Wild Rivers: Embracing Authenticity and Achieving New Heights
Since the release of "Sidelines", Wild Rivers has continued to gain momentum. They were nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards, obtained over 800 million global streams, and reached 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Formed during their time at Queen’s University in Ontario, Wild Rivers has carved out a significant place in the music industry. The band has released two full-length albums to date, including 2022’s "Sidelines", which made a notable impact by landing at #9 on the U.S. Spotify Debut Album Chart. The album received widespread critical acclaim, with Under The Radar praising its ability to
Expertly straddle the lines between folk and indie, offering an empathetic and enveloping comfort and a piece of poignant pop beauty
and American Songwriter declaring it
Soul-stirring," highlighting the "rich male/female harmonies bring the emotional lyrics to life
Since the release of "Sidelines", Wild Rivers has continued to gain momentum. They were nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards, obtained over 800 million global streams, and reached 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Their journey has also included touring with renowned artists such as The Chicks and Noah Kahan, further solidifying their place in the music scene.
2023 has proven to be an especially notable year for Wild Rivers. Their breakout single, “Thinking ‘Bout Love”, was recently certified RIAA Gold in the United States, following previous certifications in Canada (Platinum) and Australia (Gold).
Reflecting on their new music, the group shared their thoughts:
We approached this record with the mindset, ‘This is who we are.’ We aren’t pretending to be something we’re not, or trying to sound like anyone else. We wanted it to feel easy. We wanted the stories to be real. We wanted to show our true selves as best we could. We’re proud of who we’ve become as people and as a team. We truly feel like we’re having the most fun with music that we’ve ever had and in the most exciting stage of our lives. We’re never better
Their latest album features eight new songs:“Never Better”, “Cave”, “Everywhere I Go”, “Dance”, “Backfire”, “Hardly Ever”, “Anyways, I Love You”, and “Morongo Valley (Interlude)”. Each track showcases the band's commitment to authenticity and their evolution as artists.
We had a conversation recently where we realised that we’ve been a band for almost 10 years. When we started Wild Rivers way back when, we had never played a real concert before. When we made our first record, it was our first time stepping into a real studio. We barely even knew each other when we started this band. Since then we’ve played a thousand shows, recorded over 30 songs, and become a family
Wild Rivers' ability to connect with listeners through heartfelt lyrics and harmonious melodies continues to resonate deeply. As they navigate their musical journey, the band remains dedicated to staying true to themselves and their unique sound. With their growing fanbase and critical acclaim, Wild Rivers is poised to reach even greater heights in the years to come.