From an unexpected knock at the door to creating some of the UK’s most stirring ambient alternative music, The Open Wild’s story is as heartfelt as the songs they write. The London-based collective return with 'Escape', a sweeping, emotionally rich single that delves into the depths of mental health and the enduring search for light. Blending cinematic instrumentation with raw lyrical honesty, the track showcases the band’s ability to balance classical beauty with alternative edge.
Formed in South West London through a chance meeting between pianist Gabriel John and vocalist Rachel Everall, the group quickly evolved into a powerful creative force with the addition of Royal College of Music alumni Elliot Corner (viola, violin) and Melody Lin (cello). Today, core members Rachel and Elliot lead the project, with Gabriel and Melody as key collaborators. Their music feels intimate yet expansive, born from lived experience, driven by resilience, and carried by the hope of something greater.
So we sat down with The Open Wild to talk about the evolution of their sound, and what it means to stay hopeful in the darkest moments.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Elliot: For me, that was definitely the Violin. I began playing at the age of 4 and a half, after my reception teacher in school noticed I had perfect pitch and recommended I join the local music services’ violin group lessons!
When I showed some promise, my mum took on a part time job at the local supermarket to help pay for an instrument and lessons. I developed a deep connection to music immediately, and that only continued to grow over the years.
Rachel: For me it was the guitar. I was 16 and when a friend of mine gave me her little brothers, acoustic guitar - it had one string missing and I’m not sure the little brother had actually given permission for it to be given away (!)… Anyhow, it proved to be the start of a very unlikely musical journey whereby I soon began to realise that even with a few basic chords and some interesting melody ideas it was possible to write and create all sorts of songs.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Elliot: My parents went to a load of concerts as young adults, they saw the Clash, Bob Dylan, and loads of other musical legends in Brighton where I also grew up some years later - these were always being played in my mum’s car when I was a kid. My dad is a builder who loved classical music, and when he’d look after me as a young child, I’d often sit in a building site on an upturned bucket with a book listening to his cassette tapes of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons played by Nigel Kennedy on repeat.
As I entered my late teens, I’d broaden my listening past the classical genre to listen to a lot of The Clash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles, Queen, AC/DC, and similar - alongside my classical studies drawing me to the music of Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Rebecca Clarke. As an interesting side note, I’ve always had a love of Power Metal - several of my friends in Brighton dragged me to a “Pirate Metal” concert when I was 16 and I was absolutely blown away with the sound of it. My wife and I are also going to see Wind Rose play in Brixton in a few days!
Rachel: My first love was Alanis Morrisette, she single handedly got me through the tragic break-up of my first real relationship with a fellow shelf stacker in my local supermarket, aged 17. Around the same time Oasis was a big one for me. Definitely Maybe is still quite possibly one of my favorite albums of all time. Other massive influences for me in those younger years were Prince, Massive Attack and Radio Head along with my general love of any sort of house music which still continues today.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Elliot: It’s somewhat strange to think that I’ve not owned a lot of physical music as a musician - but it’s fairly normal for most classically trained professional musicians to have a vast knowledge of orchestral and chamber music, but to have not even heard of a single artist on BBC Radio 1!
Regardless of this, I didn’t even own a lot of classical albums when I was younger - my family didn’t have a lot of money and I spent a lot of time listening to the radio - usually Classic FM or Heart FM. We had a music listening room at school, and I remember going in there one afternoon to copy every CD I could to my computer, one by one. It took hours. That formed the core of my music collection for a very long time.
When I was 16 and branching out into different genres of music a little more, I remember my friends at school talking about AC/DC, and someone gave me the MP3’s for one or two songs from their 1980 album “Back in Black” which I absolutely loved. That weekend, I went busking in Brighton, then used the money to buy a CD of the album at HMV in Brighton. Thinking about it, I think that this might be the first album I owned!!
