In a distant land kissed by the sun where mountains rose from the sea, Adora was born. Then they became the first artist to sign with ACM’s Student Label Metropolis Blue in 2021, releasing their debut single Anthem to the Youth on February 19th! It’s something that, on the surface, might seem like a walk in the park but this week I thought I’d bring you behind the scenes of a Metropolis Blue release.
In the latter half of trimester one, Aaron Teague, Rhiannon Stygal and myself (Sophie McCarthy) were appointed as MetBlue Campus Leads. One of our largest (and more exciting) responsibilities is project managing small groups set up to support artists selected by student A&Rs to release via Metropolis Blue. Adora was the first band to have a project group formed around them and as they’re a London based group, I was lucky enough to have them fall under my umbrella of responsibility!
Shortly after New Year, everyone in Adora’s MetBlue team jumped on a call to discuss all things styling, aesthetic, content and sound. The result was an air of excitement and over the last two months, we’ve all been working hard behind the scenes to work with Fran & Romi to execute their vision.
Adora’s creativity was evident from this first meeting and they pull from a myriad of styles and influences in both their music and daily lives. Classic rock can always be found, even in the background coupled with 80’s disco, Latin instrumentation and glam. Upon arriving in the UK, the pair immediately began intertwining these influences, and more, into their songwriting, style, aesthetic and core values; all from a box room in their London flat. To this day they continue to draw inspiration from each other and new music they discover each day.
The whole project has been a hugely enjoyable cross-campus experience with project group members from all three ACM campuses. Fran & Romi have also been really clear with their goals and what they want from this release which has not only made it easier for us to execute but it has created a tight-knit team which is an essential element of any successful release.
The track itself is an energetic, retro rocking, rallying cry to stay present. Especially during one’s youth. It’s Fran and Romi’s hope that people who listen will start squeezing all the juice of their juvenescence in their lives, focus their energy on what inspires them and to make the most of every moment life has to offer!
With a video filmed by blogger and videographer, ‘The Unidentified Rocker’ the track’s visuals are fresh, dynamic and invoke a sense of nostalgia anyone can identify with. Fashion fuelled, this duo also hope ‘Anthem To The Youth’ will help people to express their true authentic selves.
‘Anthem To The Youth’ is only the beginning for Adora and Metropolis Blue. We’re currently working with two other artists on release strategies so there will be more MetBlue music on its way in the very near future too.
If you want to get involved in Metropolis Blue, you can email Aaron, Rhiannon or me at metblueprteam@acm.ac.uk to join the team. We have weekly meetings on Fridays with Dave and Jamie from 11:15am – 12:15pm and would love to see you there!
Check out Adora and Metropolis Blue on Instagram and discover Metropolis Blue’s new Podcast on Soundcloud – Episode 4 has just been released:
Digital Open Days
If you dream of achieving success in the creative industries, join us for our new Digital Open Day Experience. With Open Days over the coming weeks, we can’t wait to welcome you into the ACM community.