The Joyful Chaos of WHATMORE

A few minutes after stepping off stage at London's Roundhouse, WHATMORE are still riding the adrenaline of their set opening for Joey Valence & Brae. The New York based five-piece consisting of Cisco Swank, Yoshi T., Jackson August, Sebastiano, and Elijah Judah have risen as one of the more refreshing acts in the last few years with excellently curated world-building and visuals as well as a varied selection of sonics that seamlessly blend elements of hip-hop, alt-R&B, and indie rock. Finishing 2025 with a COLORS performance and the release of their debut self-titled album, the group have gone on to perform at a handful of festivals through summer including more recently, the iconic Gov Ball in their home state. They will also be returning to the UK and Europe in September for headline shows as well as a slot at Reading & Leeds.

The group are eager to settle into conversation. What starts as a chat about London soon spirals into discussions about New York, food, films, storytelling and the little cultural differences that make the two cities feel worlds apart and strangely similar at the same time. Like their music, the conversation bounces between perspectives, with each member bringing something different to the table.

And it's that mix of personalities and influences that makes WHATMORE so intriguing. While their tastes might differ, there's a shared curiosity at the heart of the band. It's helping shape a sound that's fresh, unpredictable and distinctly theirs. As they begin introducing themselves to audiences far beyond New York, WHATMORE seem less concerned with fitting into a scene and more interested in creating a world of their own.

"It's our first ever show as a group in London," Jackson says. "It reminds us of home and we love it. We haven't even been here long, it's only been a day." It's still early days in WHATMORE's career as they navigate touring. From doing one prior with fellow NYC group LAUNDRY DAY in October, Elijah notes to me, they feel like they're starting to get into the swing of things. Their chemistry is getting better and performing for larger crowds is getting easier too. The Roundhouse is a monumental step and the energy from the crowd definitely cemented them as a memorable opener. "It's easier when they bring the energy, like they did tonight." Sebastiano says. "It makes it easy when they show us so much love". With so many of them on stage, I wonder whether it gets chaotic at all, or overwhelming. "It's not a WHATMORE show if it's not chaotic. That’s the point." Jackson adds. "Performing is probably my favourite part of the whole music making thing."

Before WHATMORE was a band, it was a group of friends. They came together in high school, bonded by shared interests, a love of music and delving into projects of their own, before building a reputation for their progressive sound and chemistry. It got me wondering whether spending even more time together has changed the way they write. Life on the road has a way of shaping relationships like nothing else such as strengthening bonds and creating new dynamics. For a band built on friendship, that kind of closeness is bound to leave its mark on the music and songwriting. "It impacts everything we do," mentions Cisco. "I feel like innately, but even before we were playing shows, before we put out this album, we would think 'we've got to make this song like a church song' or it would be a chill song. But after playing a song or two on our first tour we were like 'oh, we should make more songs like this or more songs that are in between these specific vibes'. It's a cool way to test and experience them." WHATMORE's dynamic as a friendship group and a band come across strongly on socials and that they actually like each other. Protecting that sacred bond whilst the world moves fast around them can be difficult. Sebastiano points out to me, "I think it's super in our nature, because we're all friends before WHATMORE came to be so, I think we would all be friends hanging out even if we weren't touring and everything. So it's kind of just like, we get to do this, and we're also friends, which is really, really special."

I turn attention towards their band name, where Yoshi quips that it "fell from the sky", before the group collectively break into their best British accents to pronounce WHATMORE. But surely it's their Americanisms that make them so charming, right? They're hesitant to agree. Instead, they make a passionate case not for America, but for New York specifically, reeling off a list of things that make the city great: Zohran Mamdani, Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony, pastrami and, for some reason, Barack Obama.

