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1st November 2021

St Brendan’s A-level Music students Sam and Mo took to the airwaves on Thursday 7th October, along with their bandmates, to talk up a storm about their new single which was named Track of the Week by Upload on BBC Radio Bristol.

The band, Cygnus, were delighted to have their debut single “Polaroid” recognised as Track of the Week, and to chat to Adam Crowther about their music.

An alternative rock band from Bath, the group formed in 2020 and is comprised of Sam on lead vocals, Ellen on guitar, Misha on guitar, Sid on drums and Mo on bass.

Cygnus describe their sound as a blend of alternative rock, indie and progressive rock, creating a fusion of a metallic-funk and modern-rock style.

Sam, who sings lead vocals for the band, said, “At the start we received support through the MAS Records Artist Development Programme which I found out about from a friend. We gained time in a rehearsal space for free, as well as the chance to professionally record two of our songs. That’s how our song ‘Polaroid’ was recorded.”

The scheme, which was funded by the Government Education budget, encouraged young people to get involved in developing their music careers.

“We didn’t know anything about being named track of the week until we received the email. It was a complete whirlwind. We went from having just recorded our music professionally, and suddenly we were on the radio talking about it as Track of the Week. Since then our number of streams on Spotify has shot up! The song has been added to loads of playlists, including some with thousands of followers. Being Track of the Week has really helped our music reach loads of new listeners.” 

Sam currently studies A-Levels in Music, Music Technology, and Film Studies at St Brendan’s and is hoping to pursue a degree in Songwriting and Music Business at BIMM - British and Irish Modern Music Institute.

As well as reaching thousands of new listeners through the radio, the band are looking forward to performing in front of an audience. As a recently formed ensemble, Covid-19 restrictions have meant that the band has not yet had the chance to perform live. However, they don’t let this put a damper on their music, and throw themselves into rehearsals with the same energy they would for the live stage.

Mo who plays Bass in Cygnus, and studies Biology, Chemistry and Music A-levels added, “We’re thinking about the future now as the MAS programme is coming to an end, and we’re starting to look at how we can continue to write, rehearse and perform all self-funded."

“We’re excited to see what comes next for the band, especially after being named track of the week. As Sam said, it’s been brilliant - we’ve even just had a professional photoshoot in Bristol with the whole band!”

“After college I’m aiming to continue studying music. I am currently auditioning for conservatoires to study jazz – which can be a bit odd as I have to audition online rather than in-person. Ideally, I’m hoping to go to Guildhall School of Music and Drama which is one of the top conservatoires in the country.”

Cygnus’ debut single “Polaroid” was released on the 3rd of September 2021. You can listen to the track here.

Make sure to keep an eye out for the band’s second single "Only Caller", which will be out on 5th November.

You can still listen to the band’s interview on Upload on BBC Radio Bristol. Listen here from 38:55

Find out more about the band here.

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