The Braymores on what's next for the Chicago-based band
PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE STRAZIS
As someone who spends most of their time searching the interweb for new music to love and listen to on repeat, I was absolutely thrilled to stumble across The Braymores, who quickly became one of my favorite bands.
The Braymores’ debut album, Who You'd Have Been, was released in September 2024 and consists of 12 songs, each proving the band’s talents and cementing their place in the local Chicago music scene. The four-piece band is made up of Matt Tilles (lead vocals/guitar), Keegan Melaniphy (lead guitar), Wyatt Prather (bass) and Russell Oren (drums). They formed in 2022 after Tilles had been posting TikToks of original songs as well as covers, which led Melaniphy to reach out and express interest in his music. Melaniphy knew a drummer, Oren, who joined the band and they began playing gigs without a bass player. Luckily, they met Prather, who completed the four-piece at the end of 2022, and they went on to release their first EP, Talking to Trees, in November of 2023.
“I think our first real gig was a Battle of the Bands. It was, like, 16 bands, and we got second place. We were happy with it in the end,” Tilles said of their start.
Once they had solidified their group, it was time to finalize the band name, and it was Melaniphy who came up with the winning title. “Keegan learned guitar at his friend’s house, and his friend lived on a Braymore Street or Braymore Court or something, and by our hometown there's a street called Braymore. We just liked it because it felt kind of fancy, but it also felt kind of fall-sy, and we like the fall a lot.” From then on, The Braymores were ready to take the Chicago music scene by storm. Their sound shines through as a perfect mix of folk/indie/alt-rock with hints of lo-fi and an incredibly authentic feel. Starting off by playing venues like Phyllis’ Musical Inn and other smaller venues in the area, the band progressed to playing their first big headline show at the Beat Kitchen, selling out the venue. The city of Chicago provided ample inspiration for the band. They caught many shows at iconic venues like the Riviera Theatre, such as Peach Pit and The Backseat Lovers, both of whom Tilles cites as bands he's influenced by and would love to work with someday.
Going into a debut full-length project can be intimidating, but The Braymores were ready to share their talents with the world. When asked about the different processes and mindsets that came with building out a full LP versus their previous EP or singles, Tilles said, “We had never done at least 10 songs at once before, so we had to make sure we gave every song the proper love it needed. Part of me feels like we didn't, like there's just so much going on that sometimes you just forget to give each song all the love it wanted. Sometimes I feel regretful, to be honest with you, but I truly love how the album turned out. I'm very happy with it and everyone did a great job.” He went on to note that “Where Did My Baby Go” was a last minute addition to the album when they needed one more song, and ended up being the most popular song from the album. It is also one of my personal favorites so needless to say I'm glad it found its way onto the record!
When discussing the songwriting processes, Tilles came forward as the main lyricist. “I write the majority of the lyrics. Keegan comes in with a lot of ideas, and we kind of turn those instrumental ideas into songs, like his chords. Russell wrote a baseline one time that we're turning into a song that's going to come out pretty soon.” The collaborative effort works incredibly well for the group, usually starting with the melody and adding the lyrics in later. Tilles teased that they are working on their next record, with some songs that Melaniphy wrote more of, plus some that he wrote the majority of. With about half of the album done and the other half being recorded in November, the band hopes for a release in early 2026. “I just feel like if you like our first album, you're just gonna love our second album, like, I think it's even better. I think it's going to be something that helps us really cement ourselves as The Braymores.”
Playing live shows is an important aspect of music. The concert dynamic relies on the energy that a band brings to the stage, and The Braymores are no strangers to putting on a great show. "We've been really trying to focus on our live set and performing in general. When we play [our recorded songs] live, we try to add these big moments to the songs where there's, like, an explosion of energy, or just big dynamics where people are like, ‘Oh shit.’ Like they didn't know it was gonna go this way … We try to make it special where it's like you feel like you kind of got a look in, you know, to what we're really about. So we place a lot of importance on our live shows.” The bandmates continue to be inspired by frequenting shows and studying what makes other live sets great so they can further their craft.
Being an artist in the big year of 2025 is a challenge in and of itself, but The Braymores aren’t letting anything stop them from following their dreams. In the midst of working mundane day jobs, the bandmates come together to record content to try and spread the word about their music. With the rise of shortform content and audiences’ shortening attention spans, it’s almost a gamble as to which bands gain popularity. Tilles notes that it is important to them to stay in touch with their brand and authenticity. They are working on solidifying a team to assist them in their goals and future endeavors, all while just enjoying the processes of creating their art. “I think that's our biggest struggle. All of the business of the band, like, makes it not fun sometimes. And I wish I could just give it to somebody else and be like, ‘let me just do the music.’”
Amazon Prime’s new hit TV show The Runarounds has caused a surge of interest in indie-rock bands, but The Braymores want to gain fans from more than just a trend: “I just wanna be The Braymores,” Tilles said. When speaking about what comes next for the band, Tilles has lots of exciting goals, from hopefully playing festivals such as Lollapalooza and SXSW to hopping on more tour runs, and lots of new music as previously mentioned. The future is incredibly bright for this Chicago four-piece and I can only anticipate that 2026 is going to be their biggest year yet.
Ending the interview, Tilles shared some advice for up and coming bands hoping to share their art with the world: “Just focus on the music and making a good product. Don't try to cut corners with costs. Take yourself seriously, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there and stick with it.”
Keep up with The Braymores here and check out their newest single, “August”, out now!