Letters to Fiesta: a natural accident

“Our music just came together naturally because it appealed to all of our tastes,” explained Andy Fletcher, bass player for the electro-pop band Letters to Fiesta. “It was a natural accident.”

Letters to Fiesta is not your average “indie” band. The UK natives made their way onto the electronic music scene in late 2012 with their single “Mesosphere,” an energetic song that almost foreshadows, for the listener, just what direction the band wants to take you. Consisting of members Anna-Louisa Etherington (vocals and synth), Andy Fletcher (bass), Tom Brydon (guitar), and Dan Houghton (drums), the quartet cite the likes of Radiohead, Bjork, Bon Iver, and Johnny Greenwood as some of their musical influences.

The band members, all of whom come from musical backgrounds, credit their different individual music interests as the driving force behind their sound and creative process. “We all had our own influences and we were all coming from slightly different musical directions, but it actually worked out well for us because it brought all of our individuality into the music,” says front woman Anna-Louisa.

Letters to Fiesta released their first EP, Aphorism, in 2013 and the mash-up of their individual styles compliments their work and sets them apart from other electro-pop bands. Aphorism – which means “an original thought” – is fun and fearless, yet emotional and stimulating. Etherington’s powerful vocals and range paired with the instrumental talents of Fletcher, Brydon, and Houghton makes for a beautiful, fluid EP that leaves the listener hanging onto every word and note.

Although they are comically tight-lipped on the origin of their band name, Letters to Fiesta do acknowledge English performance artist John Cooper Clarke’s poem of the same name as one of the muses behind their moniker. “It [our name] is sort of a tongue-and-cheek nod towards that. It’s a sordid poem, but our music is pretty energetic. We like for people to leave it to their various interpretations,” says the band, with laughter.

Since releasing their first two singles – “Mesosphere” and “Statuettes” – Letters to Fiesta has been compared to some of the most successful electro-pop bands and singers in the industry. Though they are humbly appreciative of the praise and comparisons, they are assertive in their efforts to stand out and make a name for themselves. From their reverb-heavy music, to their message-filled lyrics, to their upcoming recording session inside a quarry cave in Lake District, England, Letters to Fiesta is itching to make their impact in the UK’s, and eventually the world’s, music scene.

Despite the challenges that come along with being an unsigned artist, with a full-length album and tour in the near future, Letters to Fiesta is on a collision course with music success.

Photo by Christian Dyson.