The spiritually uplifting indie-soul trio
Skinny Living today release their new single
‘Who Likes’, which represents their first new music in over three years. It’s the latest step in a resurgent year for the band, who first came to attention with over
30 million streams for their songs
‘Why’ and
‘Let Me In’.
Skinny Living started
2022 by commencing sessions for their long-awaited debut studio album, while their homemade live acoustic take on
Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ went viral as it was viewed over
2 million times. They also completed an acoustic tour of pubs across the north of
England resulting in an
unforgettable ending in their hometown of Wakefield, where over 1000 people turned up to their gig on the common outside the
King’s Arms.
The irrepressible energy of ‘Who Likes’ reflects the positive spirit that Skinny Living are currently enjoying. A playful, indie-pop rhythm establishes a joyous atmosphere, while frontman Ryan Johnston’s soulful, rapidfire hook keeps that effervescent mood at fever pitch. His bandmates Will Booth and Danny Hepworth also keep the song’s buoyant feel at full flow with jangly acoustic guitars. ‘Who Likes’ was written by Skinny Living and was produced by Rich Cooper. LISTEN HERE.
Ryan says, “‘Who Likes’ is a song celebrating the beauty and diversity of the feminine spirit. The idea for the song sparked at a jam night in a Yorkshire pub where a girl danced on the table before trying to take a mic and sing with the band. In front of us was this fiery confident girl demanding attention and at the very same time on the other side of the room there was a quiet, blasé girl avoiding the limelight. This moment inspired the song’s lyrics while the charisma of the people in the pub on that night gave it its energy. This song gave our music a fresh breath of life and we are glad it came along when it did.”
The video for ‘Who Likes’ features black-and-white shots filmed around Wakefield. It perfectly matches the song’s vibe, with clips of regular folks around town enjoying their moment in the summer sun. It opens with some kids painting on a wall, but what they’re painting is only revealed in the visual’s final moment – the Skinny Living logo. Watch the video HERE.
The band recently shared the meaning behind their name, which is apt given their songs are often full of big dreams from a modest background: “Skinny Living is a term that describes the financial reality and lifestyle of the working class. Hard graft on a low income with a lust for life, passion for family and an optimistic attitude about the future.”
Skinny Living continue to work on their debut album, which will be released next year. They are also planning a second leg of their acoustic pub tour, this time travelling across the south of England.
Skinny Living’s story is one of struggle, troubling situations and relentless hard graft. It’s also one of synchronicity, chance meetings, and the unflinching belief that their glorious indie soul music will reach the audience it deserves. Their potential is there to see, both within their music and their 60 million streams to date. Echoing Bill Withers, The Isley Brothers and Paolo Nutini, their songs shimmer with a timeless, gentle beauty, exquisite vocal harmonies and a lyrical wisdom that inspires optimism and reflection in equal measure.
Will Booth and Danny Hepwroth are Wakefield natives, while Ryan Johnston was born in Belfast to a Catholic mother from a Republican area and a Protestant father from the other side of the town. The meant a family move to Bangorwhere Ryan was raised before he later moved to England, where he met Will and Danny at an open mic night and formed the band.
