Meet Kodachrome: The high-energy Bristol underdogs shaking up the UK rock scene

Kodachrome are determined to get Yungblud’s attention, and given the six-piece band’s blend of sheer tenacity and talent, it seems inevitable that they will succeed in their Blud-hunting mission.

Rising from the vibrant Bristol music scene, Kodachrome are an indie fusion rock band that is redefining what a modern rock act can be. Fronted by 19-year-old twins Ava and Conan, the band formed while choristers at Bristol Cathedral Choir School, but they’ve long since left classical halls behind, committing fully to high-octane live performances that have become their signature.

With no industry connections, and over four years of gigging in every imaginable venue – from tiny local bars to major city stages – Kodachrome have risen entirely on talent, relentless hard work, and sheer stage magnetism. Their live shows are cinematic events: each song a story, every set a narrative, full of energy, unpredictability, and tight musicianship.

The young band’s rise has been swift and earned. In 2025, they sold out hometown shows at venues including Thekla and The Louisiana, opened for major acts at the O2 Academy Bristol and the Komedia in Bath, and appeared on festival main stages at Lakeside Festival, Inglefest, and Bristol Harbourfest. 

The end of 2025 saw them represent the United Kingdom at the Imagine International Finals in Brussels, taking second place overall – marking the first time a UK band had appeared in the competition.

In this interview, Ava and Conan, the twin hearts of Kodachrome, discuss being the underdogs in a shoegazey Bristol music scene, honing their performance skills on the festival circuit, playing terrible gigs, redefining what a rock band can look like, their upcoming debut EP, and why they are determined to play Yungblud’s Bludfest.

Hi Ava and Conan! In terms of your musical upbringing, did you grow up with the same or completely different musical tastes?

Ava: They were quite different. We both grew up playing drums, but then Conan was made to play guitar, and I was made to play piano – and I hated piano, and he hated guitar. We also had very different interests in music. The only real common ground was musical theatre. He was really into soul music – people like Otis Redding and Al Green. I was really into rock music. I was a big glam rock fan as a kid, and one of my all-time favourite bands was Thin Lizzy. I was also massively obsessed with Alanis Morissette. Before that, it was Dusty Springfield, Norah Jones, and Nina Simone. Then, as I got older, I started discovering emo music and listening to a lot of Paramore.

Conan: Yeah, I loved Otis Redding and all that kind of music. I loved the sound of it. I loved the way they sang.

What is it like to work so closely with your twin?

Ava: Well…I’m very organised – very “you have to do this, do this, and do this.” I just tell people what they need to do and when they need to do it. Conan, on the other hand, is a bit more of a… free spirit, if you will [laughs].

Kodachrome is the brand name for a colour reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935. Why did this stand out to you as a band name?

Ava: ​​Our dad is pretty cool. He’s the one who introduced us to all the music we love. He made me listen to Alanis Morissette and made me go through all The Beatles' albums. That’s when he came across Kodachrome film – obviously discontinued now – and suggested it as a name because it sounded cool, retro, and a bit niche. And then also there’s the Paul Simon song, Kodachrome.

When Headliner caught your set at Lakefest in 2025, we noted that the band possessed a certain Paramore essence, and that Ava is like a Gen Z Hayley Williams. For bands, is it frustrating to be compared to another act – “the new this” or “the new that” – or is it simply an accepted way for people to get a sense of the band’s sound?

Conan: I think it is quite easy for people if they can have a comparison point. There have always been bands that take inspiration from other bands. Musicians always have an idol or someone they take after who helps them develop their style. So, for us to be compared to bands such as Paramore is a compliment.

Ava: I find it a huge compliment, because I love them. But sometimes, when it’s not even about the music, and it’s just about what you look like, that can be a bit jarring. I used to have bleached, black-and-white hair and wear ties and cropped shirts, and people would come up to me and say, “You remind me of Avril Lavigne.” Even though I sounded nothing like her, I just looked a little bit like her.

