HIGH school can be difficult, especially during the pandemic, but it's an experience that has inspired Elestial's forthcoming debut EP Delphinium.
Members Elyssa Hawkins (guitar/vocals), Toby Stuart (drums) and Rohan Donnolley (guitar) formed Elestial in late 2020 while in year 11 at the Hunter School Of Performing Arts.
Bassist Jye Kelly joined the band in 2022 after answering a Facebook ad to complete the line-up.
Since their inception Elestial have been one of the busiest bands in the Newcastle scene, taking their '90s-inspired indie-rock to Dashville, Carrington's Over The Bridge Festival and last week they played in the Newcastle Fringe Festival's Silverchair tribute show, Chicks Cover The Chair.
The title track Delphinium is released on Friday and showcases Elestial's mix of melancholic lyrics with anthemic indie-pop arrangements.
Hawkins wrote the majority of the lyrics while still in high school.
"There's a lot of isolation that goes on in high school, and that's the same for everyone, whether you're popular or not," Hawkins said. "Everyone experiences isolation and thinks they're different from everyone else.
"Something I realised coming out of high school was we're all the same.
"It's also about going through toxic relationships, that's what Delphinium is about."
While the Shane Nicholson-produced six-track EP won't be released to streaming services until later this year, bootleg copies of the record are available to buy on CD at their shows.
On Saturday Elestial launch the single Delphinium in their first ever Cambridge Hotel show. They will be joined by fellow schoolmate Maicey and Newcastle band Goon Gremlins.
"We feel pretty lucky to play a show there before it closes," Hawkins said.
