Backseat

We say

Continuing our Ones To Watch 2026 are alt-pop duo Balu Brigada. Formed by New Zealand brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley, they have quietly emerged as one of alternative pop’s most exciting new acts. This summer saw the release of their long-awaited debut album 'Portal', following early EPs 'I Should Be Home' (2022) and 'Find A Way (2023). Written and recorded over three years between New York, Berlin, and Auckland, the album captures a band in motion. Gritty, after-dark NYC energy meets the introspective calm of their New Zealand roots, resulting in a sound that blends indie-rock urgency with sleek alt-pop polish and widescreen, festival-ready scale. It’s a bold, emotionally charged statement, epitomised by expansive single ‘Backseat’, which nods to The Strokes and Tame Impala and has now amassed 29m+ streams. The album follows a run of exceptional achievements. Breakout single ‘So Cold’ has surpassed 58m global streams, topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay Chart, earned a Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! performance and landed on the EA Sports FC 25 soundtrack - a success that saw the band gain the Billboard Chartbreaker award (April 2025). Elsewhere, the album single ‘Sideways’ premiered as a Zane Lowe World Record, while the band has secured 30+ Spotify New Music Friday placements and multiple covers, alongside Apple Music NMD US cover support. Press backing has come from NME (cover stars), GEM Magazine, HERO Magazine, and i-D, alongside recognition from SiriusXM’s Future Five and Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artists To Watch for 2025. With 140m+ album streams, previous support slots with Twenty One Pilots, and a run of Australian festival dates under their belt, Balu Brigada head into a UK and European tour this April/May, firmly positioned for a global breakout.

Contact

Label: Atlantic Records/ARRO Records/Warner Music Australia
AU Marketing: Tom Heath & Charlotte Kindred, Warner Music Australasia/Michael Hirschorn, Atlantic 
AU Radio: Tony Midolo, Warner Music Australasia
AU Press: Sarah Thomas, Warner Music Australasia
AU Press: Chris Anderson, Warner Music Australasia
Management: Amy, Goldie Management
Photo Credit: Selena Hamers