If there’s one new act poised to jolt the boyband panorama awake once more, it’s Absnt Thoughts – a five-piece collective rewriting what it means to be a pop group in 2025.
Mixing razor-sharp melodies with emotive-driven alt-pop manufacturing, the band has constructed a status for turning teenage angst, late-night confessionals, and stadium-ready hooks into one thing that feels each intimate and anthemic.
Absnt Thoughts – Wardrobe (Official Music Video)
Recent off a profitable run of summer time exhibits, and a string of single releases which have despatched their streaming numbers into orbit, band members Alex, Ashton, Conor, Freddie and Oscar step into our interview with the straightforward chemistry of a gaggle that’s lived numerous life collectively in a brief period of time. They’re playful, targeted, and – regardless of the whirlwind surrounding them – strikingly self-aware.
In a second when the world is hungry for sincerity and spectacle in equal measure, Absnt Thoughts is perhaps the uncommon band able to delivering each. We sat down with the 5 rising stars to speak inventive dangers, rising up on-line, and the dizzying actuality of discovering their place within the world pop machine.
2025 feels to have been an actual breakthrough for you – a 12 months the place you’ve actually come into your personal, and solidified your identification as a band. Do you’re feeling extra established now, and extra assured in who you’re as Absnt Thoughts?
Alex: Positively. Once we first obtained collectively it took us some time to seek out our identification and sound as a band, however that’s solely often because we have been 5 people – from very completely different musical backgrounds – coming collectively, with no actual thought of what we have been doing (laughs). These first couple of group songwriting classes within the studio have been… fascinating! However I feel we’ve blended our particular person types collectively rather well, and now we’re making music that feels actually particular.
How do you assume your strategy to creating music has modified and developed over the past 12 months?
Ashton: It’s onerous to say actually, as a result of I don’t assume we’ve ever labored to a set system. Each time we go right into a session, we by no means actually know what’s going to occur, and I sort of like that, it makes issues extra thrilling!
Oscar: We don’t all the time write collectively as a 5 as a result of that may be kinda chaotic… we learnt that early on (laughs).
Freddie: Like Alex stated, we’ve made a aware effort to mix collectively all of our completely different musical influences to create this huge, eclectic Absnt Thoughts sound. However by way of how we write and create our songs, I suppose it simply will depend on what temper we’re in, and what we’re feeling impressed by.
Ashton: Completely – inspiration can come from wherever and in every single place, and that then form of dictates how we work. Personally, I really feel like we’re solely simply scratching the floor of what we’re able to! Up so far we’ve been actually targeted on honing in on that cool, edgy pop sound, however transferring ahead I would like us to push the boundaries even additional! There’s a lot extra to come back for us music-wise; I can’t wait to get again within the studio subsequent 12 months.
How essential is inventive possession to you, particularly with regards to writing your personal materials?
Conor: It’s crucial. We completely love writing music – it’s one thing all of us actually having fun with doing, even after we’re not working.
Freddie: It’s a manner for us to precise ourselves isn’t it?
Alex: Yeah, and I feel it’s essential that we write about topics and subjects that our followers can relate to.
Conor: Positively! It’s about making a connection isn’t it? The messages in our songs wouldn’t land in the identical manner in the event that they didn’t come from us, and our sound wouldn’t be as cohesive as it’s, if we didn’t have any inventive enter. Don’t get me incorrect, if somebody sends us an absolute banger, then we’re gonna file it and have enjoyable performing it, however I feel all of us like placing music on the market that’s private to us.
Ashton: Authenticity is essential!
Conor: As songwriters, we’ve actually come into our personal within the final couple of years, and that exhibits within the materials we’re producing now. We all know our strengths, each as a band and as people, and due to that, there’s sort of no stopping us.
With 5 voices and 5 views shaping Absnt Thoughts, how do you retain everybody creatively fulfilled with out shedding the thread of what the band stands for?
Oscar: That’s a very fascinating query! I feel it simply comes all the way down to respecting every of our wants, in addition to us all naturally sharing the identical imaginative and prescient for what we wish our band to be. All of us have very completely different roles throughout the group – and we’ve found these roles naturally over time. We all know our voices, we all know how one can mix, and we all know what works finest for us. A few of us are higher at writing lyrics, a few of us are higher at arising with melodies – like Conor stated, we play to our strengths. There’s no ego in our band, we wish one another to win.
Ashton: Typically the writers and producers we’re working with play an element in serving to us to seek out that stability. Shout out to Kamille – she is superb! She actually took the time to pay attention, and perceive what we have been about. We bashed out 5 songs in our session together with her, and I actually assume that’s as a result of she made a degree of attending to know us earlier than we began writing collectively. We love Kamille!
Absnt Thoughts – STITCH (Official lyric visualiser)
Your newest single ’Sew’ is an absolute BOP! Speak to me in regards to the origins of that observe…
Freddie: We truly wrote ’Sew’ with JC Stewart and Anya Jones manner again after we wrote ‘No Strings’, so we’ve had it locked away within the vault for a minute!