A standout part of the set saw Conan don a formal jacket and adopt the persona of Mr Therapist, in a whimsical back-and-forth segment. Where did this idea stem from?

Conan: The musical theatre side is something we both enjoy. I’ve always loved performing. I love acting, I love singing, I love doing musical theatre – I love it all. Bringing that into the band, I love creating a story and putting on a show. 

That song, Mr Therapist, is a really good one to perform. It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve written, and it means a lot to me – singing it, performing it, putting on the show, wearing the jacket. It’s not just about playing our original music, but giving people something to watch, experience, and enjoy.

Ava: Especially when a lot of bands these days are very shoegazey – just staring at their feet, “look how cool we are...”

Conan: Yeah, in the Bristol scene, a lot of it is shoegazey, indie, or heavy metal. We’ve had several members in our band who are massive heavy metal fans – and when I say massive, I mean really massive. A lot of venues and gigs around Bristol love heavy metal and indie, so it’s always been part of going to these places.

A lot of the time, whether in competitions or other performances, we’ve been the underdogs performing with or against heavy metal bands. One thing I can say about them is that they know how to put on a show; they know how to move around and engage an audience. Bristol is a really good place for venues and gigs. We’ve performed all over the city, and it’s great to be here because of the opportunities it provides.

The band’s material is song-oriented rather than genre-defined. What influences do each of the band members bring to the music you make, and how do your songs develop without a defined sound or genre in mind?

Conan: Our band is really diverse in what each of us listens to. As we said, I love a bit of soul and funk. Ava is into Hayley Williams and pop-rock. Tara, our bassist, is into heavy metal and jazz.

Ava: She’s into prog rock – she’s a big fan of Rush. But she was also at our secondary school playing in the jazz band and big band on bass.

Conan: She was basically in every ensemble at our school: jazz bands, choirs, orchestras, all of them. She was literally playing bass in every single one. When she left, they were absolutely distraught [laughs].

Ava: Harrison, he’s basically got no idea about rock or pop music, because he’s a classical piano player and trumpet player.

Conan: When we asked him to play piano, we thought he’d just bring in a keyboard. But he walks in with a keytar. We were like, “Why do you have this?” He said, “Oh, I don’t know, I just thought it looked cool.”

Ava: Then Lulu is really into dad rock, like Foo Fighters and Radiohead. So we’ll take a song and develop it together. Our song Doomsday started as a folky, ballad-style track. Then Harrison, who’d been listening to a lot of Genesis, said, “What if I add this really sick synth solo?” Lulu suggested putting part of it in halftime to give it more punch. So you start with something raw, and then everyone adds their own spin on it, influenced by the different music they love.

You’ve been working hard on the festival circuit. How important is it to build up a band’s confidence in learning how to perform, whether it’s at festivals, grassroots venues, or local pubs, rather than just being a ‘TikTok band’ that might go viral but has no experience in performing?

Ava: It’s deeply important. I think any band needs to have an established live show beforehand. The only reason we get any of the gigs we do is because of the live experience we’ve had — we’ve been gigging since we were 14.

These days, you see so-called “overnight successes” who are suddenly put on stage but don’t know how to handle a live crowd, interact with an audience, or have the vocal stamina, because they haven’t done the work on their live show before gaining recognition. 

Record labels used to nurture artists, build them up, so that when they did achieve success, they were ready to go on the road and perform.

I’ve learned so much from this festival season about taking care of my voice; by the end of it, I was completely fatigued. Playing live has already taught me a lot. Especially at festivals, you have to work hard to win over a crowd that doesn't know who you are, particularly as an independent band.

For example, we had two gigs last summer: one was a crowd of all our people, so we didn’t have to work too hard; they’re there to see us. But at places like Lakefest or Outsider, where people don’t know you, you really have to draw them in. 

