New Hope Club: From Rising Stars to Global Pop Icons, New Hope Club Continues Their Evolution
Written by: Keyali Mikaela
British pop band New Hope Club has come a long way from their early days performing in local pubs. Consisting of Blake Richardson, George Smith, and Reece Bibby, the trio has spent nearly a decade crafting a sound that blends pop, rock, and indie influences into a unique musical identity that resonates with fans worldwide. Now honored as Next Wave's November Artist of the Month, New Hope Club finds itself at a new peak, balancing intense creative output with a demanding tour schedule.
For New Hope Club, 2024 has been all about growth, evolution, and expanding their reach on a global stage. After kicking off the year by recording "Can’t Lose This Fight"—a powerful anthem for the high-stakes boxing match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk—the band has kept up a consistent stream of new releases, including their recent singles "Trouble in Paradise" and "Swimming with Sharks." Each track showcases the trio’s evolving sound and the seamless harmony that has become their signature. By constantly innovating, New Hope Club not only keeps their fans engaged but also cements their place as a group unafraid to push the limits of pop music.
Early Days: The Making of a Band
New Hope Club’s journey began in 2015 when Blake and George, both passionate about music, decided to form a band. Reece, a musician in his own right, joined soon after, completing the trio. The group quickly gained attention with their covers on YouTube, and it wasn't long before they signed with Steady Records, a label under The Vamps’ management. The boys' early success was bolstered by a UK Top 5 debut album, which included fan-favorite tracks like "Know Me Too Well," featuring Mexican star Danna Paola. Songs from this album, including "Fixed" and "Medicine," are still staples at their live shows.
Evolving Sound and Self-Production
New Hope Club has grown from a teenage pop sensation into mature musicians who are deeply involved in the creative process. Over the years, they’ve taken increasing control over their music production and songwriting, reflecting a more personal and honest narrative in their lyrics. For their newer songs, they have experimented with a variety of genres, drawing on everything from reggae to funk and disco. Collaborating with renowned producers like Ross Golan and John Ryan has allowed the group to explore even more complex themes, moving beyond their earlier works to tackle ideas around relationships, identity, and self-discovery.
"We want to keep experimenting with our sound and challenging ourselves in the studio," George shared in a recent interview. With "Trouble in Paradise," the band tapped into a reggae-inspired sound that pays homage to The Police while retaining a distinct New Hope Club twist. In "Swimming with Sharks," they delved into a funkier, disco-inspired sound, thanks in part to a chance encounter with funk legend Nile Rodgers.
New Singles: "Trouble in Paradise" and "Swimming with Sharks"
"Trouble in Paradise" and "Swimming with Sharks" have set the tone for New Hope Club’s current era. "Trouble in Paradise" deals with the heartbreak of a relationship unraveling and showcases the trio's knack for poignant lyrics paired with infectious melodies. As George put it, "We wanted to create something that felt haunting and vibrant, a reflection of that initial love bubble bursting." The song has become a fan favorite during live shows, with its reggae-inspired beat surprising audiences in the best way possible.
Meanwhile, "Swimming with Sharks" tackles the complexities of modern dating, likening it to navigating shark-infested waters. With lyrics like "Tell me why is love like / swimming with, swimming with, swimming with sharks," the song is both catchy and introspective, capturing the turbulent emotions of love. The accompanying music video, directed by Blake Nelson, channels a gritty ’90s Britpop aesthetic and offers a raw look at the band navigating a chaotic night in New York City.
Touring and Fan Connection
Coming off of a U.S. tour following a sold-out run in the UK, New Hope Club has been reconnecting with fans after a two-year break from performing due to the pandemic. This return to the stage has not only reignited their passion for live performance but also reminded them of their fans' unwavering support. From intimate clubs to massive festival stages, New Hope Club’s shows are marked by high energy, harmonized vocals, and a palpable connection with their audience. Each concert becomes a shared celebration, with fans singing along to every word—a testament to the lasting impact of their music.
Reece explained, "Shows are a huge part of what we do. It’s where we can actually connect with fans, see them react in real-time, and just have fun together. It’s our favorite part." For New Hope Club, the live shows are a chance to celebrate both new and old music with their dedicated following. Songs like "Fixed" and "Getting Better" bring back nostalgic memories for fans, while new tracks like "Trouble in Paradise" and "Swimming with Sharks" showcase how much the band has grown and evolved.