Alex: As quickly as we heard the completed model, we felt like we’d created one thing actually particular. However it didn’t actually match with the sound we have been going for on the time. We had songs like ‘Daylight’ and ‘No Strings’, which we thought have been actually good introductory singles, however ’Sew’ felt extra like a press release we needed to make after we have been a bit extra established.
Connor: Everybody we performed it to beloved it, and we’ve been determined to place it out, however typically you need to await the suitable second to launch a track.
Freddie: Initially we thought it ought to come out in the summertime, however then as a result of it has extra of an autumnal, Christmassy vibe to it, so we thought we’d wait and present it to our followers as a thanks for all of their assist this 12 months.
The response to it on-line has been off the dimensions!
Ashton: Proper? The response has been superb! It’s all the time nerve-wracking placing out new music, particularly when it’s completely different to what you’ve launched prior to now, however the followers appear to essentially adore it, so we’re tremendous glad! I feel there’s been a little bit little bit of a shift by way of what persons are anticipating from us, since we dropped ‘Simpatico’ in the summertime, as a result of that track is completely completely different to something we’ve ever launched. We’ve all the time stated one of the simplest ways to explain our sound is to think about what it could be like if Prince and The 1975 had a child (laughs). I feel that’s what these two tracks (’Sew’ and ‘Simpatico’) symbolize.
Oscar: We’re simply buzzing that it’s doing so nicely and that folks prefer it.
Two years into your profession, how do you measure and outline the success of a track now?
Freddie: I feel for us it’s all in regards to the followers, and in the event that they’re having fun with what we’re doing, then we’re glad – we belief them… and their style! Clearly streaming numbers are essential, and that’s how lots of people measure a songs affect now, however you possibly can’t get too caught up in all of that. So yeah, simply realizing that different persons are having fun with what we’re doing, that appears like success to us.
Alongside your run of headline exhibits, you additionally performed some fairly large competition gigs this summer time. Is touring and performing reside one in all your favorite components of being within the band?
Oscar: One. Hundred. %! All of us adore it a lot! There’s numerous onerous work and behind the scenes stuff that goes into being in a band like ours, and it’s not all the time fairly (laughs). However it’s so value placing within the hours and grafting, as a result of , in the event you’re fortunate, you’ll find yourself performing reside on a stage someplace in entrance of 1000’s of individuals – and nothing beats that feeling!
Ashton: Connecting with a reside viewers is superb! You’ll be able to discuss to folks on-line, and type a connection along with your followers that manner, and that’s cool, we love that – large up the Absntees who’re holding us down on-line! However assembly them in actual life, in actual time, and seeing first hand that what we do means one thing to them – that’s unbelievable!
With so many exhibits beneath your belt, which performances have meant essentially the most to you?
Oscar: This summer time we did a gig at Piece Corridor in Halifax, which is a venue not too removed from the place I grew up, so all my household and mates obtained to come back all the way down to see us which was fairly epic! The entire present felt like a dream – we have been encompass by all of this Romanesque structure, the gang have been superb, the solar was setting… it was an incredible evening for us.
Conor: We have been supporting Olly Murs weren’t we? These gigs have been unbelievable! He’s such a stunning, beautiful man! We stayed to observe his present just a few instances, and it was good!
Ashton: I used to be dwelling out my childhood; Olly’s obtained some bops! I’ve gotta shout out the Sugababes – we opened up for them too, and had one of the best time!
Conor: We performed Brighton Delight as nicely this summer time which was psychological – that present went off!
Ashton: Typically it’s the gigs the place issues go incorrect that turn out to be essentially the most memorable! I can’t bear in mind the place we have been, however one evening I fully forgot the operating order of our present, and principally ended up re-ordering the entire setlist…
Conor: I nonetheless can’t imagine you probably did that – you have been simply off in your personal world (laughs).
Oscar: We did college excursions again within the day, and there was one time I smacked my head on the door as we walked into the corridor the place we have been performing! The entire class simply began wetting themselves! It was humorous I suppose… but in addition actually embarrassing.
I suppose the fantastic thing about being in a band is that you simply all the time have one another to lean on when issues go incorrect…
Oscar: (Laughs) precisely!
Freddie: It’s mad as a result of rising up I by no means actually dreamed about being in a boy band, I simply needed to sing, so thought I’d perhaps simply do the solo factor. However realizing what I do know now, and seeing how the trade works, I’m so glad I’ve this lot round me, as a result of eager about doing all of this by myself freaks me out large time!
Ashton: Yeah, we’re undoubtedly fortunate to have one another.
It’s apparent how shut you all are. How do you retain that connection robust?
Freddie: The entire expertise of being within the band has bonded us in a manner that no person else can actually perceive, so naturally we simply get one another. However communication is clearly actually essential.
Alex: As a result of we reside collectively, we’ve got the time to sit down and chat about issues and see how we’re all feeling. We’re clearly completely different folks, however with regards to the band all of us have the identical objectives, and issues we need to obtain. We rejoice our wins and we assist one another recover from any disappointments.
