South Carolina indie rock band Winyah channel southern swagger, drive, and restless heart into “Lala,” a feverish, feel-good anthem of resilience and release. Poised for a breakout year, the five-piece are one of 2026’s most exciting rising bands – raw, magnetic, and unafraid to dream big, carrying their story and spirit into every note.

Stream: “Lala” – Winyah

There’s something irresistible about Winyah’s swagger – a loose, charged kind of confidence that burns through every beat.

Their single “Lala” is full of fire and finesse, the kind that gets under your skin and makes you want to drive fast with the windows down, scream-sing the chorus, and feel everything at once. The South Carolina five-piece – Thomas Rowland (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Stephen Russell (bass), Robert Buffington Jr. (keyboards), Luke Gordon (lead guitar), and Jacob “Jake” Riley (drums) – turn restlessness into release, blending southern grit and indie rock polish in a way that feels both nostalgic and new. Think flipturn meets The Backseat Lovers: charming, infectious, and absolutely electric.

Hey little mama whatcha say this time?
You go your way and I’ll go mine
We never really had it figured out
And it feels like I’m moving on a marry go round

Claustrophobic no where to go
Suffocating no room to grow
Drag behind like an anchor on a line
Ask me how I’m doing and I say
I’m alright, I’m alright

La la la la la la la
I’m alright

Hailing from a small South Carolina beach town, Winyah take their name from Winyah Bay – a beloved local landmark where the band’s five members (Thomas Rowland, Stephen Russell, Luke Gordon, Robert Buffington Jr., and Jacob Riley) spent their formative years. Their music channels the energy of that place, capturing the timeless spirit of coastal summers, the push-and-pull of youth, and the bittersweet ache of growing up and letting go. Winyah’s sound reflects the rivers that flow into the bay itself: Each one distinct, yet converging into something powerful, soulful, and free.

Formed in early 2023, Winyah have quickly carved out their place as one of the most exciting new voices in the American indie rock landscape. They’ve shared stages with The Red Clay Strays, The Vegabonds, and The Stews, and have electrified festival crowds at Bonnaroo and beyond. Their debut album Lot to Learn arrived earlier this year to critical acclaim and has since amassed over 13 million streams, its songs fusing an innate southern grit with indie intimacy and a restless, driving sense of ambition. That success has carried to the stage, where Winyah have sold out venues like Mercury Lounge (NYC), Rockwell (Boston), 40 Watt Club (Athens), and The Senate (Columbia, SC), connecting with fans through high-energy, heartfelt performances that feel equal parts cathartic and communal.

A standalone single released this spring, “Lala” is a perfect distillation of Winyah’s irresistible chemistry and conviction.

The song opens in slow seduction, Rowland’s smooth, soulful voice simmering over simmering guitars and steady drums as the tension builds. “Hey little mama whatcha say this time? / You go your way and I’ll go mine…” That push-and-pull lingers through the verses until the track explodes into its searing, euphoric chorus – a burst of sound and spirit that feels as freeing as it does cathartic. “Lala,” they tell me, is about “finding a way to push through a plateau – navigating life dealing with certain circumstances and people that may be holding you back, and letting them go even if you care for them.” There’s something beautifully universal in that; beneath the swagger lies a song about struggle, perseverance, and learning to smile through the chaos.

“Feels like I’m moving on a merry-go-round,” Rowland sings, his voice radiating that mix of exhaustion and defiance. It’s a lyric born of frustration – doing the same things, expecting a different result – and the band leans into that tension until the song bursts wide open. The “la la la” refrain is both ironic and affirming: a wink and a war cry, an anthem for anyone faking composure while everything’s spinning out of control. “The la la’s are just there to be catchy so people listen to our music and can sing along,” Rowland admits, laughing, “but it’s also like going through the same routine and putting on a normal face even if shit’s going crazy in your life.”

Hey little mama make me feel like I should
Hold me close tell me I’m so good
I’m your man I’m your hero tonight
Take me by the hand
and everything’s alright, I’m alright

La la la la la la la
I’m alright

That’s the heart of “Lala” – finding peace in motion. “Everyone has their own crazy little screwed-up lives in one way or another,” they say, “and that’s really the point of it: putting your best foot forward and rolling with the punches.” The single cements Winyah’s rising star status, proving why their debut album Lot to Learn made such a splash in the indie scene earlier this year. It’s swaggering, it’s self-aware, and it’s got heart for days – a big, bright indie rock anthem that hits like sunshine after a storm.

For Winyah, that mix of raw energy and introspection is what defines their music.

“We started out as a live band first,” they explain, “and everything we do is built around that. Our goal is always to capture the energy of the live show on record – to give people the same rush and connection that we feel onstage.” That dedication shines through not only in their sound, but in their ethos: A relentless drive for growth, a defiant refusal to chase trends, and an unshakable belief in their brotherhood. As they put it, “We’re the biggest band in the world – we just haven’t convinced everybody yet.”

With “Lala,” Winyah channel chaos into catharsis and charm into pure electricity. “Lala” is more than just a feel-good anthem – it’s a celebration of resilience, friendship, and the joy of pushing forward.

Now hard at work on their second album, the band are doubling down on that vision, crafting songs that reflect who they are and where they come from: Southern roots, indie rock sensibility, and a hunger to connect. “Our goal is growth,” they say. “We want to build a real community – a place where people can feel something, escape, or just be.”

If this track is any indication, the South Carolina band’s next chapter will be even bigger, bolder, and bursting with the same irresistible fire that makes their music so unforgettable. Winyah are proving themselves as one of the most exciting new voices in American indie rock – loud, heartfelt, and full of soul.

Catch Winyah on tour throughout the rest of 2025 and early ’26 as they bring their electrifying live show across the country – from packed headline dates to major festival stages, this is a band built to be experienced in person. Their story is still being written, but the spark is undeniable. Keep an eye out, because the world is starting to catch on.

Learn more about Winyah, their beginnings, and the making of “Lala” in our conversation below.

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:: stream/purchase Lala here ::

:: connect with Winyah here ::

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Stream: “Lala” – Winyah

A CONVERSATION WITH WINYAH

Winyah: Just that – we’re a ground of best friends from South Carolina who can’t believe that this has turned into our full time job and that we get to do this for a living and we’re so stoked to be able to make music, share it with the world and be able to go out and play it for people who are stoked to hear it, sing along and we can’t wait to meet every single one of y’all. We plan to be on the road a lot in 2026, so we can’t wait to see where this keeps going and where this band takes us.

Winyah: “Lala,” to me, was about finding a way to push through a plateau. Navigating life dealing with certain circumstances and people that may be holding you back and letting them go even if you care for them. And while on the inside you may be struggling you put on that smile again and anyone whos asking you how’s it going or checking in the reply is always “I’m alright,” ‘cause most people don’t understand what your going through or actually really care too.

Winyah: Feels like I’m moving on a merry-go-round, you’re just going in a circle, doing the same things expecting a different result.

Winyah: The la la’s are just there to be catchy so people listen to our music and can sing along lol I guess if I have to think about it’s like going through the same routine and putting on a good face or normal face even if shits going crazy in your life you’re not really showing it.

Winyah: I hope people can find peace in “Lala.” Realize that we all go through shit, but at the end of the day if we can “lala” our way through the lows and keep going, we will be ok. Everyone has their own crazy little screwed up lives in one way or the other, and that’s really the point of it: Just putting your best foot forward and rolling with the punches.

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:: stream/purchase Lala here ::

:: connect with Winyah here ::

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Stream: “Lala” – Winyah

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