By Hazel Ford–
Citrus Heights is not a common name. But as of 2016, it’s now the name of both a city and an indie-pop band in the United Kingdom — and it turns out the band intentionally named itself after the City of Citrus Heights.
In a recent interview with The Sentinel, drummer Luke Chambers said the band’s 26-year-old bassist had traveled to California on multiple occasions and the band drew inspiration for their music from the atmosphere and vibe of the state.
“We wanted a name which was closely related to it, so we looked at all the cities and Citrus Heights just kinda stuck,” said Chambers in an email.
Citrus Heights’ origin story began at Leeds College of Music in Leeds, England. Bassist Matt Dixon started playing music with guitarist Ben Casey, 26, along with vocalist Jamie Kelly, 26, and Chambers, 25, who were also attending the school. The four men jammed out in the practice rooms together, but didn’t form Citrus Heights until 2016 — a few years after graduation.
Besides taking much of their musical inspiration from California culture, the band models their music after a variety of other artists.
“We have been compared to Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, The 1975, and Michael Jackson, to name a few,” Chambers told the Sentinel, adding that they would best define their genre to be “Summertime Indie Pop and Groove.”
The quartet’s latest single, “Lovers,” is their current favorite, and they believe it to capture the essence of their style.
“We’ve been writing track after track to find a vibe that matched us both individually and as a band. We kept the dynamics of a summer song while keeping it simple and as colourful as we could,” said Chambers.
With “Lovers” now released, the four musicians have more time to focus on upcoming shows instead of spending all of their time and energy in the studio. Citrus Heights will be playing at the Kendal Calling music festival in Kendal, UK, this summer, a long time goal and major milestone for them.
Other major milestones for the band include gaining support from local radio, self-recording their latest EP, “Honesty,” and playing to large crowds in different cities across the UK. Several of their songs have earned national airtime, according to their website, including songs titled “Sweet Things’, ‘Limitations’, ‘Same Ride Home’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Girl’ and ‘Questions’.
The band also earned an honorable mention from BBC Radio’s Alan Raw, who described the quartet as “a band who could quite possibly be the sound of summer 2018.”
As a small-name band, each of the members also work a regular day job, which helps fund the band until they’re able to reach their goal to make music full-time.
Asked about struggles the band has faced, Chambers referred to them as “more like learning curves” rather than struggles. “They’re things that have happened and we’ve come away with valuable knowledge. We see it all as a learning process.”
“You also have to be tough when it comes to rejection,” said Chambers. “The music industry is a pretty fickle place and you get turned down a lot more than you get accepted.”
In return for the hardships, however, Citrus Heights has been met with enthusiasm and approval from listeners. The group has a devoted following in their hometown of Leeds, as well as a smattering of fans in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
The band would also love to come to the United States to play in Citrus Heights, at some point.
“Citrus Heights playing in Citrus Heights,” Chambers joked, “I’m sure it would cause some confusion.”
To learn more about the band, visit www.citrusheights.co.uk
