DYNAMITE' RELEASED 12th JUNE 2026

W: Maxine Sutton I: Abby Swain @abbyswainphotography

After nearly two decades of slow-burning graft, Leeds-based multi-instrumentalist brothBoy is finally stepping out of the bedroom and into the spotlight. For years, he has been his own harshest critic, tinkering away in the background and accumulating a massive graveyard of unreleased demos. His friends have spent years begging him to "finally release some damn music," and now, the wait is officially over. With his brilliant debut single, "Bristolian Dynamite", out now, brothBoy is ready to unleash a wave of unapologetic, self-produced indie pop.

For those yet to dive into his world, the mastermind himself describes the vibe as bedroom pop, but specifically the bedroom of an insomniac. It is something you can easily relax to, but there is always a subtle layer of something whirring, purring, or jangling away in the background. Aside from the drums, brothBoy records, mixes, and masters absolutely everything himself. It is a meticulous, independent operation aimed squarely at the sweet spot between low-fi sensibilities and psychedelic pop, drawing natural inspiration from the likes of Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, and Still Woozy.

"I’m hoping it comes out looking more like a homemade lasagne than a microwave meal."

Because of his deep roots in the live Leeds guitar scene—having previously played bass for post-punk outfits like Dim Imagery—you won't find him leaning heavily on lazy samples or pre-made drum loops. He has earned his stripes through a lot of slow, methodical, and unsexy graft since the age of nine. This lifetime of plugging away independently has made him incredibly versatile and completely locked in on what he hopes to achieve with his upcoming music.

The debut single might be fresh to our ears, but "Bristolian Dynamite" has actually been brewing in the brothBoy archive for over half a decade. Written over five years ago, he views the track as a fascinating time capsule of his younger self. While it is ultimately a classic, love-lost song, looking back at it brings up a lot of perspective on how much he has grown, even if he still understands exactly where that "little nerd" was coming from at the time.

That childhood was shaped by some incredibly heavy terrain, including serving as a young carer growing up. It was an experience that threw his youth into a bit of a spin and undoubtedly did some damage, but years later, he recognises how much it taught him to be resilient and profoundly grateful for the great people around him. "Through any struggle he's faced, however, the music has been there - a constant anchor that keeps him grounded."

"If I spend forever writing the ‘perfect song’, the most I could amount to is a one-hit-wonder. I’d much rather have a ‘mixed’ discography reflecting my growth."

When it comes to the actual creative process, writing solo means a very gradual and solitary experience. Inspiration comes in brief, unpredictable flashes, which brothBoy coaxes out by forcing himself into his music room to noodle around as much as possible. He used to get frustrated when a day of writing amounted to nothing, but he now treats it as just another day of experience in the bank. For every finished track, there are about 20 tunes sitting in his demo graveyard—though he has reframed that into a positive "inspiration pool" that he can revisit whenever he needs a spark.

While the musical side of things is second nature after 20 years of practice, navigating the modern landscape of digital self-promotion is a completely different beast. For a Gen-Z’er, brothBoy admittedly acts like a bit of a boomer when it comes to social media and algorithms. He knows he needs to bite the bullet and dive into it, choosing instead to take his time to figure out what a genuine online persona looks like.

"I know I need to build some sort of online following in the modern landscape, but I’m determined to make sure that doesn’t mean ‘sell out any charisma you have for the views.’"

When it comes to his live presence, however, he is much more relaxed. When asked about pre-show rituals or diva demands, he joked about adopting different cliché personas depending on the instrument—demanding a million beers as a drummer or skipping soundcheck entirely as a bassist. In reality, he is the living embodiment of the "chill guy" meme, completely happy to be there and viewing any rider at a venue as a massive bonus. His grounded attitude comes from a place of experience; currently working in Audio-Visual tech, he has been cringed out by one too many "rock stars" acting like divas to ever bring that energy to his own shows.

Looking ahead, fans will not have to wait another 15 years for the next instalment. This debut is just the start of a massive snowball effect rolling off the mountain peak. A second single is locked in for July, which will pave the way for a five-track EP in August. Implemented as a "waterfall" release, the upcoming project will feature both singles alongside three brand-new songs to complete the collection.

Behind the scenes, brothBoy is already assembling a live band with the goal of hitting the stage by late summer, alongside plotting dream collaborations with artists like Cameron Winter of Geese and Joy Crookes. Ultimately, this project is a one-man show of honest indie pop from an artist who simply couldn't give up music if he tried.

“Bristolian Dynamite” is available to stream now. Keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming EP dropping this August.