Two years ago, the four lads who now make up the indie outfit Corella, all moved to Manchester in the hope of forming a band.
Credit: RWLTN
Little did they know that two years down the line they would have released five singles onto Spotify, performed outside the Etihad Stadium, and had their hit track ‘Barcelona Girl’ played on ITV. Now in their final year of university, Manchester-based Corella have their sights set on a big future.
“We're dead chuffed with everything we've achieved so far, but we don't dwell on it too much and always focus on the present. We reckon our success so far is down to a combination of hard work and luck, but as they say the harder you work the luckier you get.”
Made up of Joel, Ben, Jack and Faw, Corella create sun-kissed indie pop tunes, resembling the work of Coasts and Sundara Karma. On their influences, the band say “whichever band we're listening to a lot at the time definitely has an influence on us and our music. Our biggest influences are mainly indie bands such as Little Comets, Bombay Bicycle Club and Foals.”
Having met as flatmates in their first year of university, the quartet soon realised their shared dream of starting a band. Given their intention of starting a career in music, there aren’t many better places to be than Manchester, due to the wealth of music history and talent that the city has exported.
“Subconsciously the city and environment you live in builds you as the person you are, which then reflects the music you create. So without a doubt Manchester as a city has influenced us. Having all met here the city is a part of us as a band, we love it.”
They’ve built up a loyal cult following in the city, as well as wider areas of the North West, resulting in their most widely-recognised song ‘Barcelona Girl’ being played out to Old Trafford Stadium at half-time. As a Manchester United fan, Joel remarks that having their music played at one of the biggest clubs in the world is a real honour.
However, the band aren’t resting there, with big things planned for their upcoming UK tour, which sees them visit York, London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds, as well as a hometown gig at Band On The Wall.
With just under a month to go until the first show, the band are more than ready to head out on the road. They reveal that fans can expect some new tunes, a completely re-worked set and “the likelihood of Joel jumping into the crowd.”“We’ve always seen ourselves as a live band, and it is what we enjoy most so we’re buzzing for it. Playing shows and travelling to different cities is the perfect combo.”
2018 is set to be a big year for the band, with the brand new single 'Caught Up' dropping February 23rd. The four-piece hint they are looking forward to enjoying a busy festival season, before heading back out on a huge Autumn tour.
