Exposed recently sat down for a chat with Sunburst, an up and coming Sheffield band (aged just 13 – 15!) who formed through Tracks, a collaborative music project which runs in the school holidays for Sheffield kids who have an interest in music…
Hi guys, tell us a little about Sunburst and how the band formed…
Joe Cuff: To me Sunburst is about a vibe. A feeling. It represents what young people are about: like-minded people celebrating each other, and this vibe helps us write songs that we hope people enjoy. It makes me feel great and I hope we continue to write great tracks that our listeners enjoy, and I hope to continue performing and bringing people together.
Bobby Barlow: The three of us (Bobby Barlow, Joe Cuff and Alex Dyball) were doing the singer-songwriter course at Tracks and then Will (Smith) joined. We’d been putting music together but didn’t have a singer. I’m a singer but didn’t want to be the lead singer, and Will turned up out of nowhere, so it was perfect timing and we really got on well.Lyrics started flying out and around March the band was properly formed; Joe’s the lead guitarist and classically trained, he’s going onto Grade 8; I do guitars and bass; Alex is the drummer – He only started drumming at Tracks and now he’s the drummer in a band! And Will’s the singer.
Will Smith: I was looking for a way into music, I’ve always been a big fan, and Tracks popped up on the internet, so I emailed Lucy (Tracks founder and director of Sheffield Music School, who were commissioned by Sheffield Music Hub to create the project). I turned up for the singer-songwriting course and the three other lads were already doing it. They didn’t have a singer, so I started writing songs. And then, thanks to Lucy, we just went from there.
Sunburst lead singer Will Smith. Photo credit: Mal Wichelo
So that’s how Will discovered Tracks, how did the rest of you become involved?
BB: I started at Tracks way back in July of 2021. I got involved through school. They said to try it, and I was like, ‘I’ll do it for one day and see how it goes.’ The first day we went into Red Tape Studio – unbelievable! I enjoyed it quite a lot. Then I met the other lads and it’s gone on from there.
JC: “I was, and still am, involved with the Sheffield Music School where I met some great people. Including the band members. They talked about Tracks and how amazing it was. I came along and knew, the moment I stepped foot in it, that I was going to come back.
Alexy Dyball: I was recommended to attend by my music teacher.
What have you enjoyed most about Tracks?
BB: I enjoy performing and showing what the band’s got. It’s developing all the time. At the start, I don’t think we had as much confidence but at the first gig we tore it up and then it just got better and better.
WS: I’d have to agree. Obviously, the performance has been amazing and my confidence since the start is not the same. I’ve thought about it, and people listening to me sing was something that would have scared me. Singing in front of people got me nervous, but now I’ve realised I can do it. It wasn’t something that I immediately realised but looking back I’m more confident now and we all are. We’re a team. We’re very supportive of each other and we listen to each other.
JC: Having the space and support to be able to make music with my mates and learning about music from great teachers is what I’ve enjoyed most about Tracks.
Sunburst performing at the Leadmill Tracks show. Photo credit: Mal Wichelo
What’s different about Tracks?
AD: It gives me the opportunity and space to express myself in a musical way. It gives kids opportunities and opens doors for them.
WS: It’s not like other music schools. That’s not just me saying that. You’re not talking to teachers or people that are just there because they need a little bit of extra cash, it’s actual professional people that work in the industry still. They are willing to give up their time and want to help kids. We recorded with Dave Sanderson and he’s definitely helped us. He actually understood us. He listens and that makes you feel respected.
BB: It’s nothing like your normal school. Having professional musicians at Tracks makes it a lot easier, not just for bands, but for all of us to learn.
JC: It’s important because it allows young people to go and make music; make friends and be taught by people in the music industry. They really let everyone’s talent shine.
Having seen your Leadmill performance in the flesh, that talent was clearly on show. Do you all have and come from similar musical backgrounds?
BB: It’s a bit different but we’re in the same sort of category.
WS: It’s a bit varied. So, obviously Joe is doing his grades, but has always been into rock. Alex is a bit more of a mix, and then you’re a big Oasis fan (looks towards Bobby).
BB: Yeah, I’m more into my 90s stuff, but I just think everyone should appreciate music more.
WS: I listen to everything so a little bit of jazz, I also like classical music, and I’m a huge fan of Freddie Mercury. He is an idol.
Sunburst lead singer Will Smith. Photo credit: Lucy Revis
Are you bringing those musical influences to your own song writing process?
BB: Sometimes, when we write songs, it can be a mix of everything. We want it to be powerful. We practice on a Friday and try to write songs on Saturday mornings.
WS: There’s also a WhatsApp Group where ideas go back and forth. You’ll often get someone putting a little idea they’ve worked on in a voice note or a video. We never want to write the same song, either.
So, you don’t want to write the same song, what kind of topics are you covering then?
WS: So, the first song started out being a generic, kind of slightly poppy love song, but you can interpret it however you want. Like, I didn’t sit and think what I wanted it to be so much. You guys were playing some chords and then I scribbled some stuff down and pretty much after the first draft, sat down to the mic and recorded it. I came back a few times and scribbled down some changes, but it pretty much stayed the same. The other songs have a bit more of a storyteller vibe, There’s a bit more of a narrative.
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What does the future hold for Sunburst, is it looking bright (sorry)?
AD: We want Sunburst to be fun. We enjoy creating music, learning from it, and would like to go play at festivals and get a positive reputation.
WS: We want to take it far. All the way. The biggest band ever!
BB: It might take some, but we’ll get there. We’ve got the time! We’ve got two more gigs lined up, the big one is Lucy’s wedding and we’ve got something special lined up for that! We’re going to be firing on all cylinders and using that stage. We’re building towards having a full set of our own songs as well. It’s about energy now when we’re playing live.
Yeah, it doesn’t have to be perfect, right? When you go to watch gigs, you don’t pick apart whether or not someone is playing all the right notes?
BB: Well, I do sometimes!… But, when I went to Knebworth and saw Kasabian, it was all about the atmosphere. It’s all about energy and I feel like with our band, we can exceed that energy!
Check out sunburst on Instagram at @_sunburstofficialband or catch them live at Worrall Fest on the 10th September and Woodhouse Festival on 17th September.
