Mercy Kelly: “The music is flowing more naturally than ever before”
Manchester-based outfit Mercy Kelly have had quite a year. From landing major festival slots to changing the band’s line-up, they’ve managed to turn every twist and turn into creative fuel.
With a new single dropping on the 28th of this month, we were keen to catch up with the fellas once again and see just what they’ve got to say for themselves!
Fellas, Mercy Kelly’s been on quite a journey this year. Can you provide a brief recap of the MK story and its progress so far in 2025?
Adam: Mercy Kelly began one fateful night at a local open mic in Oldham. I saw Jack performing songs by bands I absolutely loved, The Smiths, The Killers, and I instantly knew we had something in common. After just a few minutes chatting, the idea of writing our own material felt inevitable. We started acoustically, just the two of us, but as time passed, we found our rhythm section and Mercy Kelly became a full band.
Jack: 2025 has been phenomenal. We recorded new material with the brilliant Alex Quinn and landed slots at two major festivals, Tramlines and Kendal Calling, which were dream scenarios come true for us. But it also hasn’t been without challenges. After Kendal, we amicably parted ways with Jacob, Joel, and Leon; that lineup had simply run its course. Since then, Tom and Connor have joined, and it already feels like we’re finally shaping the band into what Mercy Kelly was always meant to be. We can’t wait to explore the sound we’re creating together on the next set of Mercy Kelly tracks.
Your latest release, Out in the Night, feels like a real statement track. What inspired it, and where does it sit in the Mercy Kelly soundscape?
Adam: It’s rooted in the places where we grew up, the characters, the stories, the streets. There’s a sense of restlessness in it, of trying to escape something familiar while still questioning what’s out there in the dark. We wanted to capture that unease, but also the positive possibility hidden within it.
Jack: It started with a simple arpeggio riff from Adam, something that’s becoming a bit of a Mercy Kelly signature, but it really came alive when we played it as a full band. By the time we got into the studio at Kempston Street, the song had grown into something layered and textured. Those little guitar details suddenly made sense within the whole. It’s a track that speaks to our evolution.
You’ve had 400+ radio plays and made big pushes via Musosoup and SubmitHub. What’s been most effective in terms of promotion?
Jack: Each single campaign teaches us something new. We’re always trying to improve how we promote ourselves from content on socials to where and how we pitch tracks. Spotify playlists have been key for us, and we’re borderline obsessed with them. We’ve leaned heavily on Musosoup and SubmitHub and have started building relationships with some great creators, yourself included, Jeremy! That DIY approach really matters to us. To be honest, the bigger industry promo packages haven’t lived up to the promises.
What do you hope Out in the Night achieves? Who do you imagine it reaching?
Adam: I hope it finds people who connect with its honesty, that feeling of being stuck somewhere, unsure of the way out, but still hopeful. It’s about darkness, but also about the moments where light breaks through. If that resonates with anyone, we’ve done our job.
Jack: We’re passionate about our sound. We pour every influence and emotion into the songs we make. We hope this track and everything we’ve done end up inspiring someone else one day. That would be the dream: someone digging through our back catalogue and finding something real to inspire them.
What’s next for Mercy Kelly as we head into 2026?
Adam: First up is the release of Out in the Night, a track we’re incredibly proud of. We’re following it with a headline show in Manchester at Off The Square on December 13th, which will celebrate both the single and the new lineup. Beyond that? Writing, recording, and booking up the 2026 calendar. We’re in a really good place and feel ready to hit the ground running.
