The Youngtones was born in 2017 during a recording session at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. Producer Matthew Young (Vacationer/Body Language/Splice Originals) and Lucas Wade wrote their first song in about an hour, and the result was something different from Matthew’s typical pop-centric productions and Luke’s more singer/songwriter-influenced releases. Inspired by a range of soul and R&B sounds from the 1960s and 70s, the Youngtones’ sound is soul pop at its best.
Although Youngtones remains a creative collaboration between the two musicians in the studio, the project is represented on stage by frontman and guitarist Luke Wade. After touring for years as a solo artist, Luke took a break for several years after getting married and worked as a casting producer for NBC/Universal in the US on music shows such as The Voice, SONGLAND and American Song Contest.
While he spent his time helping others get closer to their dreams, there was less and less clarity about the future of his own. It was in this fertile ground of uncertainty that the seed was planted from which Youngtones would spring. Luke about this moment: “I guess, sometimes you have to stop doing something to figure out why you have to do it… and that is what happened with music for me. The fire grew and grew and I realized I had to do it… The key to unlocking that passion was unlocking the joy, and, for me, it was all about realizing that you can take music that is fun, seriously.”
Matthew Young’s experience in dance music made him the perfect partner to work with and bring this vision to life. He says: “You don’t have to break someone’s heart with a song to connect with them. You can create a place with music everyone can escape to together… a pulse you can all move to together, and we are so excited to share that experience with as many people as we possibly can.”
