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Comprised of elements similar to that of Fleetwood Mac, The Cranberries and The Corrs, siblings Alanna, Roseanna and Jonathan Brown make up The Rua. An up-and-coming band from Windsor, England, their sound is a mix of pop and folk, giving them an upbeat yet whimsical sound. One of the band’s identifying factors is the violin of Jonathan Brown, a sound not often heard in most pop songs.
When the three siblings first decided to form a band together, they played covers along with their own original songs at open mic nights to get used to playing with each other and see how people reacted to them.
“I really like (Fleetwood Mac, The Cardigans), and we would to get compared to those bands, so I’m happy with that comparison,” Alanna said.
“We would always write our own songs as well. It’s just when we did open mics, we threw in some covers, just so people were familiar and to practice together. I think it’s good to get your own interpretation of a song, so I think doing covers is good,” Jonathan said. “And still when we play live we do throw in the odd cover because people don’t really know who we are, and it’s like ‘OK, I know this song. Let’s see what they’re doing with it.’”
Alanna, Jonathan and Roseanna all continue to play a part in writing their music, co-writing some of their most recent album “Essence” with musicians such as Nigel Harrison, former Blondie bassist. Harrison is also featured on the album as the bass player, along with keyboardist Mike Rowe, guitarist Dani Robinson and Radiohead drummer Clive Deamer.
“[Songwriting] is kind of like therapy in a way, you kind of write it and it’s done,” Jonathan said. “A lot of the songs now have a different meaning than when we wrote them, and a lot of the time we don’t like to say what they mean as well because we like people to get their own interpretation. I think it’s good how over the years the songs have changed, but they’re still relatable to us.”
With their new single especially, Jonathan said that the band owes some of their exposure to streaming services like Spotify. Alanna agreed, saying that it was a way for fans to find out about new artists, especially smaller or less well known bands that aren’t getting radio play.
“I think (streaming services) are good because you’ve got different playlists that are curated, and our latest single has been added to one of those, and the numbers on that have gone up quite a lot,” Jonathan said. “I think they are quite good at getting your music out there, especially if you’re not a hugely established act. It’s good exposure.”
Aside from music, the Brown siblings have all tried out acting. Each have appeared as extras in the Harry Potter movies and have also been extras in other films. Despite acting not being their main focus, both Jonathan and Alanna agreed that their experiences on the sets of Harry Potter was unforgettable and helped them become more comfortable on sets and enhance their stage presence.
Throughout their touring experiences in the U.S. and Europe, both Jonathan and Alanna gained an appreciation for their hometown of Windsor, England. The small town located off the River Thames is most known for being home to Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the Royal Family, but according to Jonathan, it’s a relaxing place to live in and come home to.
Although they’re seen as bandmates as well as family on stage and in pictures, the Browns see each other as siblings more than anything else, as that’s what they’ll continue to be even after The Rua is no longer an active project.
“That’s what comes first, or what was first,” Alanna said.
“It’s just a bit of a coincidence that we’ve always played music together,” Jonathan said.
