On 14th February 2020, UK pop trio New Hope Club put out their first studio album after months of anticipation. Singles ‘Karma’, ‘Medicine’, and ‘Let Me Down Slow’ are all on the self-titled album, as well as many more hits and new songs.
Our debut album is OUT NOW! What!!! That sounds so surreal to say. Honestly this is a dream come true. We love this album with all of our hearts we are so happy you get to hear it finally. We hope you enjoy. https://t.co/iTeUhDvhP9
❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/txBOhouiA8
— New Hope Club (@NewHopeClub) February 14, 2020
The group is made up of members Blake Richardson (lead vocals, guitar, piano), George Smith (guitar, piano, backing vocals), and Reece Bibby (bass, drums, backing vocals). In an interview with Daily Star, Smith revealed that the band is hoping their songwriting will really come through and set them apart from other bands, like One Direction, who they are often compared to.
He said “It’s always been a big thing for us to write our own songs as well because our favourite bands like the Beatles, who were like the first band to ever really write all of their own songs, and then Oasis too, following in their footsteps.”
Having built a strong relationship with their fans since they formed in 2015, New Hope Club has updated followers through their social media, sharing tours, releases, and their daily life. This is how the band promoted the new album, with the first mention back in September 2019. Smith spoke about their fans, saying “They have always been supportive of everything”.
The album reached number 5 on the UK Official Album Chart, with an incredible response from fans and critics. Many of the songs on the album were already released as singles, with 2017 song ‘Fixed’ now at 14 million streams on Spotify. New Hope Club collaborated with DJ R3HAB on ‘Let Me Down Slow’ for the album, creating a music video to go which is currently at 1 million views on their YouTube channel.
Also on the channel, the trio regularly upload live performances, challenge videos, and covers of their favourite artists, including Harry Styles’ ‘Adore You’, Lewis Capaldi’s ‘Before You Go’ and Dua Lipa’s ‘Don’t Start Now’. This is another amazing way that the band connects with their following and continues to have so much fun with their music.
When the album was released, the band held signings in Edinburgh, Leeds, and Kingston, and plan to tour the UK in April. Check out the full tour dates below and get tickets on the official website.
05/04/2020 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin, Ireland
09/04 – O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
11/04 – Eventim Hammersmith Apollo – London, UK
14/04 – O2 Ritz Manchester – Manchester, UK
16/04 – SWG3 Studio Warehouse – Glasgow, UK
DEBUT ALBUM TOUR – get your tickets now, you don’t want to miss out ❤️ https://t.co/76YYLNbLcp pic.twitter.com/O0o18iEJKv
— New Hope Club (@NewHopeClub) February 26, 2020
The three members of New Hope Club joined in 2015 after Bibby left his band Stereo Kicks, who had appeared on The X Factor. They were discovered by another UK band The Vamps, who signed New Hope Club to their label Steady Records (a subsidiary of Virgin EMI Records). The band went on support The Vamps on multiple tours, release their own EPs and singles, and eventually headline their own shows in 2018.
