To the members of the band Cawston, nothing is more punk than talking about mental health.
The Kelowna-based pop-punk band was founded in 2021 and in the three years since have released multiple songs, gone on tour and are now preparing to release their debut album. The band is made up of Alexis Artiga who is the lead guitarist and vocalist, Debin Corbach who is the drummer and Jenna Johnson who is the lead singer.
The songs they have released leading up to their album, entitled Therapy Sessions, are about different mental health conditions.
Their single Sara Tune In is about ADHD. The song Safe with Me is about running away from your emotions. Quicksand is about being in a manipulative and unhealthy relationship. And the single Stranger is about having to part ways with a toxic friend.
“I have a lot of anxiety, I am in my head a lot,” said Artiga. “I think working graveyard shifts, I don’t get as much sleep as I should, enough sun as I should and music helps me get through the day. Working all night and playing music all day is therapeutic for me.”
Each one of those songs details difficult experiences each band member has gone through, offering a little light at the end of the tunnel for listeners.
It seems they have struck gold, for opening up about their mental health struggles has earned them thousands of listens on streaming platforms. They have also inked a record deal with SBG Records, and are gaining name recognition.
“It’s finally happening, we are getting the momentum that we have been trying to get for years,” said Johnson. “We came out post-pandemic, we started in 2021 so this is our third year of being the band Cawston…We are getting picked up for tours, we just got picked up for Denim on the Diamon and like that’s huge.”
Now that they’re on the fast track to success nothing is stopping them from achieving their wildest dreams. When they drop their new album on June 21 they are hitting the road and touring the Thompson Okanagan until June 27.
They will be in Vernon June 21 at Marten Brewing Co., Penticton June 22 at Clancy’s Pub, Summerland June 23 at Detonate Brewing, Kelowna June 25 at Jackknife Brewing, Kamloops June 26 at The Blue Grotto and in Salmon Arm June 27 at Solid Urban Studios. For ticket information visit www.bandsintown.com