As the conversation drifts back to the relationship between New York and London, the band touch on something that feels central to who they are. Coming from immigrant families, they speak about both cities as places shaped by constant cultural exchange. Whether through music, fashion or food, there's always been a dialogue between New York and London, and they'd be lying if they said they weren't products of that environment. It's something they embrace wholeheartedly, especially seeing how both cities continue to evolve and reinvent themselves through the people who call them home. Thankfully, I don't have to spend much time defending British food from its American reputation. Jackson and Elijah are quick to tell me about a burrito spot they've already discovered and approved of, while Cisco enthusiastically shouts out Morley's, a true South London staple and we share a giggle as to why the burger sauce is chained to the counter. "That's very New York," they agree, delighted by the idea that Londoners are just as bonkers. Cisco misses the delis, though. No bacon, egg and cheese here.

One of the first things that caught my eye about WHATMORE was their polished visuals and sleek sense of presentation. From the way they introduce each band member to the way they tell their story, they've been building a world around the band from the very beginning and was very intentional. "Nothing happens overnight," Jackson says. "We've been doing visuals for our own projects for years but it was definitely a culmination of a lot of things. You could do it as a soloist too, but with a group you have this power in numbers kind of thing so there's a world to be built. We have all different personalities, all different kinds of tastes, all different kinds of styles amongst ourselves so we had this story." That story has gradually unfolded through a series of videos that feel as carefully curated as the band itself, almost as if each member is a character in their own TV show. There are tour diaries that show off their personalities, mockumentaries, shaky-cam live sessions and all the kinds of antics you'd expect from a twenty-something boyband finding its feet. But beyond the fun, there's a clear sense of intention behind it all. New York is woven into almost every frame, whether that's driving through the city, filming in diners or performing in Chinese restaurants. For WHATMORE, visual storytelling is a necessity of the band's identity.

Their debut album feels like a joyful introduction to the world of WHATMORE. Across its runtime, the band showcase sharp rapping, melodic songwriting and storytelling, all while giving listeners a sense of the versatility and energy that defines them. With every member bringing their own influences to the table, as well as instruments and vocals of their own, the record never feels confined to one sound for too long. "I feel like even if we weren't trying to blend stuff together, it would have just happened regardless," Elijah affirms. "Sometimes we start a song and it'll just funnel into something else and sometimes we make something with a bit of this and that. We're pretty intentional, smart... we're geniuses!" The boys laugh. "Everything we do is genius," Sebastiano confirms.

When the band first started making music together, things moved quickly. A handful of songs came together almost immediately, but at the time they had little idea what WHATMORE was actually supposed to sound like. Rather than forcing an identity, they took a step back and experimented with different ideas until they gradually found a balance between intention and instinct. Jackson mentions, "There have been walls we've hit and there are so many options and times where we think 'what is this going to be?' There are so many of us, so many voices but sometimes it flows really nicely and other times we're like this shit is horrible!" But some things did fall into place in unlikely ways, too. Elijah reminisces about a man who approached him asking who they were and what they were doing when they were shooting a music video and as they kept the camera rolling, they kept his questions in making a nice intro to the band for their album, a last minute addition as they delivered the album that same day.

To wrap things up, I throw a few quick-fire questions their way in the hope of uncovering a little more about the people behind the music, and also because it would be fun. If WHATMORE could soundtrack any film, the answers are as varied as you'd expect. Jackson picks Good Will Hunting, simply because he loves it, while Yoshi opts for The Amazing Spider-Man, citing his appreciation for Andrew Garfield and a desire to throw some Beastie Boys into the mix. When asked which song from the album represents them most, Sebastiano lands on 'Still Loitering', while Cisco chooses 'bombay (keep it alive)'. Naturally, the discussion spirals when I ask who would die first in a zombie apocalypse. What follows is a passionate debate involving athletic ability and how fast they could run. Unfortunately it's Jackson.

As the conversation winds down, we're all still laughing. Much like their music, WHATMORE are refreshing, welcoming and impossible to neatly define. Their story is one built on friendship, curiosity and the blending of different cultures, influences and experiences. If this first chapter is anything to go by, it'll be exciting to watch not only how they grow as artists, but as people too.