Beyond Music: A Foot in the Fashion World and Film
As New Hope Club’s influence has expanded, so has their reach beyond the music industry. Known for their distinctive style, the band has collaborated with high-profile fashion brands like Celine, Ralph Lauren, and designer Daniel Fletcher, even being featured in magazines such as GQ, V Man, Flaunt, and Wonderland. This blend of fashion and music has cemented their status as cultural icons for a new generation.
Blake Richardson has also ventured into the acting world, portraying a young Paul McCartney in the highly anticipated film Midas Man, a biopic about Beatles manager Brian Epstein. This role not only marks Richardson's film debut but also reflects the band's strong ties to classic British rock influences.
What's Next: An Unpredictable Yet Promising Future
As Next Wave’s November Artist of the Month, New Hope Club is in the spotlight at a time of both reflection and forward momentum. Looking ahead, the band plans to release more music and continue their tour. They hope to revisit some places they haven’t toured in a while, like South America and Asia, while working on new material that they describe as both a reflection of their past experiences and a bold step forward.
When asked about their plans, Reece said, "We have so many songs we’re excited to share. After being in the studio for so long, all we want to do now is get back on the road and just play. There’s nothing like performing live and connecting with fans that way."
With their undeniable talent, strong fanbase, and a relentless drive to keep evolving, New Hope Club shows no signs of slowing down.
Ahead of their highly anticipated show in San Diego, we had the chance to sit down with the band to discuss their new music, their evolution, and what fans can look forward to on tour. Fans can read the full interview below and watch the conversation here.
Next Wave: You guys just had Trouble in Paradise and Swimming With Sharks released, how do you think those songs have evolved your sound since you guys have debuted and started a new chapter of New Hope Club?
George: Yeah, I think for us, it's always important that we keep pushing ourselves to experiment and try out things in the studio and on the stage that we haven't ever done before. So I think it's an exciting time for us with these releases. Trouble in Paradise, we definitely got into more of the police sort of mindset. I feel like we've never really done a song like that, especially with the chorus, the way it kind of goes, like, beat with the guitars and stuff. It's a little reggae, right? A bit of a reggae vibe, so we [New Hope Club] probably never really done that before. That was a fun thing for us to try. It goes down really well live for people that haven’t heard it before; they don’t really expect it. So it’s kind of fun to throw people off.
Swimming with Sharks, that's obviously more of a disco vibe. Again, we've not really done that before. There's more of a vocoder trend throughout the song, especially like the post-choruses. Again, that's just us pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone and seeing what we create because, at the end of the day, as soon as we stand still creatively, we get a little bit bored. So it’s important for us every time we go into the studio to really push ourselves, push boundaries, and think about what New Hope Club can bring to the future of music. We don't want to lean too far back; we want to pull from those inspirations and see how we envision music in the next couple of years, hopefully being at the forefront of that, I guess.
Next Wave: With Trouble in Paradise, I know you guys did perform it at your last tour last year, right? Have you seen the fan reaction online, turn out similar to when you guys first debuted it on this last tour?
Reece: Yeah, we do that with quite a lot of our songs. We like to play live and see how they feel—the live test. There are a few tests that songs go through, like the car test and the headphone test. I think everyone does it; you want to see if it’s received well and if the fans enjoy it. It’s a really fun song to play live, and we’re very excited to release it. It took its time to come out because we had to deal with a lot of logistical stuff over the last year and a half. We moved to America and had a change in our management—things you don’t really see online, but there was a lot going on.
It’s been a journey for sure, but we’re happy now that we’ve released music and are back. It’s exciting to be on the road, playing shows, which is my favorite part of being in a band. So, yeah, it’s good.
Next Wave: You guys have been writing and performing together for a while now, so you guys are teenagers. How do you think your songwriting process with each other has evolved since then?
Blake: I think when we started out, we were new to everything—new to having a team and writing with people that weren't just the three of us. When you're younger, you're more focused on learning and taking in all the different sessions. We were writing with people who were more focused on R&B, some on indie music, and some who were truly pop. It gave us a wide knowledge of how things were done.
Now, as we've grown up, we've taken more control and found people we work well with. It takes time to see if you vibe with someone in writing sessions. We’ve now got the people we work well with, and we’re also able to produce ourselves and write just the three of us, so we don’t need as many cooks in the kitchen as we used to. This gives us the control and freedom to make music we feel in the moment. That’s kind of been the evolution of the writing process.
Next Wave: When you're performing your older songs on stage and then performing the newer ones, do you kind of see that difference?
