//Interview\\ Luna Rosa On Patience And The Power of Music: ‘The feeling of being back in a room with people again; There’s nothing like it’

Photos by Dane Turner

Corby’s Luna Rosa has never been one to take music lightly, whether it's their full-throttle musical atmospheres that move and groove the soul or breathtaking live performances. When it comes to their newest musical era, boldly introduced by their powerful new single ‘The Luge’, their dedication to their craft has only become more powerful and patient.

The only question that remains is who are Luna Rosa is in 2026? Off the back of their jam-packed mini tour we chatted with Luna Rosa Vocalist and guitarist Rory McDade to find out, as well as discuss the importance of patience, tea and knowing the rules of Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Who are Luna Rosa in this new era of music compared to who you were three years ago?

We’re definitely more focused now. Three years ago, we were still figuring things out, playing loads of gigs and finding our identity. That never really stops, but now it feels more intentional.

We’ve grown as songwriters and as people, and that’s fed into the music. It’s still the same core of what we do, atmosphere, groove, energy, but it feels more direct now: Less hesitation, and more purpose.

What was the inspiration for your latest single, ‘The Luge’, and how did that come to fruition within the track?

It started quite innocently — Jack brought in these really nice, almost tender chords after going to a gig, and as usual, we ended up dragging them somewhere else entirely. It turned into this idea of taking something quite soft and pushing it into something intense and relentless. The name “The Luge” kind of fits that feeling — once you’re on it, you’re not really stopping. It’s all momentum, all the way through.

Lyrically, it came from being stuck inside, not feeling great, watching fighting films — that whole idea of internal conflict. There’s a “Parabellum” (2019) reference in there, which sums it up: if you want peace, prepare for war.

Why did you choose to release the song now to the world? (interesting timing with it being not long after the Olympics)

We wish we could say it was a perfectly timed Olympic masterplan, but it’s more of a coincidence than anything. For us, it was about timing in terms of the band. We’d taken a bit of a step back, worked on new material, and this felt like the right track to come back with. It’s a statement — no slow build, just straight into it.

You’ve had quite a busy year so far. What has been your favourite thing about playing your recent gigs?

Just that feeling of being back in a room with people again. There’s nothing like it.

We played a show in London at Club229, where the crowd wasn’t necessarily the norm for us, but we liked the challenge to try and get them onside. And it went pretty well; it genuinely felt like the room was swaying: sweaty, loud, a bit chaotic. That’s what we chase, really, when everything locks in, and the crowd’s with you, there’s nothing better.

What is something you’ve learnt on your musical break that you’ll be taking forward into your new musical era?

Probably patience and knowing when something is actually ready. Before, it was easy to rush things. Taking a step back made us realise it’s better to let songs develop properly and come back stronger, rather than forcing anything out.

What are some of your pre-track recording rituals?

Nothing too strange, it’s mostly about getting into the right headspace. We’ll usually run things through together, make sure the feel is right, and then just trust it. A lot of what we do is instinctive, so overthinking it too much can take away from that. Tea definitely helps as well. Tea is essential.

If you could swap lives with any member of the band, who would you swap with and why?

Probably Cam, just to understand how someone can be so invested in Yu-Gi-Oh and still function day-to-day.

Or Jack, just to see how he survives on two and a half digestives before a gig. Actually, maybe not Jack — his back issues would put us off. It would be nice to get inside Aidan’s head and see how deep his knowledge of foreign dictators actually is.

The Luge artwork is very cool. What was the creative process like for the artwork?

We wanted something that matched the feeling of the track — movement, intensity, a bit of chaos. We started off trying to recreate like an old Italian film poster, but I found the sort of DIY collage look worked better, and so we found some old stamps and got the typewriter out.

It wasn’t about being too literal, more about capturing that sense of momentum and pressure. Something that feels like it’s constantly pushing forward, same as the song.

Who inspires you most in the Corby music scene and why?

More than anything, it’s the scene itself. It’s small, but everyone backs each other, and there’s not much ego. That makes a big difference. There are lots of new bands coming through, like The Scenesters & Erwin, that are very dedicated to honing their craft, which is also a joy to see.

What can fans expect from Luna Rosa in 2026? (tour dates, Luge music video?)

A lot more from us. We’ve got three more singles coming out, live sessions on the way, and we’ll be touring throughout the year. There’s also some big support slots and festival appearances coming up that we’re really excited about.

It feels like everything’s building again — this is just the start of it.

 ‘The Luge’ by Luna Rosa is out now on all streaming platforms. click below to listen!