Wick based indie rock band Socialites set to open Belladrum main stage after talent search win

Four-piece indie rock act Socialites have been announced as the winner of this year’s BBC ALBA x Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival talent search. Hailing from Wick, the band formed in 2022 and are known for their melodic sound, catchy hooks and commanding vocals.

A year on from opening the Bella Bar stage at the festival, the Caithness band are now set to be the first act to appear on the main stage on Thursday 30 July, with Janet Devlin, Cammy Barnes, Mika and headliner Callum Beattie following their performance.

BBC ALBA teamed up with The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to find the best of Scotland’s up-and-coming musical talent with artists from a broad area across the Highlands & Islands and north-east of Scotland submitting a selection of their best tracks to be shortlisted for the public vote.

Following a lengthy judging process to whittle the diverse talent down to a shortlist of just six acts, Socialites fought off strong competition to win the slot. The band was in good company on the shortlist joined by JOYFUL, Familiar Enemies, Isla Scott, Audiokicks and Decade.

Socialites are made up of Iona Fleming on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Kyle Steven on lead guitar, Sean Lewis on bass and Rory MacDougall on drums. It is expected their set will feature songs including Resolve and latest single Achilles.

We are absolutely buzzing to have won the BBC Alba x Belladrum talent search! The competition was filled with great bands, and we are a bit blown away with all the support we’ve received to win the vote! We can’t thank everyone who voted enough, and we are so excited to show Belladrum what we are all about! 
–  Sean Lewis, Bass, Socialites.

True to its longstanding support of Scottish artists, BBC ALBA worked alongside Belladrum festival producers on the talent search. As well as performing on the biggest stage in the Highlands, Socialites will also appear in BBC ALBA’s festival coverage which will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Calum McConnell, Commissioning Editor at BBC ALBA, said:
“We had a record number of entries for this year’s talent search which made the judges jobs harder than ever before. Socialites are worthy winners however and, after seeing how Cameron Ferguson and Falasgair have taken to the stage in previous years, we can’t wait to see Socialites smash it as well.”
Musicians were invited to apply to the BBC ALBA Belladrum talent search by submitting a bio and link to their music, with entries judged by a panel of experts. The shortlist then went to public vote on the Belladrum website.

Martyn Macdonald, one half of the Skye traditional electronic act Valtos, was part of this year’s judging panel, and he was incredibly impressed by the young Wick band. He said
“For a band with only two releases to their name, Socialites have a real maturity and polish to their sound which absolutely blew me away on the first listen. If they continue with this vision and confidence, they could have a huge future ahead of them.” 

Known for its unique and diverse showcase of music and the arts, Belladrum has grown in popularity over the past 20+ years, now attracting thousands of visitors. As Belladrum prepares for its 22nd year, Socialites will share the stage with some amazing acts including Callum Beattie, Human League, Mika, Skerryvore, and James.