Blake: Yeah, I think so, and that’s certainly natural. Some of the songs we released when we were 16, like Fixed, for example—we released that in 2016, right? We’re opening the set with that tonight, so that shows we still love some of these songs. As we evolve, we try to bring them closer to how we would want to write or produce the song now. At the end of the day, the songs are good; it’s just that sometimes the production can feel dated on some songs, so we’ll edit things like the synth line.
Next Wave: This [San Diego] is the last show of the tour. What has been the most memorable part of the tour, whether it's be on stage or behind the scenes.
George: There are some funny moments from this tour. A couple of shows, we actually forgot to put the set lists up on stage. It’s only been two shows, so we get up and play the first few songs because we know them, but when it comes to the third one, we go, 'Set list?' Then we’re all trying to remember it, and we all get it wrong. Like two nights ago in San Francisco, we all thought we were about to play 'Getting Better,' but it turns out it was a brand new unreleased song we started playing live. We were like, 'Oh my goodness, okay, well, we’re in that one now.’
There have been some funny moments like that, and the jet lag has added to it because we did the UK tour and then flew straight to New York for the New York show. It’s been funny dealing with jet lag. The shows have been amazing; seeing the fans again has been great. We’re so grateful for all the support they've shown us, especially since we haven’t really toured properly for two years. For them to still be here, along with a lot of new faces, is really sweet. They put up with us on stage for an hour and a half every night.
Next Wave: Are there any songs from your discography that fans respond to the most during live shows? I know probably fixed is definitely one of them.
Reece: Yeah, Fixed, Medicine. Honestly, the new ones as well.
George: Getting Better, they love Getting Better.
Blake: It’s so simple. And obviously Know Me Too Well always slaps.
George: There's a lot of songs people hold up their phones, songs that aren't on the set list.
Reece: We get a lot of requests, like Makeup, Crazy, Water.
George: Water. People love Water.
Next Wave: What was the last song that you guys heard that you were like… “I wish I wrote that..”
Reece: That’s a good question.
Blake: If You Leave Me Now, Chicago. I just kind of wish I wrote it. I just love that song. I just love it
Reece: I think… There’s an Arctic Monkeys song called The Only Ones Who Know and I just love the lyrics. I like a moody song, do you know what I mean?
George: I’d probably go Day In The Life, Beatles. Banger. Honestly, most of the Beatles catalog.
Blake: Also, Rock With You, Michael Jackson. That is so good.
Next Wave: I feel like you guys definitely could’ve written that.
George: We could’ve. It’d be funny if you said, “yeah you guys definitely couldn’t have written that.”
Blake: “There’s no way you guys could ever pull that off.”
Reece: “You guys could never do that.” And you would be correct.
Next Wave: You guys have worked with a variety of producers and artists, with quite a few collabs as well. Are there any dream collaborations that you guys would love to do in the future?
Reece: Dream collab…. Honestly, I don't know. We love doing collaborations, like we've worked with a lot of people over the years. It's tough, isn't it?
George: I'd love a little Tame Impala feature, or a Daft Punk feature, you know. I know they've stopped, but yeah.
Reece: I don't think there's anyone that… We'd want to work with anyone that's like, you know, up for getting in the studio and just having a jam. I think that's one of the best songs to want, not just like force sent it by a manager and you're like, you wanna hop on? You wanna hop on this? Like that's boring. But if there is anyone…
Blake: I feel like Calvin Harris would be kind of sick. Calvin Harris would be a cool one. Cause he did some of the funkier stuff.
Reece: Mark Ronson.
George: Pharrell.
Blake: I feel like Pharrell would be a dream.
Next Wave: After the tour, what’s next for you guys? Do you have plans for new music, maybe another full-length album coming soon?
Reece: Yeah, we’ve been writing a lot over the last couple of years, so we have a lot of songs in the bag that we’d love to release. We’re definitely going to be releasing music. Next year, our focus is just to play shows; we were too inactive the last couple of years. We spent a lot of time in the studio, and we just want to be out playing shows again. We have so much to play and show our fans. Shows are like a celebration of everything you work hard to do.
We want to tour in the UK and the US again, maybe get some support slots in Asia and Europe—places we haven’t been in a while, like South America. I think we’re going to do all of that in the next couple of years and definitely release some songs, maybe an EP or an album, but who knows? That’s up to the people above us. Let’s see.
Find New Hope Club on social media below:
