A Macclesfield band is set to get an audience of more than 9million listeners when their track is played on Radio 1.
Indie band Cassia, which is made up of Rob Ellis, from Prestbury, Lou Cotterill, from the Moss estate, and Jake Leff, from Tytherington, has had one of their songs chosen as Radio 1’s BBC Introducing Track of the Week.
This means their single - 100 Times Over - will be played on the international radio station throughout the week, featuring on prime time shows including Nick Grimshaw and Scott Mills.
Rob, 21, said it will be the first time the two-year-old band will have heard their music on the radio.
He said: “Getting play on Radio 1 is the biggest thing we could have got. It’s absolutely crazy. It’s been a bit of whirlwind since we found out.
“I said right at the beginning that wanted to have my music played on Radio 1 by the time I was 23, and it’s happening -and I’m only 21.”
Former Fallibroome Academy students Rob and Lou formed the band at school and soon after drafted in drummer Jake, also 21, who they met in Wetherspoons in Macclesfield.
Their single will be played on Radio 1 throughout the week starting on Saturday, July 1, before the band jets off to Germany and Switzerland for a European tour.
Rob added: “I can’t wait to go on tour. We’re doing some festivals and there are a couple where we are headlining, so people seem to know us which is good!”
The band, which plays ‘calypso-flavoured afro-rock’, has been championed by Rob Adcock, a presenter from BBC Stoke, who organised the boys’ big break into Radio 1.
He said: “[They are] one of the most exciting bands to come out of area in years. Their music does things to me I can’t explain.” The band, which has been compared to the likes of Vampire Weekend and Little Comets, is promoted by the Poynton promotions company Scruff Of The Neck.
Promoter Mark Lippman said: “The guys at Scruff of the Neck HQ are thrilled with the progress being made by Cassia.
“We’ve gone from their first one-week UK tour in autumn 2016 to Radio 1 playlisting and European festivals in such a short timescale, and it’s only growing faster.”
Cassia’s music is available from iTunes and Spotify. There are also plans for a new EP to be released in the autumn. For more go to wearecassia.com or find them on Spotify.
