It’s a good time to be Scottish. Between the Tartan Army’s first appearance at the Men’s World Cup since 1998, Scott McTominay’s outstanding bicycle kicks and a slew of Scottish actors in landmark projects, Edinburgh-based band Daytime TV are surfing atop a blue and white wave this 2026.
As with much of the best Scottish talent out there, their roots couldn’t be humbler. Their thoughtful, anthemic and energising music comes from a place of profound simplicity that draws you in within seconds of popping on a track or – if you’re lucky – catching one of their electric gigs. Yet, despite the arena-ready scale of the songs we hear today, a career in music was the furthest thing from their minds when they started out.
“I never for a minute thought, “I can do this as a job.”” lead singer Will Irvine tells us. “I’m from this tiny little village in the middle of nowhere in Scotland, and like, you know, people are fishermen or you know, they’re basically that’s it, pretty much, or you work in the pub. That’s the two choices, both of which I’ve done.”
Today, the boldness in their music has earned them an ever-growing global fanbase, who identify with the earnestness in the lyrics, and the way they capture the difficult balance between hope and helplessness in today’s fraught and chaotic world.
Case in point: their most recent release, “Sun”, is an uplifting dance-rock song that soars atop growling synths and an irresistible chorus, the perfect track to put on in the car on those long summer drives. Musically and lyrically, it creates a safe space for introspection, reminding us that the trials, tribulations, and worries of growing up are nothing to be ashamed of.
The universality of their lyrics has carried them to audiences millions of miles away from their native shores, a reality the band is acutely aware of. With a full European tour now under their belt, they are hungry to meet more of their global community.
“We just want to take our music to as many people as possible,” Will tells us. “And we want to go to Asia, want to go to like South America, places we’ve never been.”
The raw, honest nature of their work transcends boundaries, taps directly into the anxieties running through all too many young people and creatives worldwide. Daytime TV don’t shy away from tackling the heavy questions laid out in front of us today: the kind of existential hurdles none of us can clear alone. They confront these head-on, whether that’s in songs reflecting on connection in the online age like in “Digital Light” or the problematic evolution of modern love and relationships in ‘Zombie” and “Satellites”.
This drive to push and experiment with their artistry comes from close to home, and is key to their connection with their art that pushes back against the ever-growing proliferation of AI in commericial music. In Will’s case, it’s his own mum we have to thank.
“She’s a painter, and she’s amazing. She’s got this like little sign up in her room that she paints in that says “The key to a happy life is chasing an impossible task every day.”” he says. “It’s like that forever exploration of like your art kind of thing. you’re never going to get to this like top of Mount Everest and be like, “We did it!”
I think to me that’s what being an artist is. Our version of that is writing songs that excite us and push the boat out a bit, and trying to be unique in a in a world where, things like AI and stuff are just destroying creativity in people.”
It’s easy to see, then, why fans have flocked to their music, having borne witness to the authentic ups and downs of their journey, and the way it transforms into a free, unfettered live performance that leaves you enraptured from beginning to end. From scheduling disasters that left them playing to an empty room in Bulgaria, to industry setbacks that made them (understandably) cautious of the music business machine, Daytime TV lay it all bare, channeling their frustrations into their music in a way that is unfiltered and visceral.
“Make my bed / Forget about the noise in my head / And the people on the the internet / They’re carbon copies.”
– “Ugly” from Nothing’s on but Everyone’s Watching (2022)
Case in point: “Waves”, a recommendation from Will himself as a perfect entry point for new listeners.
“When we wrote “Waves”, I was having loads of trouble sleeping. And um, the chorus is “it comes in waves“. The first lyric is: “I hear the sound of the night, it cracks like a mirror.” And that, I’ve always just thought that summed up how I felt at the time really well. I was kind of like dreading the night almost, but I’m in a much better place with that now!”
From industry battles and personal reckonings all the way to sharing festival stages with Wolf Alice and Metallica, Daytime TV have come a long way. What’s clear, though, is that they will never stop trying to forge genuine connections with their listeners while expanding the horizons of their sound.
“I had a weird experience a couple of years ago 18 months ago where I thought I was going to die,” Will reflects, about an hour before they’re about to head to stage. “It was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, because what I learned was that I was stressing way too much about the little things. And if I had died, I would have been really annoyed about the things I didn’t enjoy.
I tell myself now, I never want to be in that scenario again with any regrets. So if there’s something at the back of your mind that’s like, “Oh, maybe you should do this,” just do it.”
With an outlook like that, there’s no telling what musical horizons the band might choose to journey to next. However, one thing is clear: the Scottish wave is only gaining momentum, and Daytime TV are ready to ride it all the way around the world.
“Sun” is out now. Daytime TV can be found on Instagram and on all major music streaming platforms.
