Relaay

With captivating harmonies and a lush, expansive sound, Relaay layers sophisticated pop and sonic nostalgia with the lyrical sensibilities of seasoned singer/songwriters. The duo of Audrey Cecil and Amanda Lucas marries folk-rock-styled harmonies with indie pop sensibilities reminiscent of The War on Drugs and Fleetwood Mac. Relaay’s sound is both familiar and surprising, with enveloping textures that encourage repeated listening. Their lyrics are borne of a lifelong friendship, and the melodies flow with ease and comfort. As friends, they have lived parallel lives dating back to their childhoods, yet bring the necessary tension of contrasting personalities and tastes to their shared music-making endeavors.

Relaay’s sonic evolution, personal life maturation, and the global pandemic meant changing how Cecil and Lucas wrote together. In addition to time spent together in the writers’ room, the duo’s process involved passing voice memos back and forth, sharing copious phone notes, and a lot of time spent talking about life in general. Every phase of this project was treated with intense intentionality, reinforcing creativity and finding a new path that felt right.

After spending more than a decade as the critically acclaimed band Bridge 19, Cecil and Lucas felt compelled to reimagine their sound and craft an identity that reflected their evolution as artists. Where past recording projects came together in days, more than a year would be spent readying Relaay’s debut LP. Cecil and Lucas brought in their friend and fellow songwriter Mark Charles, formerly of Vandaveer, to produce and engineer the project. Mark’s influence on Relaay’s debut is palpable, as he challenged the two to step outside of their comfort zones, explore their options, and trust their musical intuition with every decision. The Cecil/Lucas/Charles trio has created a lush, unapologetically nostalgic record, rich in texture and emotion.

Long before they were bandmates, Lucas and Cecil were teammates. They met as youngsters playing competitive softball on a team that traveled the country throughout the future duo’s childhood. The two rekindled their collaborative relationship after college, performing in the Louisville local music scene and eventually forming Bridge 19. Their new project, Relaay, is a nod to a simpler time when Cecil and Lucas were carefree kids, working together in a different capacity on the ballfields.

Cecil and Lucas have a well-earned reputation for putting on an energetic and entertaining live show. They are known for bringing a big sound, witty banter, and a range of emotions to the stage. Audience members laugh, cry, and dance. They have performed with the likes of Brandi Carlile, Dr. Dog, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, and Asleep at the Wheel and have been booked at major music festivals, including MidPoint, RiverRoots, FreeFall, Lilith Fair, and the International Folk Festival.

Learning new instruments and ways to capture their album live, Relaay is preparing its honey and highway music for fresh and familiar audiences. The bridge to a new sound has been built, paved in harmony, and ready to share the road ahead with you.

For more information, please visit https://www.relaaytheband.com/