What are your names? Delphina Kings is brothers Chris and Pete on guitar/vocals and drums respectively, and Andy on bass.
How old are you?
Chris and Andy are both 23; Pete is 21.
What is the genre?
Chris: We don’t think too much about genre when we’re writing, but we can’t really pretend it’s anything more interesting than ‘indie-pop’ or ‘alternative pop!’
You guys are releasing ‘Holding Me Up’ can you tell us the meaning behind it?
Andy: It’s about modern relationships – how confusing they can be, but in a good way. I guess you could read the lines about being dizzy as nights out playing a part…
Chris: For me it’s about that first bit in a new relationship where it’s all new and confusing but exciting at the same time. We try not to force our own meaning on people though, I think people can take their own interpretations from it as well.
Do you have an album coming soon if so can you tell us more about it?
Chris: We’ve been writing a lot recently, but we think for now E.Ps and singles are the way forward. They tend to have more of an impact because of how quickly they can be put together and released, and also because our collective attention span isn’t enough for albums any more. It’s all about keeping the audience engaged and entertained, and we think little by little is the best way for us to do that at the moment.
Are you signed?
We are currently signed to Playing With Sound.
Will you be heading out on your?
Pete: A tour will hopefully be on the cards in the near future, but we’ve only been a band for a couple of months so for now our main priority is getting a bit of a buzz going around the single.
If so where will you be heading?
Chris: At the moment we’re playing individual shows around Manchester and the north west. But we’re excited to start broadening our horizons really soon.
What made you go into the music industry?
Andy: I don’t think anyone plans to go into the music industry. You kind of stumble into it through a love of music, and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been playing in bands since we were teenagers, just for our own enjoyment, and this is an extension of that.
How long have you been doing music?
Chris: Music has always been a big part of all of our lives. I started playing classical guitar in year 4 and Andy started around the same time.
Pete: I was about 10 when I started at drums.
Chris: We’ve all been in bands for pretty since we started high school I formed my first one when I was 12.
Do you play instruments, if so which ones?
Andy: I play bass, a bit of guitar and keyboards.
Chris: I see myself as a guitar player, but I can also play a bit of bass.
Pete: I play drums mainly, but I can also play bass and a bit of guitar.
Who are you influences?
Chris: Individually we all have really varied influences.
Andy: As a band we look up to a lot of contemporary bands like Foals and The 1975.
Pete: Chris and I grew up listening to classic 70s and 80s stuff like David Bowie and Queen, because that’s what our mum was into. Later on we both got really into the Red Hot Chili Peppers…
Andy: We’ve also always listened to Manchester-based stuff: The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order and stuff like that.
Chris: I always get people telling me that we sound like Bloc Party. They were big when we first started playing in bands, but I don’t see the similarity.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Andy: Just sticking at it. Hopefully we will have had some success but we’d just like to be able to carry on playing music.
Chris: We don’t want to jinx it! We’re just concentrating on the present. But we have a lot of faith in the music we’re writing at the moment.
Pete: I’d like to have played at Manchester Apollo by then.
If you could collaborate with one UK Artist or band who would it be?
All: Stormzy!
Chris: Nah, I doubt he’d want to work with us. It’s hard to pick one, there are so many good new UK artists out at the moment.
Andy: Maybe someone like Ellie Roswell from Wolf Alice. Someone with a cool vocal.
If you could collaborate with one USA Artist or band who would it be?
All: Taylor Swift!
Andy: It depends whether you mean in terms of songwriting or performance.
Chris: Yeah, for songwriting someone like Sia would be amazing. She’s written for everyone. But writing and performing with Taylor Swift… Or Carly Rae Jepsen! Both their last albums are so good.
Where is your dream venue or festival to perform at in UK?
Pete: Reading and Leeds, particularly Leeds because it’s a festival we’ve all been to as fans.
Andy: A stadium like Old Trafford would be a dream come true, but even Manchester’s Apollo would be incredible.
Chris: My favourite venue in Manchester at the moment is the Albert Hall there – it’s really cool inside, like a church. That would be mine.
What was the song or band that most influenced you to go in to music?
Andy: For me it was Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, without a doubt. Even though I was a bit late to the party – I wasn’t even born when it was released. But it was the first song I learnt on guitar.
Chris: Mine and Pete’s would probably be By the Way by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That was the first record I bought with my own pocket money.
Pete: Yeah, that was one of the first songs that really got us excited about music.
If you could have your music played on a TV Show, which would it be?
Andy: Geordie Shore. If I heard one of our songs on there, I’d know we’d made it.
What do you do in your spare times?
Andy: I watch a fair amount of football, both on TV and live.
Pete: I love my PS4.
Chris: I go to gigs when I can. I have embarrassingly few interests outside of music!
What advice would you give to others in the music industry?
Andy: Don’t give up when you get your first knock back. It can feel like you’ve wasted your chances, but if you keep trying you’ll always get another chance.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Chris: I met Ian Brown once. When he found out I was in a band he said ‘kid, whatever you do, don’t turn left’. Then he just turned around and walked away. I’m still not sure what he meant, but I’ve never turned left since just in case.
Do you have any social media accounts so readers can see more?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/delphinakings
Twitter: www.twitter.com/delphinakings
The handle for both Twitter and Instagram is @delphinakings.
