People Laughing landed on the Nottingham music scene in January 2026 with big tunes, smooth aesthetics and catchy songwriting. The trio, made up of singer/guitarist Matt Grocott, bassist Ollie Carnell and drummer Luke Hallam, have showed no sign of showing, with a three-date residency at Nottingham’s legendary Acoustic Rooms, sets at big venues including The Bodega and Rescue Rooms, and even an appearance at Nottingham’s biggest festival, Splendour, upcoming. Singer Matt joined up for a chat to tell us all about the project, what they draw from and what’s next...
LeftLion: How would you describe People Laughing’s sound?
Matt: I would describe our sound as something that you have to hear live. It's music to dance to, to cry to, and to kiss the love of your life to. As for the genre, make your own mind up!
How did the band come together?
I’ve got a catalogue of songs that I’ve been building since 2018, after my previous band, The Shrives, ended. I got in touch with Luke last August and wanted to see if he was interested in putting together an originals band. He listened to the demos that I had and was really up for it, so he recruited Ollie, his friend and bassist from their previous project, Black Cats and Magpies. We’ve had so much support and played some great gigs so far, so we’re excited to see what the rest of the year will bring for us.
Who inspires you musically?
I grew up listening to bands like Green Day and Foo Fighters, so there’s an element of catchy arena rock that I love. Being a fan of Green Day threw me into the world of punk music as well. I really got into dirty, old, raw punk when I was a teenager. I think a lot of it shaped the foundation of my songwriting and attitude in my songs. It feels very natural to pick up a guitar and just start playing fast power chords with distorted vocals. A lot of stuff has inspired me since my childhood, though. I’m a fan of pretty much any genre I can get my ears on. I’m currently listening to a lot of Adrianne Lenker and her various projects.
What inspires you outside of music?
Relationships, friendships, life stuff. I also enjoy writing from the perspective of somebody else. If I don’t have anything to write about, I tend to just think I’m somebody else, and it usually gets a song out of me. Whenever I have a conversation with somebody who’s passionate about something in their life, it really inspires me. I also really enjoy looking at old interviews with artists that I love. I spend many a night on YouTube wondering where songs came from and how they were recorded, so a lot of the influence on my work comes from them kinds of conversation.
What’s your songwriting process?
I usually pick up my guitar and try not to think too much. I write whatever lyrics come into my head in my Notes app, and something usually comes out of it, even if it’s not very good. If I’m feeling a bit stuck, I’ll usually open Logic on my Mac and get a beat going, or try to write a riff or something I can loop to give me some inspiration for a full song. Songwriting is literally my favourite thing in the entire world, so I’ll do pretty much anything to get a tune out of me.
You take to the Splendour stage this month, how are you feeling about it?
We’re feeling pretty great about Splendour. It’s sad that it’s the last one this year, but we’re very honoured that we’ve been chosen to perform. I love the Nottingham scene, so being able to play this iconic festival with so many major acts that have inspired my music over the years is so cool. We’re looking forward to showing off our music.
And who are you excited to see at Splendour?
I’m really looking forward to seeing The Flaming Lips. I listened to their album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots a lot in my early 20s. The production on that album really opened my ears to different sounds.
What’s on your summer playlist?
One of my favourite artists to listen to in the summer is Masayoshi Takanaka. I usually stick his SEYCHELLES album on when the sun's out. I’ve also been listening to Big Thief’s Born For Loving You over and over again, so that’s cemented in my playlist too.
If People Laughing were directed by a film director, who would it be?
I don’t think we’re his vibe at all, but for me it would have to be Wes Anderson. His film The Darjeeling Limited is my favourite film and a real comfort for me. It helped me a lot during a tough time in my life, so that’s why I feel like he’d understand our style. If not, then I’d write something that he would understand.
You’ve had a big debut year so far, what’s next?
We’re looking to release an EP, or even a mini album, towards the end of the year. We’re also in talks about having our first headline show, which is exciting. We’re preparing for our next single, Three Eyes, to come out. We’re hoping to get it out before Splendour, but definitely in August if not.
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