First Time Flyers are a country music band from the UK that have been making waves in the scene with their catchy melodies, stunning harmonies, and impressive musical skills. They are composed of four talented artists who have already achieved success in their own right: Tim Prottey-Jones (former member of The Wandering Hearts), Vicki Manser (solo artist and West End star), Jake Morrell (solo artist and BBC Radio 2 favourite), and Poppy Fardel (solo artist and actress). Together, they form a band that is more than the sum of its parts, bringing their unique personalities, experiences, and influences to create a fresh and exciting sound.
The band released their debut single Happier in January 2023, with the song receiving positive reviews from fans and critics alike, showcasing the band’s versatility, charisma, and potential.
The band also performed at some of the biggest festivals in the country, such as British Summer Time in Hyde Park, Long Road Festival, and Carfest. They are now gearing up for their first headline tour in September, which will take them to six cities across the UK.
We had the chance to chat with First Time Flyers about their upcoming tour, their musical journey so far, and their plans for the future. Read on to find out what they had to say.
First we had to find out the story behind their unusual name.
TIM: We had a working title for the band name for a while, but it was a bit of a mouthful so we started brainstorming.
POPPY: It was a long process but Jake had some inspiration when he was driving past Stansted airport.
VICKI: It was the first suggestion that didn’t sound like Ikea furniture so it was a firm YES!
JAKE: I am the master.
The band released their debut single Happier in January 2023, what was the story behind “Happier”?
JAKE: We co-wrote it with the fantastic Kaity Rae.
TIM: When you listen to the lyrics, they are sad but the song has an upbeat feel.
POPPY: We love the juxtaposition of it!
Listening to their music, it’s clear their songwriting goes beyond the typical country themes. We wondered how you come up with ideas for your songs and what is the writing process like?
TIM: As a band, we go beyond the typical country themes and we write from the heart.
JAKE: Yeah we are very open in our writes and let the process lead us.
VICKI: We love going away to write. We spend a few days together and just spout all our ideas!
So is there an album in the works? Is there a common theme to your recent music?
TIM: That would be telling wouldn’t it. MOOHAHAHA
JAKE: As for a theme, we write from personal experience so the theme is reality.
Touring the UK September 2023
First Time Flyers are travelling across the UK for a 6-show tour in September 2023. What are they most looking forward to about this tour and what can fans expect from the shows? What makes a great show for them?
TIM: Definitely Tebay Services and the different Wetherspoons in each city.
JAKE: We love food. Haha. But also we are so excited to meet everyone at the shows. Familiar faces and hopefully some new ones!
VICKI: People can expect some new merch! Thats exciting!
POPPY: and people can expect to have fun! I think that’s the main thing we want from all our shows, that people leave feeling uplifted. There will be familiar songs and lots of new ones too!
The band have been dubbed as “High Energy” and a “Unique face and voice” in modern country music – we wondered how Vicki, Jake and Poppy feel about that:
VICKI: I’ll take that!!! I think it’s so important to give a whole experience within a performance.
JAKE: Yeah, we really want to put on a SHOW! Every time!
POPPY: And we just generally LOVE what we do, so we are so happy that that is coming across.
So, we’ve heard about the tour, a “maybe” album and the singles. Who are some of the artists the band would love to work with in the future?
TIM: We would love to tour with Lady A
JAKE: Write with Lori McKenna
POPPY: Perform with Bruce Springsteen THE BOSS, we supported him at Hyde Park but get us on a stage with him! He brings the ENERGY!
VICKI: And have a bev with Tom Grennan.
It was great to talk to First Time Flyers and they’re clearly looking forward to touring this September. There’s a great vibe from the whole band and as Jake told us
This whole project is about having fun and being creative and its mad inspiring finding people who have the same drive as you.
Upcoming tour dates can be found at https://www.countrymusic.co.uk/performer/first-time-flyers/ and check our News pages for new music releases.
First Time Flyers Social Media
