Out of Britain comes Autoheart, a trio that blends indie, rock and pop with theatrical influences to create a sound that is all their own.
The band started with Simon Neilson and Jody Gadsden, who met through mutual friends when they were younger. The duo later met Barney JC through Myspace. JC was already a musician at this point and working with mostly female vocalists. After a sample of Neilson and Gadsden's was played for him, he wanted to work with them.
The band has worked under an independent label largely because several mainstream labels felt that their songs were too different from one another. While there were times when they had to work other jobs to make ends meet, it seemed going independent was probably for the best.
The group explained that being independent gives them a greater knowledge of how royalties, finances and the music industry work, enabling them to have more control over what they do. Similarly, working under their own label allows them to explore their sound and be more creative in production. The trio felt that if they were working under a mainstream label, they would not have had the freedom to experiment sonically.
"I think we've been able to be a band in our own way, and it's allowed us to make clear decisions," Neilson explained.
The band's sound is intentionally unique. They describe themselves as genre-hoppers, incorporating multiple styles and influences in their sound. However, no matter what, "Even when we genre hop, it sounds like us," they explained.
Their diverse sound has gained quite the following. Most specifically, "Stalker's Tango" exploded on TikTok, garnering over 60 million streams and thousands of videos.
During this time, they were riding off the high of their third album, "Hellbent," so seeing one of their first songs ever released gain popularity was an amazing feeling. Since then, they have enjoyed seeing the content fans have created with their music, such as art, cosplays and pole dancing routines.
The trio began joking about wanting a pole dancing routine at their show if they ever had a Vegas residency, followed by a "We're ready, Vegas!"
While "Stalker's Tango" might have bolstered their career, their diverse discography has proven their staying power. Songs like "Moscow" and "Hungover in the City of Dust" have also gained traction, and rightfully so.
"We listen to our fans and to people we admire, but what we release is what we want to release," Gadsden stated.
When asked to describe their sound, they simply quipped, "gay angst." Their queerness and music are intrinsically linked, which was initially considered daring for a band newly breaking into the industry.
The trio explained that their old manager did not like the fact that they were so forward with their queer identities. After all, the band was getting started in the early 2010s, and queer people were not as well-liked or widely represented. But the band pushed back and embraced their label as a queer group. JC stated, "You just have to be who you are; it's not worth it to be anyone else."
However, their pushback worked out in their favor. This year, they embarked on their first U.S. tour. The trio is excited to meet and see their fans, especially those who started listening to their music during the pandemic. They also expressed that they loved touring and playing live pre-COVID-19 and are ecstatic to be back in action.
When asked if they would do anything differently, the band seemed happy with their accomplishments. Everything from going under an independent label to experimenting with their sound has worked out for them in the long run.
"Absolutely no regrets, as Madonna once said," JC joked.
Autoheart will be playing at A&R Music Bar in Columbus on March 28, and can be found on Spotify.
