Chvrches facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chvrches
CHVRCHES performing in Los Angeles in 2021
Background information
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genres	Synth-pop electropop indie pop indietronica electronic rock
Years active	2011–2024 (on hiatus)
Labels	Island Virgin Goodbye Glassnote Virgin EMI
Members	Iain Cook Martin Doherty Lauren Mayberry

Chvrches (pronounced "Churches") is a Scottish synth-pop band. They formed in Glasgow in September 2011. The band members are Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, and Martin Doherty. Jonny Scott has also played drums with them since 2018. Chvrches mainly plays synth-pop music. They also mix in styles like indietronica, indie pop, and electronic dance.

Two years after forming, Chvrches released their Recover EP in March 2013. This EP included popular songs like "The Mother We Share" and "Recover". Their first full album, The Bones of What You Believe, came out on September 20, 2013. The BBC even listed them as one of the top new music acts for 2013. Their second album, Every Open Eye, was released on September 25, 2015. After that, Love Is Dead came out on May 25, 2018. Their fourth album, Screen Violence, was released on August 27, 2021.

How Chvrches Started

The Band's Beginning

In 2003, musicians Iain Cook and Martin Doherty met. They were students at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Martin was in a band called Julia Thirteen. He asked Iain to help produce their 2006 EP, With Tired Hears. This experience helped them realize they wanted to start their own music project.

Later, Martin joined Iain in a band called Aereogramme. But that band broke up in 2007. Martin then toured with another band, the Twilight Sad. He left in 2012 because he wanted to play his own music. He was thinking about becoming a history teacher. But then he reconnected with Iain. Together, they started the music project that became CHVRCHES.

Iain became interested in electronic music. He bought a special synthesizer and started making 1980s-style sounds. In September 2011, he produced music for a band called Blue Sky Archives. He asked their singer, Lauren Mayberry, if she wanted to sing for his and Martin's electronic project. Lauren was interested because electronic music was new to her. She liked writing songs with different instruments.

The three musicians quickly became good friends. They spent months writing and recording songs in a basement studio. Lauren wrote the lyrics and catchy parts of the songs. Martin came up with melodies. Iain produced the music. They realized they worked well together. So, they decided to form a band. At first, Martin was going to sing lead, and Lauren would sing backup. But Iain and Martin heard Lauren's singing and made her the lead singer. Lauren also became the band's main spokesperson.

The band chose the name CHVRCHES. They used a "v" instead of a "u" to make it unique. This helped people find them online instead of actual churches. The name wasn't meant to be religious. They just felt it had a strong feeling that could be understood in many ways. Lauren also said the "v" was a small nod to other electronic bands.

Early Success and First Album (2012–2014)

CHVRCHES performing in 2012

Martin Doherty said Chvrches started as a studio project. Their goal was just to share a song online. In May 2012, Chvrches posted their first song, "Lies," on a music blog. The song quickly became popular. It reached number one on a blog called The Hype Machine. It also played a lot on SoundCloud and BBC Radio 1. The band members were very surprised by how well "Lies" did.

Even though "Lies" was popular, Chvrches had not played live yet. People wanted to see them perform. The band was a bit nervous. So, they played their first two shows secretly under the name Shark Week. Their first official show was in July at the Glasgow School of Art.

When music industry people started noticing Chvrches, Lauren was worried. Many wanted her to be the only focus of the band. But the band wanted all three members to be equally important. Martin said they wanted to succeed in an honest way. They turned down early offers for photo shoots and interviews that didn't include Iain and Martin.

CHVRCHES performing at Metro, Chicago in 2013

Chvrches had already recorded eight other songs when "Lies" came out. One of these songs, "The Mother We Share," was released as their first official single on November 5, 2012. This song was also very popular. It was downloaded over 32,000 times by September 2013.

In January 2013, Chvrches signed a record deal with Glassnote Records. To help the band become famous, their managers planned many international tours. Two months after signing, Chvrches played their first shows in North America. This was at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. They won an award there for being the best new non-American act.

On February 6, 2013, Chvrches released their second single, "Recover." The Recover EP followed in March 2013. In June 2013, Chvrches performed "The Mother We Share" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. This was their first time on US TV. In July 2013, they released the single "Gun." They also opened for the band Depeche Mode on some of their shows.