It’s incredibly rewarding when it works, but it teaches you so much about crowd work, and for me, fronting a band, about what it takes to engage an audience.

You must have played all sorts of gigs, and it’s almost a rite of passage to do some awful ones. Tell us about what happened when you played at your own school prom…

Ava: Well…they didn't particularly want us to play [laughs]. I'm loud and proud, though – I have no shame! I made the point that we were at a music school, so why would they pay a crappy DJ when there’s a live band begging to play? So we did play. Once I’d finished, I left immediately, went home, and ordered takeout. 

I wasn’t wildly popular in secondary school, and that’s because I was really annoying about my band. I feel no shame or regret for that; look at where I am now. You’ve got to play terrible gigs to just one person and their dog in some random bar!

Kodachrome are representatives of the queer, trans, and neurodiverse communities in the UK music scene. Your mission is to bring upcoming young audiences into rock music, redefine what rock bands can look and sound like, break down genre and identity barriers, and inspire the next wave of local talent to create without limits. Why is this so important to you?

Ava: There are so many hurdles put in front of you. There are spaces labelled as safe for trans people or neurodiverse people, but all spaces should be safe. Some people are hesitant to go to gigs or see live bands because venues aren't neurodivergent-friendly, or because they don’t feel safe or welcome there.

Seeing bands with neurodivergent people on stage, trans performers, or women fronting a band can show that, yes, this is something you can do, and that you are welcome in that space. I’ve already faced a few hurdles just as a cis woman in the music scene – dealing with horrible promoters, being told to “grow thick skin,” or facing shitty audience members heckling you. And that’s just from my perspective, never mind the extra challenges for women of colour, trans women, or non-binary people.

Sometimes, these hurdles are just forced upon you. Bands like ours, and bands I know – even Paramore, for example – show that safe spaces can exist, and they should be everywhere. When you go to watch a band, that space should be safe for anyone to enjoy without hesitation, knowing it’s an environment where they belong.

Last year, you were very persistent in posting videos on Instagram asking Yungblud if you could play his festival, Bludfest in 2026. Are you going to keep going until you get a yes?

Conan: Well, we have not had a response yet. We just love what Yuungblud does with his shows, how he is with his fans, how open he is, how hard he works, and how he just never stops. So we will continue until we get a yes, I believe.

Ava: We would love a response, because we really want to play it. He’s a big idol of ours. The main reason we wanted to play is because of the ethics behind it: neurodiverse-friendly spaces, everyone is welcome, people of colour, trans people, queer people, and it’s all ethically run.

It’s more affordable, too. Festival tickets these days are crazy expensive; I don’t go to a festival unless I’m playing, it’s just ridiculous. Bludfest is affordable, and that’s why we wanted to play: it’s exactly the kind of environment we’re trying to create.

Your debut EP is in pre-production, which you will be recording at Record Division Studios, and should be released in early 2026. What can you share about that at this point?

Conan: We’ve done a lot of recording before – all kinds of setups: songs and tracks and EPs recorded in separate rooms, in the same room, track by track. It’s been very hit and miss. Now, with Record Division, we’re recording old-school, using an analogue system, and we’re looking at how, as a band, we can record together, playing as a unit. 

That means we need to be really on it when we do it, then solo each track and build it around that. For this EP, we’re planning four songs. We already have a few in mind, and what we’re going to do is bring in literally everything.

Ava: We’re in the process of going through every song we’ve written. Most of our songs are about self-destruction or reflection; just what it’s like being a moody teenager [laughs]. It’s those classic themes: looking inward, reflecting on how you handled situations, thinking about what you would have done differently, and stuff like that. 

We’re really excited to be doing it because every time we’ve recorded or tried before, the outcome hasn’t been very solid; it’s been all over the place. This time, it feels like we’re actually going to have something really good, something we’ll be proud of and excited to put out there.

Image 4 credit: farnsworthphotography

Image 1, 3, 5 credit: vv_dearson__