Next Wave #684: Anteros

Dreamy left of centre pop melodies...

As soon as Clash catches a glimpse of Anteros walking towards us side-by-side, they look every bit the part. An immaculately dressed four-piece fronted by Laura Hayden – a model with the charismatic presence of Lily Allen and left-of-centre catchy pop songwriting skills to boot – they’re a potent new force to be reckoned with.

The band have only been playing live since November but have amassed a modest following thanks to early singles ‘Anteros’, ‘Fade To Grey’, and ‘Lonely Tonight’. Things have escalated more suddenly with the anthemic new tune ‘Breakfast’, released last month – it’s amassed nearly as many views as the others in just two weeks.

The vibrant summery melodies of the song aren’t mirrored thematically, however; there’s a bitter undertone due to the social critique of the lyrics. Hayden, who grew up in Cuba then Barcelona with a Spanish father and English Mother, explains: “We’re all in our 20s and we’re still figuring life out. We see there’s so much pressure to have your life a certain way so early in your life. This song goes against that and suggests we live in the moment and not worry about tomorrow.”

The liberation the band feel by being comfortable with living their youth to the full and not always going the 9-5 route too early gives the song its energy and the band a spirit that’s great to be around. So how did this band with such an accomplished pop hit come about? “I met Josh (Rumble, producer and bassist) through a friend and we’ve been writing together ever since I moved here from Spain four years ago,” reveals Hayden. “I knew I wanted to do music and because the music I grew up listening to from my mother was mostly British, that’s why I came.”

The move has been a lucrative one thanks to their wisdom of waiting until they had the right label (Kissability) and management in place before launching the band. So, were there times in this building period where things nearly ended before they began?

“The time I was going to give up was when we put out ‘Anteros’. The amount of meetings I’d been on that would turn into dates without me even…” Without finishing her sentence, the frustration on Hayden’s face says it all. Being a female in a male dominated industry is more challenging than this writer can ever properly comprehend. Nevertheless, she’s stood tall in spite of the challenge and is able to pave the way for more equality by having made it into the industry.

“The response it’s had with girls has made me really happy,” she says, reflecting on her first tour experience – despite her own initial hurdles, she’s obviously inspiring more young women to get their bands going.

As Clash’s conversation wraps up, we recognise that Anteros are a band so in tune. Not only each other, but with what needs to change in the industry, and society in general. Who said new bands don’t have anything to say anymore?

Words: Cai Trefor
Photography: Lee Kirby

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Anteros spoke to Clash ahead of our Marshall x BoxPark takeover. Kicking off today (May 13th) the Shoreditch event features exclusive DJ sets, live music from BLESS, Bella Figura and Sample Answer. Plus there might just be a few free drinks on offer from our good friends at 8O8 Whisky from 5pm… first come first served.

As if that wasn't enough, Clash are able to give away a Marshall London Smart Phone and a pair of Marshall Major II Wireless headphones!

To stand a chance of winning simply tell us which song you'd love to blast out of some Marshall equipment…

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