W: Betty King. I: Shelby Stainer
"We call it ‘Emo Rock n Roll’—a combination of social consciousness and romantic rebellion."
Chasing Dolls is a band built on the raw energy of the moment. They describe their sound as a reflection of whatever emotions surface during their jam sessions, blending those feelings into a genre they call “Emo rock n roll.” While a wider audience might label them as alternative or math rock, within their own scene, they are the champions of “Southwest emo.” The line-up consists of Hayden on vocals, Munch on lead guitar, Will on drums, Theo on bass, and their newest member, Jasmin, on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Together, they create music fuelled by social consciousness and a sense of romantic rebellion.
The band’s origins are as storied as their sound. The name "Chasing Dolls" comes from a poem Hayden wrote at the age of sixteen about the haunting experience of sleep paralysis. This sense of drama and depth has followed them throughout their career, though the band’s current form was shaped by a freak accident. Years ago, they were a punk n roll outfit with Hayden on rhythm guitar. That changed on a wild night out when Hayden lost his left index finger. While it could have been a career-ending injury, it instead pushed the band toward a more dramatic, movement-focused stage performance and made room for Munch—a local skater who had been waiting for his chance to join. Munch’s arrival transformed their sound, blending math rock technicality with a Jimi Hendrix influence.
Their writing process is intentionally "anti-pop," allowing hooks and structures to form naturally during long jams. This is how the band communicates; they check in on each other’s lives through the instruments before Hayden transforms his poetry into relatable, metaphorical lyrics. This process is perfectly captured in their track "Blood Moon." The song follows the perspective of love through the shifting perception of the moon during a late-night walk home from a partner’s house. The music reflects this internal conflict: the "flicker of shimmer" in the guitar represents glimpses of the moon, the scattered drum patterns mimic an unsure heartbeat, and the moody bassline captures the unnerving feeling of a love that has reached a point of detachment.
"We go into our writing process with an anti-pop mindset. We let the structures and hooks write themselves in the jam."
The band’s greatest strength is a deep, foundational trust. Many of the members, including new addition Jas and lead guitarist Munch, have been playing together since they were twelve years old. This lifelong connection allows them to be "chaotic but beloved" on stage, pushing their dynamic breakdowns to the limit because they know they have each other’s backs. While they admit to a history of procrastination—having played live for years before finally recording—they are now more aligned than ever.
The future is looking busy for the group. They recently finished recording at the prestigious Salvation Studios in Brighton, following in the footsteps of bands like Shame and Wet Leg. With new singles on the horizon and their debut EP in the works, they are also preparing for the release of physical tapes on January 9th, distributed across Europe via Gizz Moix. Fans can expect the classic Chasing Dolls experience to continue with pop-up shows in unconventional locations, a UK tour, and a potential European run this summer. As they move from the skateparks of the South West to the big city, they remain a "tribe of dreamers," dedicated to creating an escaping community through their whirlwind live shows.
Catch '' Chasing Dolls'' at their headline gig at Rossi Bar, Brighton on the 16th 2026