With ‘Sober’, Antwerp indie-pop trio BLUAI return with their first new music in over two years. Released on 13 March via Unday Records, the single introduces a subtly evolved sound and sets the tone for the band’s next phase. One that leans even further into immediacy, emotional clarity and the dynamic energy that has defined their live reputation.
Built around a warm yet driving arrangement, ‘Sober’ balances luminous melodies with a weightier subject: witnessing someone you care about gradually lose themselves to addiction. Rather than presenting a personal testimony, the song unfolds as a universal reflection on helplessness, loyalty and the complicated tenderness that persists even as situations unravel. There’s a quiet tension running through the track, between concern and hope, distance and closeness, memory and the present moment.
Yet throughout the song a beautiful and catchy chorus breaks through the bleakness with warmth and hope: “I wish I could fix it all for you, I’d do it for you” sings Cath, a disarming moment of openness that invites collective recognition rather than private introspection. The result is a track that carries emotional gravity without losing BLUAI’s instinct for melody, connection and understated uplift.
Written after an intense period of touring, ‘Sober’ signals a confident shift in approach. Determined to capture the immediacy of their concerts, BLUAI chose to record new material live in the studio, prioritising spontaneity and emotional directness over polish. The sessions took place at London’s legendary RAK Studios with producer and engineer Isabel Gracefield (Radiohead, Anna Calvi, Self Esteem), whose intuitive approach matched the band’s desire for an unfiltered recording process. The single offers the first glimpse of this new chapter, where indie folk roots and alternative pop sensibilities intertwine with an even more direct live-band energy.
Since the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Save It For Later’ in 2024, BLUAI (Catherine Smet, Mo Govaerts and Caitlin Talbut) have steadily built a name for themselves at home and abroad. After winning Belgium’s three leading music contests, the band became a fixture on national airwaves and festival line-ups, with appearances at Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop, Cactus Festival, Lokerse Feesten and more.
Beyond Belgium, BLUAI have expanded their reach across Europe and the UK with standout performances at Hyde Park (UK), Lowlands (NL), Vida Festival (ES), Frequency Festival (AT), Dot to Dot (UK) and Live at Leeds (UK), while earning “band to watch” features in Rolling Stone UK and The Independent.
With ‘Sober’, BLUAI not only mark their long-awaited return but also sharpen the emotional and musical core that has been drawing audiences in across stages and borders: a first taste of what promises to be a compelling new body of work.