On September 23, 2013, the band released their first studio album, The Bones of What You Believe. Critics liked the album, giving it a score of 80 out of 100. In September 2013, Lauren Mayberry wrote an article for The Guardian. She talked about sexist comments she received online. Chvrches also covered the song "'Bela Lugosi's Dead" for the movie Vampire Academy. "The Mother We Share" was played at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

CHVRCHES performing at Columbiahalle in 2014

In October 2014, Chvrches released "Get Away." This song was part of a new soundtrack for the 2011 movie Drive.

Second Album: Every Open Eye (2015–2016)

The band started working on their second album in January 2015. They announced it was finished on June 5, 2015. They recorded it in the same studio in Glasgow as their first album. But they upgraded their equipment. For Every Open Eye, they used many more synthesizers. This allowed them to create a wider variety of sounds.

On July 16, 2015, the band shared details about the new album. It was called Every Open Eye. The next day, they released the first song from it, "Leave a Trace." The album came out on September 25, 2015. Other singles from the album included "Never Ending Circles" and "Clearest Blue." The music video for "Empty Threat" was released in November 2015.

Chvrches performing at Rock en Seine in 2016

On March 31, 2016, Chvrches played their first show at the Royal Albert Hall. This was a long concert with 17 songs from both their albums. Chvrches also wrote a song called "Warning Call" for the 2016 video game Mirror's Edge Catalyst. This song was released on May 13, 2016.

In June 2016, a new version of "Bury It" was released. It featured singer Hayley Williams. This was the last single from Every Open Eye. The music video for the song showed the band and Hayley with special powers.

Third Album: Love Is Dead (2017–2019)

Chvrches began working on their third album in February 2017. They recorded it in Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Dave Stewart from the band Eurythmics helped them. In December, it was announced that Greg Kurstin produced the album. Lauren Mayberry joked that it was funny to feel sad and dark while recording in sunny places.

Chvrches performing at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles in September 2018

To promote the new album, the band cleared their social media pages. Then they posted a short video with new music. On January 31, 2018, the song "Get Out" was played for the first time on BBC Radio 1. The album also included a song called "My Enemy" with Matt Berninger from The National. The full list of songs was shared in February 2018. Other singles from the album included "Never Say Die" and "Miracle." Love Is Dead was released on May 25, 2018. "Graffiti" was released as a single in October 2018.

Chvrches performing at the Falls Festival during the Love Is Dead Tour, 2019

In February 2019, the band worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. They performed "Miracle" for the launch of the new BBC Scotland TV channel. In March 2019, Chvrches worked with EDM artist Marshmello on the song "Here with Me."

In October 2019, the band released a song called "Death Stranding." This song was the main single for the album Death Stranding: Timefall. It was made for the 2019 video game of the same title. Chvrches performed this song at the opening of The Game Awards 2019.

Fourth Album: Screen Violence (2020–2021)

Chvrches performing at the Hollywood Palladium, 2021

Chvrches began working on their fourth album in February 2020. Martin Doherty and Lauren Mayberry worked from Los Angeles. Iain Cook worked from Glasgow. The band started hinting about the first song from their new album in April 2021. On April 18, 2021, Chvrches announced "He Said She Said" as the first single. It was played for the first time on BBC Radio 1.

A second single, "How Not to Drown," was released on June 2, 2021. It featured Robert Smith from the Cure. On the same day, the band announced their fourth album, Screen Violence. It was released on August 27, 2021. On July 12, 2021, they released the album's third single, "Good Girls." The band performed "Good Girls" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 25, 2021.

New Music and Break (2022–Present)

After almost ten years with Glassnote, Chvrches signed new deals with Island Records and EMI Records in 2022. On February 24, 2023, Chvrches released the single "Over." This was their first song under the new record deals.

In July 2023, Lauren Mayberry announced she would release solo music. She also planned a solo tour for September and October 2023. The band would be taking a break during this time. Lauren wrote on Instagram that she was proud of what the band had done. She thanked Iain and Martin for their journey together. She also said that the Chvrches story was not over and would have many more chapters.

