Ahead of their debut performance this Saturday at Immersed Festival, Sarah Bowdidge spoke to the band Keyz Collective about their new music and what’s to come….

Imagine having to perform for a massive festival crowd when you’ve never played in public before as a group… That’s the case for Keyz Collective. Keyz Collective is a brand new Drum&Bass band that will debut at festival on the main stage at Tramshed on Saturday (2nd March).

I went to Musicbox Studios to gain exclusive access to rehearsals ahead of the gig. Once inside, I’m shaken by the heavy bass blaring from a rehearsal room, undoubtably leading to Keyz Collective.

Rhiannon, known as Keys or Right Keys Only, floats around the space in a loose lilac shirt and absolutely commands the space, blaring out lyrics matched with quirky facial reactions.

Keys, 23, is a one handed musician who found a home in the rave scene and it’s heavy bass lines. From hosting accessible open mics to being a BBC Introducing Wales Artist, she has shown that music is a platform where anyone of any ability can feel equal. She now aims to empower other diverse individuals to do the same.

She’s joined by Samuel Duval on bass and Karl Horanszky on drums.

Creating their unique sound was an intense process according to Keys. “Me and Paul would be in the studio together for a couple of weeks. We’d be making like a song a day. It was just a mass production and intense, like a boot camp. Some songs got passed on to other musicians. But we’re really true to our name, it is very much a collective and everyone had their own part in it.”

Karl the drummer says plans for a second album are already underway. “We’re performing this first album but when we start on the second album, it will be a lot more personal to each of our styles and will really shape the style we have together. The priority. right now, is getting it ready for Immersed then we can put our own spin on it. This will be our first time performing in public as a band.”

No pressure then! If the rehearsal tonight is anything to go from, the crowd are in for a treat!

Karl continues, “They’ll be lots of energy! Particularly in the evening. We’re performing at 4pm on the Main Stage and then at 8pm in the Waiting Room.” For those worried that this sounds too intense or not their scene, don’t fear. “We want to keep them wanting to come back for the second performance. Because a lot of our songs are almost liquid, we can afford to kind of strip it back and have it a bit more chilled.”

Keys agrees; “Our music is really accessible if you’re not really into drum or bass or anything heavy. It’s a great way to get a taster and step your foot in the door.”

Karl himself is a newcomer to this type of sound. “This has been a new experience for me. I’ve just been embracing myself in the world of EDM and drum and bass when I didn’t even think I’d have a career in it. We’ve tried to transcend genre.”

Matching their supporters Sound Progressive, Keys Collective’s sound already seems to be evolving. Keys is well aware of the transformation during the rehearsal process. “It’s really interesting because even though we’ve got the set, we’ve already started doing little bits. We’re experimenting with sounds that could be involved in different ways and it’s really exciting to play around with it. So that’s fun. Our music is definitely going to keep being experimental, electronic and full of energy.”

Sound Progression is a Cardiff-based Black-led youth music charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people aged 11 to 25, particularly those from diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. They work with aspiring artists and use a shared appreciation of popular and urban music to create meaningful exchanges that further harness young people’s interest in music.

The future seems bright for Keyz Collective. When they’re not rehearsing, Keys says the band loves going to gigs and gaining inspiration “Yesterday, we all went to see Chase and Status. It was really cool to be watching them and realise “Oh, we’re about to kick something off” even though we’re just starting out. It’s made us realise that we could make this even bigger and bigger. And that’s really exciting.”

Keys Collective are performing at the Tramshed, Cardiff on Saturday 2nd of March, at 4pm and 8pm. They are supported by Sound Progression.

Tickets can be bought here: Immersed! Music Festival | University of South Wales, Cardiff (immersedfestival.co.uk)