Following the release of their two singles, Back in Time and This is who I am, Adelaide’s boy band, At Sunset, have been hard at work. Already working on their third single (which I was lucky enough to hear an exclusive preview of) the boys have been keeping busy to ensure hungry fans are not kept waiting.
When I got together with brothers, Harrison (vocals and guitar) and Andrew (vocals and keys) and best friend, Jae (guitar and drums), we discussed what they have been up to lately.
The boys certainly weren’t short of things to say. An invite to attend the Aria Awards and walk the red carpet for the first time is just one of the things they can cross off their list. The boys informed me that they had three interviews arranged prior to the awards but after spending the longest amount of time on the red carpet, swarmed by screaming girls, Harrison, Andrew and Jae ended up participating in roughly 15 – 20 interviews.
At Sunset have an ever-growing fan base with fans dubbing themselves as “Sunsetters”. Jae, who is in charge of social media, admits that he has had to adapt quickly to keep up with modern changes in communication. The boys are now signed up for Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram – none of which Jae had ever used prior to the band’s success. The boys also have a Facebook fan page and their own website where you can find photographs, updates on latest events and access to merchandise.
When asked about their fans and how the boys are coping with their newfound fame and attention, Harrison replied, “We love it. We wouldn’t change a thing. Our fans are the best.” He added, “I know that everyone says that about their fans but we are really grateful for them. Because we started with our YouTube channel, it was really our great fan base and all the views and support that helped to build us; and what makes us different to other bands is that we’ve taken the time to individually reply back to messages from lots of our fans.” However, the boys do admit that they started out replying to every message from every fan. This has proven to be close to impossible as their fan base rapidly expands along with the number of messages and tweets they are receiving. So it looks like their popularity is shooting higher and faster than they ever could have imagined.
If you’re wondering what’s in store for the pop-rock trio next. Harrison, Andrew and Jae are now touring with Adelaide’s Reece Mastin (2011 X-Factor winner). This is their first time doing live shows on tour. With a lineup of a minimum of 13 shows, the boys are anxious to get out there and do what they do best. For those who will be attending, the band will be performing their latest single Rush which Harrison describes as having a catchy and up-tempo pop tune with a slightly more mature sound compared to their first two singles. “The lyrics are based on touring around, trying to keep a relationship and how hard it is; but it’s also about the rush we get when we are together” Harrison confesses.
Jae informs me the boys have plenty in store for us this year. “Plans for 2013 are to do the Reece tour and then head off on a tour to South East Asia. Then we will be doing our own headline tour in Australia”. With all this ahead of them, the boys have managed to remain focused and hard working. Not to mention, down to earth and modest. Their humbleness shines through with quotes such as “Everyone that’s involved with us is awesome. We are very grateful and very lucky to be working with the people that we are working with” says Harrison. “There are about 12 of us in the label and everyone is in it to help each other. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the loyalty and support of our fans and our team” adds Jae. Stay tuned Australia; our Adelaide trio have plenty to give back to fans who can’t get enough of them.
Photography: Brent Liederitz