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| NEXT WAVE INDIE-POP BAND SOAP SHARE THE NEW SINGLE ‘AWKWARD NOW’ LISTEN HERE / WATCH THE VIDEO HERE  Rising indie-pop quartet SOAP exist in that rarefied space where they can earn attention from Radio 1’s Future Alternative, Rock Sound and Upset while also enthralling big audiences as guests to the likes of Busted and The Vamps. Now SOAP plan to level up to bigger things from that promising first stage, beginning as they now share the new single ‘Awkward Now’. Listen HERE. Watch the official visualiser HERE. Playful pop-rock is the name of the game with ‘Awkward Now’. Set to a foundation of jangly acoustic guitars, the boys’ four-way vocal harmonies mix campfire singalong fun with a touch of classic Britpop infectiousness, leading to a rousing, rambunctious finale. The song’s fun factor is elevated by lyrics which capture an uncomfortable but all-too-familiar experience: those accidental post-breakup meetings where you’d rather be anywhere else. As with most of their songs, ‘Awkward Now’ was written and produced by the band themselves: Ryan Lofthouse(vocals/guitar), Cooper Stout (bass), and the Lima brothers Joshua (guitar) and Noah (drums). They go further on the creative front too, also mixing and mastering their own music. ‘Awkward Now’ is their first release under a new deal with Darco Artist Partnerships / Virgin Music. Cooper says, “‘Awkward Now’ is a song that everyone can relate to. It’s about the awkwardness of a small town break up where you have all the same friends, see each other everywhere you go and you know each other’s families super well. We’ve been playing it live for about a year now and it’s become a favourite amongst fans. We wanted to write a song that sounds like it would go off at the end of the night in your local pub. We’ve drawn inspiration from bands like Royel Otis, The Fratellis and Role Model.” Having first formed in 2019, SOAP move between genres from indie-rock to pop-punk and more introspective balladeering, but never lose sight of their love of a massive pop hook. In addition to the bands mentioned above, they also cite the likes of The Cure, Weezer and Bleachers as key influences. SOAP’s lyrics chart relatable experiences in young adult life, from feelgood moments to tougher times – sometimes with a light-hearted twist as with ‘Post Sex Ping Pong’. Their first two EPs, ‘Born On The Internet’ (2022) and ‘Complaining. (But There Is Music)’ (2023) emerged via the pop-punk indie label Slam Dunk Records, but last year’s high-energy take on the ABBA classic ‘SOS’ attracted a much wider audience with 6 million streams to date, which they built upon with their third EP ‘Indoor Sports’ (2025). Their larger-than-life personalities and chirpy covers (B-52s, Wallows, Cage The Elephant) have attracted 15 million likes at TikTok. This year has seen SOAP complete a sold-out UK headline tour, while they also topped the bill at Abbie McCarthy’s Future Karma at The Lower Third, London. Expect more new music and exciting tour plans to come in 2026.  Photo by Joshua Fairbrother Follow SOAP: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram |
NEXT WAVE INDIE-POP BAND SOAP SHARE THE NEW SINGLE ‘AWKWARD NOW’
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