On August 16, 2023, Chvrches announced a special 10th anniversary edition of The Bones of What You Believe. It was released on October 13, 2023. This edition included four new songs recorded when the original album was made. It also had five live songs and the original 12 tracks. "Manhattan" was one of the new songs released as a single. The 10th anniversary edition was fully released on October 20, 2023.

On April 12, 2025, Chvrches released a 10th anniversary special edition of Every Open Eye. This was for Record Store Day. It included eight bonus songs. It was available as a double vinyl record and a two-disk digital version.

The band appears in the 2025 video game Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. They play characters working at an animal shelter in Australia.

Lauren Mayberry announced during her solo tour that Chvrches' fifth album was already being worked on. The cover design and album title were finalized. More details are expected in the future.

Chvrches' Music Style

Chvrches is known for its clear and distinct sound. Their music is often called synth-pop, electropop, pop, indie pop, indietronica, electronic rock, indie rock, alternative pop, electronica, and electronic. One music blog described their sound as "a powerful burst of pop energy." A writer for The Observer said they make "easy-to-listen-to electro-pop." Wired magazine noted that Chvrches is like the modern version of classic electronic bands like Depeche Mode and New Order.

The band has said that their musical heroes include David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Tangerine Dream, and Nick Cave. They have also been influenced by many other artists. These include the Cure, Brian Eno, Madonna, Eurythmics, the National, Prince, Robyn, Kate Bush, and Florence and the Machine.

Band Members

Chvrches in 2014

• Iain Cook – plays synthesizers, piano, guitars, bass, and sings backup (since 2011)
• Martin Doherty – plays synthesizers, samplers, piano, guitars, bass, and sings lead and backup (since 2011)
• Lauren Mayberry – sings lead and backup, plays drums, percussion, and some synthesizers (since 2011)

Touring Musicians

• Jonny Scott – plays drums and percussion (since 2018)

Touring and Live Shows

When Chvrches performs live, Lauren Mayberry sings lead. She sometimes plays synthesizers and samplers. She also played drums during their second album tour for songs like "Playing Dead" and "Empty Threat." Iain Cook plays synthesizers, guitar, and bass, and sings backup. Martin Doherty plays synthesizers and samplers, and sings backup and sometimes lead. Since 2018, Jonny Scott has joined them on drums for live shows.

Lauren Mayberry performing with Chvrches at SPIN Party, SXSW (2013)

Chvrches tours all over the world. They play at many music festivals. Some of these include Austin City Limits Music Festival, Bonnaroo, Coachella, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds Festival, and SXSW.

Chvrches has opened for other bands like Discopolis, Chew Lips, and Passion Pit. They also supported Depeche Mode on some of their shows in 2013.

Many artists have opened for Chvrches. These include Dan Croll, MØ, Mansionair, Young Fathers, and The Range.

On December 3, 2015, Chvrches performed "Leave a Trace" at The Game Awards in Los Angeles. They also announced nominees and the winner for the best indie game.

The band played at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in June 2016. They also performed at Flow Festival in Finland in August 2016.

In October 2018, the band played at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. In late 2018 and early 2019, they played at the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas concert and Falls Festival in Australia. In August 2019, the band played at the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan. On December 12, 2019, Chvrches performed "Death Stranding" at The Game Awards 2019.

On November 11, 2021, Chvrches began their Screen Violence album tour in North America. They finished the first part of the tour on December 17. The second part of the tour started in the United Kingdom in March 2022. Then they went to Mexico, the United States, and Canada. They played at the Hollywood Bowl with Grace Jones. At the end of 2022, they performed in Australia and Japan. They also played at iHeart Radio's ALTer EGO ‘23 in Los Angeles.

In March 2023, the band toured Brazil for the first time. They opened for Coldplay on their Music of the Spheres World Tour. Chvrches also played two of their own shows there. In May 2023, the band opened for all four of Coldplay's shows in Barcelona, Spain.

Albums by Chvrches

• The Bones of What You Believe (2013)
• Every Open Eye (2015)
• Love Is Dead (2018)
• Screen Violence (2021)

Awards and Recognitions

More About Chvrches

• List of bands from Glasgow
• List of Scottish musicians

See also

In Spanish: Chvrches para niños