Rachel: Bad, Michael Jackson. Back then I was a massive fan and spent 3 years perfecting the moonwalk, which is still my party trick today. I once went to school with the white plasters he used to wear on my fingers (aged 14… I mean?!) I was obsessed. I got laughed out of the school library! I have never actually said this out loud before although my best friends from secondary school still sporadically and fondly remind me of this somewhat tragic, yet hilarious day!
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Rachel: You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones. One of the best songs ever written.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Rachel: My best song writing always comes when I am supposed to be doing something else, in other words during times of intense procrastination…. For some reason when I am putting off tasks, like washing, work, the mundane… weirdly that’s when the inspo comes. It’s a weird pulling of pressure thing.
Sometimes I’ll wake up in the morning with an idea and before I have even boiled the kettle to make a cup of tea I’m at the piano laying it down. But often the ideas just come from nowhere… one minute I’m sitting at the piano messing around with a few chord sequences and the next minute there is a song with a full lyric in a very short space of time and I’m thinking where on earth did that come from?!
I have a bit of a rule of thumb actually, if a song doesn’t come pretty much fully formed in 20 mins the doors close and I put the idea down. It has never taken me longer than 20 mins to write a song.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Elliot: I listen to a broad range of genres, but have to shout out Fiona Monbet - a crossover violinist who plays all sorts of combinations of folk, jazz, and world music. Her track “Tango” from the album Contrebande is one I keep coming back to.
I’m also really interested in video game music as an artform - the concept of creating leitmotifs (short repeating melodies and themes referencing characters, locations, or emotions) are really similar to long-form symphonies and opera. I’ve been listening to a lot of music from Christopher Larkin’s score to “Hollow Knight: Silksong” as of late - the way he writes is incredibly descriptive and filled with meaning!
On a totally different end of the musical spectrum, I’ve also been listening to a lot of Angra, a Brazilian Power Metal band, thanks to the recommendation of one of my adult violin pupils! The album Rebirth is a ridiculously good journey through the apocalypse, it ends with a track called “Visions Prelude” - which is based entirely on the chords of a Chopin Piano Prelude.
Rachel: I’m loving Self Esteem’s new album and I love absolutely everything about Fred Again. Also enjoy a lot of Barry Can’t Swim’s stuff and Jungle.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Rachel: If she were still alive, Amy Winehouse - she was a phenomenal songwriter and performer who has inspired my music so much. I sadly only got to see her live once at Benecassim festival just outside Valencia, she was incredible.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Elliot: The aspect of human connection, both through performance and in teaching. In the modern world of rampant commercial AI use, instant gratification, and overstimulation, the idea of being able to pour your creative soul into your work is probably one of the most real things you can do - there is nothing better than that feeling of connecting with an audience when performing, or when people find meaning in your work. As a music teacher as well, witnessing my younger students gain the ability to not just play the Violin or Viola, but begin to actually communicate via their instrument is one of the greatest joys in my life.
Rachel: Creating something out of nothing! It’s like magic.
And what is the most frustrating part?
As a classical musician? Concert dress expectations, without a doubt - and particularly the gendered nature of concert-wear. I don’t want to wear a stupid tuxedo that restricts my bow-arm, or have to wear a highly impractical dress with heels whilst trying to stay centred and balanced on stage!! There are a lot of rituals and traditions that end up becoming a barrier to people looking to explore this genre for the first time - and I wish we would collectively move on from some of these.
Rachel: Genuinely nothing frustrates me about music. I don’t know what I would do without it.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Elliot: “I think you should try the Viola.” - Jenny King, my old Violin teacher. I never really looked back once I switched!
Rachel: ‘Don’t try to be anyone else other than yourself’ … when I first started out singing I wanted to just belt everything out to essentially try and impress - but in listening to this advice (along with give it ‘less’ and you will give ‘more) I found my own voice and okay it’s pretty delicate compared to some singers out there but there was nothing more empowering than realising there was no one else I needed to be or sound like other than myself. It gave me the freedom to express myself in my own way and suddenly all pressures around singing and delivering were off.
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The Open Wild's new single 'Escape' is out now. Check it out in the player below.