After a whirlwind year that saw them sharing stages with James Blunt, opening for Ed Sheeran, and playing at iconic festivals like Glastonbury, Tors have firmly established themselves as one of the most exciting new bands in the industry. With deep family roots in music, including the influence of their legendary guitarist grandfather Burt Weedon OBE, brothers Matt and Theo Weedon, alongside their bandmates, have created a sound that resonates with both authenticity and modern flair.
Known for their pitch-perfect harmonies and life-affirming lyrics, Tors have captivated audiences across Europe with their electrifying live performances and deeply personal songwriting. In this interview, the band reflects on their journey, the challenges of life on the road, the importance of staying true to their roots, and how they continue to spread messages of hope and resilience through their music. As they look forward to new projects and tours, Tors remain focused on evolving their sound while staying connected to the heart of what makes their music so special.
You’ve had a whirlwind year with major milestones, such as performing with James Blunt, opening for Ed Sheeran, and playing at Glastonbury. How have these experiences shaped your sound and approach to making music?
It’s been a wild year, that’s for sure. To be honest, we’re still processing everything that’s happened—it feels like it might take a while to sink in. But it’s been amazing; we’ve achieved things we’ve dreamed of since we started playing music together. Playing arenas and festival main stages has definitely pushed us to expand our sound to fill those spaces. Sonically, you want to envelop the audience in your music, creating a microcosm where it’s just you, them, and the songs.
What did you take away from watching Ed Sheeran’s set? Did he give you any advice, or was there something about his approach to live shows that inspired you?
He’s an incredible artist. First off, it’s mind-blowing how many hits he’s written, which definitely inspires you to up your game. It’s also wild that he headlines a festival entirely solo—in terms of business management, he’s keeping his costs so much lower than most artists, which was a big takeaway for us. It shows that you don’t need to fill the stage with production and instruments to put on a great show.
The story behind Tors includes strong family ties, with both Matt and Theo being brothers and musical heritage from your grandfather. How does this familial connection influence the way you create and perform music?
Having a grandfather who was a famous musician instilled in us the belief that a career in music was achievable. To us, he was just Grandad, but as we grew older, we learned about his legacy and influence in the industry, which was very inspiring. He had an incredible work ethic that he passed down to us—even in his 80s, he was playing guitar for an hour every day.
Your latest single, ‘Never Give Up,’ is inspired by your father’s encouragement to pursue your dreams. How do you ensure that your music remains deeply personal while also appealing to a broad audience?
That’s a tricky one. We mostly write about our own lives, hopes, and dreams, and we hope that others can relate. The human experience is so widely shared that often, the audience has felt the same emotions we have.
You’ve been described as having ‘pitch-perfect harmonies’ and a ‘life-affirming’ lyrical style. How do you maintain such tight vocal and emotional cohesion, especially when juggling intense touring schedules and recording sessions?
We don’t actually have pitch-perfect harmonies, but we practice an awful lot and strive to improve constantly. Touring makes it hard to care for our voices, so we’re quite boring on the road—we don’t drink and try not to talk much during the day! Emotionally, it’s cathartic to connect with an audience, hearing them sing back our lyrics and seeing the impact of our music.
When working in your studio barn in Devon, how does the environment affect your songwriting process and the chemistry between band members?
The barn can be a great place to disconnect from the outside world. It’s up a hill in the middle of nowhere, creating a space that allows us to be creative and vulnerable. Sometimes, though, it feels isolating or monotonous, so it’s good to break it up with touring and recording elsewhere.
With your sold-out European headline tour and an ever-growing fanbase, do you feel pressure to constantly outdo yourselves, or are you more focused on staying authentic to your original sound?
Absolutely, we care deeply about our art and our fans, so naturally, we want to keep pushing ourselves. The songs remain authentic, so we don’t feel like we lose that while putting on a show, but we try to keep it interactive and surprising while staying true to who we are.
Many of your songs, including ‘Never Give Up,’ carry a message of hope and perseverance. How do you balance creating uplifting music with navigating the personal and professional challenges you face as artists?
One of our mottos is to write the kind of songs we wish we’d heard during our darker moments. When you share hope and positivity with your audience, you feel it return to you tenfold. Our shows feel like a safe space where we can all laugh, cry, and sing together without judgment.
You recorded your ‘Miracle’ EP with Simone Felice, a renowned Americana producer. How did working with him influence the evolution of your sound, especially in the context of your British roots?
Simone Felice is one of our heroes, and working with him was a dream. He has a magpie approach to production—he’s great at listening to the songs and highlighting the shiniest parts. He taught us that stripping a song back to its basics can actually create a bigger, more authentic sound.
Your live performances have been described as electrifying. How do you ensure that the energy of your live shows translates effectively into your recorded music, especially with new tracks like ‘Never Give Up’?
Recording live in a large studio helps capture the energy. We treat each recording session like a live performance. After playing so many shows over the past five years, that energy naturally seeps into our recordings.
You’ve mentioned that much of your musical resilience comes from your upbringing and family influences. How does your heritage, being the grandchildren of legendary guitarist Burt Weedon OBE, impact your creative process?
Our family is Greek on our mum’s side, so much of our upbringing was centered around family meals and music. Our dad would play a different record every evening, exposing us to a wide range of artists from The Beatles to Vivaldi. Our grandad’s guitar book was a resource for legendary musicians, which is both inspiring and a little pressure-inducing.
After achieving so much this year, including sold-out headline shows and packed festival sets, how do you stay grounded and avoid burnout while constantly pushing your artistic boundaries?
Burnout is almost inevitable with our schedule, but we try to stay positive and grateful, even on the toughest days. It’s easy to get worn down, but we remind ourselves that this is the life we’ve dreamed of since starting the band. We don’t want to take it for granted.
You’re gaining recognition fast, from sold-out headline shows to major festivals like Glastonbury and Bonnaroo. What have been the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your rapid rise as a group?
It’s not as rapid as it might seem; we’ve been making music for ten years, and it’s only recently that we’ve been able to pursue it full-time. Reaching this point has been incredibly rewarding but not without its challenges. Keeping up the momentum requires an enormous amount of energy, but hearing our fans sing our songs back to us every night makes it all worthwhile.
With constant touring and so many opportunities, how do you manage individual personalities and expectations within the band? Are there ever moments of tension, and how do you resolve them?
We definitely get on each other’s nerves occasionally—living in such close quarters will do that. But we’re also best friends, and we’ve learned to respect when someone needs space. Even when we argue, it doesn’t last long, and we’re always working on managing those moments better.
The message behind ‘Never Give Up’ is one of resilience and hope. Given the current climate, do you feel a responsibility to offer positivity and solidarity through your music, especially with the challenges people are facing today?
While we don’t necessarily feel a responsibility, we do make a conscious effort to instill hope and positivity in our music and shows. If we feel the need for positive words, it’s likely others do too.
Looking forward, what can fans expect from your upcoming projects and tours? Is there a new direction you’re exploring, or do you plan to expand on the themes and sounds that have brought you success thus far?
We’re releasing a lot of new music, and the next batch of songs will continue on the path of our recent releases, sonically part of the same journey. After that, who knows? We’re heading into the studio soon and feeling incredibly inspired, so stay tuned!
