Te Whanganui-a-Tara indie-pop band Rocket Berry have today released their new synth-pop single ‘Caught Up in the Fiction’.
Listen to ‘Caught Up in the Fiction’ HERE
An 80s influenced synth-pop stand-out, ‘Caught Up in the Fiction’ is about holding on to the fantasy of a person against all the evidence. It’s Rocket Berry’s third single, following on from ‘Chill Out’ and ‘Walls (Gotta Get Out)’, which were both independently released not long after the band formed in 2022 and have had over 15K streams.
“We wanted to form a band centred around putting together a high-energy live show, combining 80s influences with character-based songwriting,” says Rocket Berry. “We’ve spent the past year cementing our sound and live set through various gigs in and around Wellington and plan to build on this in 2023, beginning with our single launch gig at Moon on April 14.”
Made up of Clara van Wel (vocals), Connor Scott (keyboards), Peter Wilkes (bass) and Baileigh Sparkes (drums), ‘Caught Up in the Fiction’ was written by Connor before the band had even formed. “It gave us an opportunity to explore and fine-tune our sound,” says Connor. “With Clara being predominantly a folk songwriter, we found that the process of working on ‘Caught Up in the Fiction’ helped inform our sound and set the stage for more collaborative songwriting between the two of us.” Recorded in Connor’s bedroom studio, the track was then mixed and mastered by Wellington electroacoustic composer and audio engineer Jack Woodbury.
Rocket Berry is an exciting up-and-coming band that bridges the gap between folk-rock and synth-pop to create a groove with an edge. If lead singer Clara van Wel seems like a familiar face/voice - they won New Zealand’s Got Talent in 2012 with their original songs, before going on to study in the UK. Rocket Berry is their first band since returning to Aotearoa. Rocket Berry’s ultimate goal is to entertain, get people moving and inspire them to own themselves. They’re definitely a band to watch!