Chvrches

Known as much for their seamlessly clean synth-pop sound as for their unconventionally spelled name, Chvrches were formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2011. A trio of young musical veterans, Iain Cook previously played with Aereogramme and The Unwinding Hours, while Martin Doherty was a touring member of The Twilight Sad. Singer Lauren Mayberry had obtained a masters in journalism and was working as a freelance writer while playing in local bands like Boyfriend/Girlfriend when she met Doherty and Cook under the auspices of working on a new project. The three eventually put in close to eight months musically experimenting in a Glasgow basement before emerging as a new band. They chose to include the roman "v" in their name in order to avoid being confused with actual churches in internet searches. The band released their debut single "The Mother We Share" the following year, soon performing their debut concert at The Artschool Glasgow. They then signed to independent label Glassnote Records in 2013, releasing Recover EP soon after. The group quickly picked up steam, performing on "Later... with Jools Holland" and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," and by the end of 2013, they were releasing their debut album The Bones of What You Believe on Virgin Records. They followed this up with their sophomore record, Every Open Eye in 2015 and Love Is Dead in 2018, to steadily increasing critical and commercial success.