daydreamers: The band turning heartbreak into euphoric highs
With a viral debut, sold-out shows and new music on the way, daydreamers are chasing bigger ambitions while keeping their feet firmly on the ground.
Photo: Press
North London quartet daydreamers are standing at the edge of their next big chapter. Off the back of their self-titled debut EP – released last November – the band are hinting at new music that frontman Riley promises will be “a little darker, more introspective, and more meaningful.”
Formed at the end of 2023, the quartet – made up of Riley (vocals), Aurora (bass), Jay (drums), and Marco (guitar) – wasted no time in turning heads on the local scene. Their sound – forged in tireless studio sessions and sharpened by high-energy live shows – pulls influence from the likes of Blur, Fleetwood Mac, Bleachers and Harry Styles. The result? A heady contrast Riley calls “Sad Euphoria” – cryptic on paper, but instantly clear once you’ve heard it.
As a narrative-driven songwriter, Riley’s lyrics cut deep, often stinging with heartbreak or longing, while the band’s balmy guitars, buoyant melodies and shimmering, dreamlike textures lift that lyrical melancholy into something joyful. “I love a story, and I love songs where it’s just an acoustic guitar and a vocal and it feels complete – that is it for me,” Riley explained. “Fleetwood Mac, I feel like that’s what they’re all about. But then, Bleachers – the beauty of what Jack Antonoff does, is that sometimes it’s supposed to work without just being on a guitar. It’s the production that makes it feel fresh and makes it feel modern. So, [with] daydreamers, it’s that mix of making it feel modern and fresh production-wise, but actually quite timeless writing.”
That balance of emotional honesty and glossy, modern pop has fuelled the band’s rapid rise. Their debut single Call Me Up exploded on TikTok, amassing millions of streams and kickstarting a trajectory that few bands experience so early on. Now boasting over 20 million streams across their catalogue, their reach has stretched far further – and far faster – than they’ve had time to fully process. “[We’re] really grateful for the reception to all of the songs, and that people are willing to come to shows and support us,” Riley said. “We’ll never take that for granted. But we mainly just [have] this urge to put more out and do more – we want to put an album out. So, in a way, [there’s] not a lot of time to reflect; we’re just focusing on moving forward.”
This same drive has already carried the band through sold-out headline shows and support slots with the likes of Sea Girls and Pale Waves – a whirlwind that could have easily shifted daydreamers’ dynamic, but instead only tightened it. “It’s still the same vibe, still the same relationship between us,” Marco shared. “I mean, we’re pretty chilled out individually, so I think, if anything, a couple of tours strengthened the relationship,” Jay added.
On stage, that closeness is obvious. Their chemistry feels instinctive, their movements are naturally in sync, and the grins on their faces make it clear they’re exactly where they want to be.
But even though social media has played a role in getting them here, Riley is clear about its place in their world: “We’ll never take it for granted that we started from TikTok and Instagram, and if we didn’t have those tools, then we wouldn’t be able to play in front of people today. So, it’s a huge thing for us. But I think it’s important for it not to be the main focus. You’re doing these things to get people into rooms and play shows, and to make work that you’re really, really happy with – it’s never just about the social media.”
That mindset – seeing online platforms as a bridge to the thrill of performing live – helps keep any pressure in check. “I would be lying if I said there wasn’t pressure,” Riley admitted. “[But] the most important thing is putting music out to fans that want to hear [it] and care about the music like we do. When you condense it down [to] just that, it’s super simple. [We] put out music to reach new people and reach the community that we’re building – all of the other stuff is secondary really.”
With new music now on the horizon, fans can expect a sleeker, more deliberate sound from a band that’s grown stronger with every stage they’ve stepped on. Anticipate shimmering guitars, basslines that pulse warmly beneath your chest and vocals that swing between intimate confession and soaring release. As Riley put it: “There’s real intention in the new music and hopefully that comes across when you hear it.”