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Blossoms are the name on everyone’s lips. Tune into the radio and you’ll hear one of their tunes. Check the major festival line-ups and their name is emblazoned on the bill – Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight festival, Leeds/Reading, Field Day to name just a few. They made countless Ones To Watch lists this year, including the BBC’s Sound Of 2016. Huge strides for a band that’s only been going for 3 years.

The Stockport based quintet were originally written about by The Unsigned Guide in our Soundbreakers column back in 2014, an article prompted by the unavoidable buzz Blossoms created on the local Manchester scene. Now the buzz is reaching a whole new level…

Front man, Tom Ogden, took some time out from their extremely busy schedule to answer a bunch of questions on how 2016 seems to have been their year!

 

How did it feel to be featured on the BBC Sound Of 2016 list? 
We were honoured to make the BBC Sound of 2016 list, so many successful acts have been on that list before. It's a shame we were probably the only guitar band on the list, but we were more than happy to fly the flag for that corner.

April marks the anniversary of the band, 2016 is 3 years. Did you ever imagine yourselves to be featured on such lists, having your own headline tour (mostly sold out) and receiving lots of love from the likes of Radio 1?
When you start a band you I think you should always dream big and want all them things, but I don't think we consciously thought about it and chased it. Everything happened naturally and all of them things kind of come with hard work, so by the time you're experiencing them things you're ready for it. 

What have you been up to for the first months of the year so far?
We finished recording the album in January, went out on tour in February and have been on the road pretty much since then. When I'm home I've been writing songs for what will probably be the second album. 

You recently supported The Coral, how did that go?
It was one of our favourite tours yet. We're good friends with James, as he produced our debut album, and we've known him for 2 years. All the rest of the lads are really sound. What a great live band too.

What festivals are you playing this summer? Which are you looking forward to most?
Pretty much every single one. We can't wait for the UK ones like Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and T in The Park. Also some in Australia and Korea.

You’re from Stockport, and as far as I can recall, there aren’t too many well-known acts from there. How does it feel to be doing so well and in return representing your hometown?
We do feel as if there's a buzz amongst the people around us in Stockport. Most people seem to be genuinely excited for us and wish us all the best.

Would you like to think that you’re putting Stockport on the map?
I reckon 10cc, Fred Perry and Daniel Rigby have already done that. We'll give it a go to keep it on the tip of everyone's tongues.

What has been a major milestone for the band so far?
When you experience something you would consider a milestone we never have time to sit and dwell on it, and to just be satisfied we're always looking ahead. I'd probably say the sold out Albert Hall show in Manchester was pretty special.  

Do you have any goals yet to hit as a band?
I think we'd all love to tour the US.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
Constant touring, generate the excitement for our album to drop and keep writing songs!

So who would you like to see in BBC’s Sound Of 2017 list?
The Vryll Society from Liverpool. They're good friends of ours and have toured with us a couple of times, they're such a great band.

Blossoms new single ‘Get Away’ has been named BBC Radio 1’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’. Check out the video below and buy the single now from iTunes.  

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