Artist Spotlight | better joy

Ahead of better joy's gig on 16th March at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, we caught up with Bria Keely to find out what fans can expect from the show...

We can’t wait to see you headline at King Tut's on the 16th – what can we expect from the show?
So much energy, chaos and fun! I performed in Glasgow last year at a much smaller venue so it’s a real honour to come back bigger and better! We’ve been on tour with Amy Macdonald for weeks so we really have the songs down! Excited to bring new songs that have never been played live before, and also maybe a cheeky unreleased song that is in its very early stages but is one that I am soooooo excited for. 

How did better joy first originate?
I spent a while learning how to write songs after university - it was during this time that I really started to delve into my own personal music discovery and what made me tick. Going from singer-songwriter style to a more indie/alternative sound was where the idea of better joy was initially formed. I was working with a producer on my sound for the first time and listening to a lot of indie influences at the time such as The Cure and Phoebe Bridgers, and it grew from there! 

Are there any artists that inspire your music/songwriting? Who and why?

At the start of my journey I was so inspired lyrically (and still am!) by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Dean and Holly Humberstone, plus other women in music who I believed told amazing stories and had their own unique style of writing. I just honed in on things that made my writing style feel unique for me and went from there! At the time of writing my first few songs and two EPs, I was really sonically influenced by 80’s bands like The Cure and the guitar riffs of Johnny Marr. But to be honest, my musical taste is constantly evolving right now and I feel really inspired by artists like Djo, MGMT and Clairo as well as so many others! I’m excited to let all these influences seep into my next musical journey and sound!

Do you have a favourite track(s) at the moment?

As of last weekend when we practiced it together for the first time, it’s a track called ‘so long’. It’s just one of those that has come alive with my touring band. The live version is giving me Cameron Winter/Geese vibes, it just feels so free and emotional. That would be the one I’m most excited to show and play for fans.

What is your favourite gig you’ve attended?

My favourite gig I’ve ever attended was Olivia Dean at Albert Hall in Manchester. It was a couple years back and it just felt so special and authentic, and it was quite a euphoric moment of watching her do her thing and feeling so inspired and motivated to be up on that stage one day headlining myself. It was just so joyful and that’s exactly how I want my audience to feel when they watch one of my gigs!

What can fans expect from a better joy show?

Fun, chaos, guitars, energy, togetherness, connection and joy! Hopefully people will leave the show feeling like they were part of something fun and up-lifting. I hope!