Oscar: When anyone wants a serving to hand or a shoulder to cry on, we’re there for one another 100%.
Absnt Thoughts – Particular (Official Music Video)
You’ve managed to create a very particular rapport along with your viewers, to the purpose the place they actually do really feel like they’re part of your tribe. How essential is utilizing social media as a device to keep up that relationship?
Oscar: I feel social media is a superb device to must assist your wider imaginative and prescient and goals, and sure it’s nice that we will join with our followers on apps like Instagram and TikTok, however nothing will ever beat the reside expertise. We love assembly our followers, and interacting with them in particular person.
Connor: It’s a very, actually good device to have to assist unfold the phrase about what we’re doing, and it’s a superb method to present the entire the Absntees what we’re as much as on a regular basis, however yeah, like Oscar says, it’s significantly better to fulfill everybody IRL. It’s mad how issues have modified isn’t it? As a result of in the event you assume again to how the trade was once, it was all about getting your self on TV, your image in {a magazine} and your track performed on the radio – that was actually the one method to let folks know what you have been doing. And the one method to see a band carry out reside was to purchase a ticket to one in all their exhibits. Artists needed to go on the market, and persuade folks to try this! Then they’d one alternative to attach with a few hundred folks in an evening, earlier than the entire promo cycle started once more. Now, due to expertise, we’ve got the flexibility to attach with hundreds of thousands of individuals around the globe from the consolation of our houses, just about each time we wish… that’s sort of loopy isn’t it?
Your title was born out of feeling overwhelmed – from examination stress to the strain of regularly being on-line – and also you’ve made it a mission to encourage your followers to free their minds and reside within the second. How do you practise that yourselves?
Ashton: Ooh, that’s deep… I feel it’s actually essential to sit back and take day trip for your self. Everyones lives are so busy and hectic, we’re all continually on the go 24/7, so typically we don’t even realise we’re feeling sad or unhappy about one thing as a result of there’s a lot happening to distract us. Speaking to family and friends all the time helps – to say one thing out loud will be liberating, to anybody studying this, please don’t ever really feel like you possibly can’t specific your self. Music can be an awesome outlet for us to take care of something heavy we’ve got happening – it helps us to flee. I can’t say an excessive amount of about it, however we’ve truly written a very cool track with Jamie Squire from The 1975 about this…
Conor: I’m fortunate I suppose, as a result of I discover it fairly straightforward to open up and speak about how I’m feeling, however I do know that’s not the case for everybody. It’s scary to speak about your feelings, however what I’ve form of come to understand is that numerous the time, we’re all feeling anxious and anxious about the identical issues. So I do know that if I’m battling one thing, there’s a excessive likelihood another person will likely be too. I feel it’s essential to do not forget that.
Freddie: It may be fairly hectic and chaotic dwelling in Absnt Thoughts world (laughs) so having a great assist system round us helps. We’re fortunate to have one another and to work with an awesome crew of individuals.
Oscar: Since beginning the band, we’ve all moved from our hometowns to London, which has undoubtedly introduced us all nearer collectively, we all know we will lean on every for something and every part.
Alex: Taking a breather, and doing one thing that I actually get pleasure from all the time helps me mentally – whether or not that be listening to music, writing down some lyric concepts, and even acting on stage.
Speaking of being on stage, you’ve obtained a few exhibits arising earlier than Christmas…
Conor: Sure! So we’re doing two nights at The Grace in London, and we can not wait! They’re truly going to be our final exhibits of the 12 months, so we’ll be giving it hundreds on stage. I’ve heard nice issues in regards to the venue so I’m actually excited to carry out there.
Freddie: Anybody coming alongside can anticipate good vibes, good music… perhaps even some new music, and numerous enjoyable. I’m actually trying ahead to it, I can’t wait to see the followers!
And earlier than that you simply’re going to Japan!
Freddie: I’m so enthusiastic about this journey! Going to Japan has been on my bucket checklist ceaselessly, so I really feel like I’ve manifested this.
Oscar: It’s loopy that we’re going! After I was youthful I all the time stated I needed to reside there I can’t say I knew quite a bit in regards to the nation itself, however I’ve all the time been fascinated by the folks and their tradition. I’m so excited.
Your music clearly resonates deeply with listeners, and the unwavering assist of your followers exhibits simply how a lot the band means to so many individuals. Because the 5 people who make up this group, what does being a part of Absnt Thoughts imply to every of you?
Ashton: You’re gonna make us emotional… (laughs).
Freddie: Being part of this trade is one thing we’ve all needed since we have been youngsters – so to be truly doing it’s mad! We’re grateful, we’re actually, actually grateful to be on this band.
Conor: For me, assembly the fellows has made every part about my life ten instances higher as a result of I do know I’ve all the time obtained somebody in my nook supporting me. The one factor all of us have in widespread is our love for music – I feel it actually unites each us, and our followers, and I like that we’re in a position to try this as Absnt Thoughts.
Remaining tickets for Absnt Thoughts’s present at The Grace in London are on sale right here.
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