Bastille

Bastille encompasses four key players: singer Dan Smith, drummer Chris Wood, bassist William Farquarson, and keyboardist Kyle Simmons. Bastille began recording music in 2010 under the indie label Young & Lost Club, which included singles “Flaws” and “Icarus” and the EP “Laura Palmer.” The band utilized social media sites YouTube and MySpace to expose audiences to new releases via the Internet. The mixtapes “Other People’s Heartache” parts one and two showcases the band’s talent in remixing covers of well-known songs like “Titanium” by David Guetta and TLC’s “Scrubs.” In 2011 Bastille participated in some of UK’s major musical festivals like Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, and Blissfields.

Bastille gained a following in the UK during 2012 after Virgin Records released the singles “Overjoyed” and “Bad Blood.” Soon after, the band received honorable mentions in UK music magazine “Q” and British newspaper “The Guardian.” Virgin Records re-released “Flaws,” one of Bastille’s first compositions and the single jumped to No.21 on the UK Top 40.

Bastille released their debut album “Bad Blood” in 2013 and it quickly exploded on the charts. The album peaked at No.1 on the UK charts and the single “Pompeii” reached No. 5 in the U.S. The positive reviews secured Bastille a slot at the UK summer music festival Reading and Leeds. Bastille’s music has also gained exposure through television, appearing on shows like “The Vampire Diaries,” reality show “Made in Chelsea,” and British soap opera “Hollyoaks.” On 4 February 2014, Bastille won Best Breakthrough Act at the BRIT Awards.

Lead singer Dan Smith draws inspiration from the music he listened to growing up like artists Lauryn Hill and duo Simon & Garfunkel. He also has a deep appreciation for Regina Spektor’s work.