Interview: BLOXX

Emerging UK indie-rock four-piece BLOXX have achieved a great deal since bursting onto the London music scene in 2016 with their debut single 'Your Boyfriend'. From signing with Chess Club Records in 2017 to playing Reading & Leeds to supporting indie-rock legends The Wombats and Two Door Cinema Club, BLOXX have quickly established themselves as one of the most exciting emerging bands in the UK.

The band recently released 'Go Out With You', the first track from their debut album sessions. The toe-tappingly catchy track follows their acclaimed debut EP Headspace, which was released earlier this year via the iconic Chess Club Records and even scored air time on triple j here in Australia.
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We caught up with lead singer, Ophelia (Fee) Booth to chat about their new single and how their headline UK tour is going so far!

How did BLOXX come together? When did you decide to start making music?
We all met in college. We were actually in different bands and stuff, I was writing my own stuff and one day I got asked to play a show and Moz and Taz were the best musicians in our class and they were really into my stuff, then we started writing and playing together and it just happened!

Tell us about your music. How did you guys find your sound and how would you describe it?
We like to write fun and relatable music, something the fans can jump to and sing along to. We go through a lot of different genre’s as listeners, so I’m not sure you can call our sound anything specific rather than indie guitars and poppy hooks!

Who or what were your earliest influences?
For me, growing up I listened to a lot of music, my granddad was big into punk and The Specials and things like that, so I guess that’s where I might have found a love for guitar. I also loved Pink and the Editors a lot - very varied ha. I’m a huge Jeff Buckley fan too, I think that’s my biggest daily influence in songwriting.

Congrats on the release of your new single 'Go Out With You'. What's the story or inspiration behind this track?
Thank you! When we wrote this, I was really focusing on it being a live track, something that would go really well live, so we got a bit fun, and kept it bouncy ha!

Is there anything specific you can tell us about your songwriting process?
It differs, sometimes I get down and write on an acoustic guitar in my bedroom and then shape it with the band in rehearsals, or sometimes we all just mess around in the rehearsal room for a few minutes. It’s harder to TRY to write than it is to just let it happen. I find some of the best songs happen naturally.

You're currently on a huge headline UK tour. How is it going so far?
It’s been insane! It’s humbling to see so many people singing back to us, we really enjoy it. Every night is filled with smiles and a very happy 4 members of BLOXX ha!

You guys have supported Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats and Sundara Karma, as well as played at festivals like Reading, Leeds and The Great Escape. What has been your most memorable gig so far and why?
I think we’d all agree that Reading 2019 was and will probably remain our favourite gig for a very long time. We have so many fond memories from gigs, but Reading was 35 minutes of consecutive amazing-ness! Manchester shows never let us down though!

What has been your biggest challenge as a band so far?
I think every band faces challenges at some point, and we’ve been fairly lucky so far, in the sense that we haven’t actually faced TOO many (touch wood). Of course, there are little things, like timing, and balancing jobs to stay steady, but we’ve moved out of those times and I think we’re all hoping that the challenges are over.

What advice would you give other emerging artists/bands looking to pursue a career in music?
Never stop working for it, push for your art, and push for what you believe in. Stay strong-minded, and always believe in your work, against whether or not other people agree, because if you stop enjoying it, then it becomes a chore. It shouldn’t ever feel like a chore if you love your art. Also write, write, write, and make loads of contacts!

What's next for BLOXX?
Hopefully world domination soon! Kidding, kinda. We just want to continue having fun and growing as artists and individuals! We love what we do and are so grateful, that we want to keep giving back to those that support. Meaning new music, big things, big gigs and a whole lot of fun!​

You can follow BLOXX on Facebook for more info and listen to 'Go Out With You' now on all major streaming services.
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