Places+Faces: Lucky Iris

Meet Lucky Iris, the dynamic alt-pop duo hailing from Leeds, composed of the talented Maeve and Jasper. Merging infectious melodies, alternative electronics, and a rich musical tapestry, their soundscapes offer a blend of danceable beats and emotive depth, delving into the complexities of love and friendship experiences. Formed during the lockdown, their meteoric rise has been marked by tastemaker acclaim, radio play on prestigious platforms like BBC Radio 1, Radio X, and BBC 6 Music, and recognition on prominent Spotify and Apple Music playlists, including the Premier League Official Playlist and Soccer AM’s ‘New Music’ playlist.

Their journey from inception to the spotlight has been nothing short of remarkable. With a growing list of achievements, the duo has enchanted audiences through live performances across major cities such as Leeds, London, and Liverpool, sharing stages with acclaimed acts like Stealing Sheep, Real Lies, and the Lottery Winners. Their festival appearances, including Live At Leeds, Long Division, and The Great Escape, have solidified their presence in the music scene. Lucky Iris' story also intertwines with the supportive network of Leeds-based non-profit Launchpad and its extension, Launchpad+, which has played a crucial role in nurturing their growth.

Fresh off the success of their Love Island sync with "blowing kisses," Lucky Iris presents their highly anticipated EP 'maybe i'm too much.' Self-written and produced, the EP features the expert touch of mixer Richard Wilkinson (known for work with Adele and Kaiser Chiefs) and mastering by Antony Ryan (Oh Wonder). With their latest offering, Lucky Iris continues to shine, further cementing their position as a captivating alt-pop force to be reckoned with. We spoke to the duo about their love of Leeds, and let them pick out the venues, clubs and artists that make it so special.

Claudia Fenoglio

Claudia writes beautiful songs. She’s spoken about being a Taylor Swift fan and you can hear it in her lyrics she’s a wonderful storyteller in her folk-pop infused tracks. She’s about to release an EP and if the tracks released so far are anything to go by, it’s a must listen.

Ellur

Ellur just has it. We first saw them perform when we played together in Scunthorpe at Cafe Indie (a great venue if you don’t know it). And we’ve been obsessed ever since. Yorkshire’s very own Holly Humberstone or Sam Fender in a tutu, stunning either way.

Jellyskin

We’ve been Jellyskin fans for a while and we just simply love their vibe. We have a pretty similar set-up but very different styles. Their new album is a must listen, it’s very cool, giving Sink Ya Teeth meets Working Men’s Club.

Mollie Coddled

Self professed sad girl bops. She calls it chaotic, but we definitely in the best way! Her songs will be on repeat in your head. We’ve seen her live a few times, and highly recommend that you look for her name on a festival line-up near you!

Brudenell Social Club

It really is a proper culture hub in so many ways. It’s the meeting point of all things Hyde park. But it also is a stage for some of the best music going. I’ve seen some of my all-time favourite artists there on my doorstep: from Olivia Dean, to Cory Wong, to Busted, and Celeste. They gave us Cribsmas and now they give us Yard Act with Lolly Adefope? It’s all happening at Brud. I think our favourite gig we’ve played there was for the very special Brudenell Piano Sessions, their 10 year anniversary is coming up and if you’re around, you shouldn’t miss it.

Left Bank

Left bank is a total hidden gem. It’s a huge but unsuspecting Grade II listed converted (and deconsecrated) church nestled on the edge of Hyde Park. Post lockdown it’s been putting on more and more events and has recently started doing some Sofar Sounds gigs as well as Brudenell Presents nights. I saw Elenor Moss there and it was really special. The acoustics and the space suited her perfectly. But also I saw Adamsky do an incredible DJ set there last year… so there’s definitely something for everyone!

Hyde Park Book Club

Hyde Park Book Club has a little bit of everything. I think I first went as a student for their jazz night on a Thursday. But they have gigs of almost every kind, almost every night in their basement venue or upstairs in the “snug”. Pop, rock, spoken work, it’s happening there. It also features the Hyde Park Art Club who put out beautiful and thoughtful displays from incredible local artists from the paintings of Howard Eagleston to the imagery of Emma Bentley Fox.

Vinyl Whistle

Jasper and I both lived pretty close by when the Vinyl Whistle first opened. In fact our best friend worked in the store so we used to be in there all the time. And I mean what’s not to love, it’s music meets football, intimate album release shows, coffee, and local beer. All you could want right? We actually just had our ‘maybe i’m too much’ EP release party there, where we covered the room in silver and stars… and we even shot a little music video… which will be out soon!