What do you think of when you hear the word ‘boyband’? A group of likely lads jostling for the centre spot on the X Factor stage? Legions of screaming fans falling to the ground at their every move? Chances are you’ll think of those things before you’ll think of the music. It’s happened to the best of them, where hype and hysteria have overshadowed any true semblance of talent. But in 2023, No Guidnce is here to change that narrative.

Though they only started releasing music in March, Kaci, Josh Zeekay and Ebubé have been a four-piece since 2021, spending the last two and a half years honing their craft. “We were workshopping who No Guidnce were,” says 19-year-old Zeekay, “defining our sound behind the scenes before we came out to the world.” Before this global introduction, Zeekay and Kaci, also 19, began singing together in 2020, and were snapped up by record execs soon afterwards. After finding Ebubé, 20, and Josh, 22, through social media, the quartet were complete, and ready to put forward their new vision of what a boyband could be.

This isn’t to say that the group aren’t experiencing hype, hysteria, or legions of screaming fans though. On the contrary, they have all of those things in abundance. When Kaci, Josh, Zeekay and Ebubé burst onto the scene in early 2023 with their debut single “Committed”, it didn’t take them long to amass a huge following, and you could hear why. The track’s throwback essence, buoyed by the band’s obvious vocal talent, recalled the R&B vocal groups of yesteryear, instantly aligning them with the likes of Boyz II Men over other groups in more recent memory. A debut project, Is It A Crime? EP, followed soon after, the group capitalising on their new audience with 4 sultry, female-focused love songs (throwing in a Spandau Ballet sample on “Lie To Me” for good measure). Now, as the end of the year approaches, No Guidnce are making one thing clear: they’re here to make boybands cool again. After dropping their second project Spicy EP in late September, its bouncy title track lighting up For You Pages across the globe, the boys are back again with two new singles, “White Tee” and “Long Walk”.

Below, we catch up with the band about the two new tracks, plus more on conspiracy theories, Fendi robes and petty Instagram stories.

Hey guys – first of all, what’s the meaning behind the name of the band?

Zeekay: No Guidnce just means working towards freedom, and not really following a path that’s been done before. It’s a very old-but-new concept. We are a thing that isn’t really out there, and we’re doing things that are quite different to other people in our lane and in our surroundings. It’s just about being independent and following a different path.

How do you guys feel about the boyband moniker? What do you tend to call yourselves?

Kaci: We say boyband. We used to say ‘R&B vocal group’, because we thought ‘boyband’ wasn’t cool, but we’re trying to make boy bands cool again.

What made you change your mind back to boy bands being cool again?

Zeekay: Cos we’re cool! [Laughs]

Josh: We are so cool.

Kaci: When we started doing live shows, we discovered the whole boy band effect thing. We were like, ‘no, we might as well just go by boyband.’ And we do have someone who plays instruments, so it does work.

Josh: I feel like we’re just trying to change the connotation, give it a fresh new meaning, you know?

“We used to say ‘R&B vocal group’, because we thought ‘boyband’ wasn’t cool, but we’re trying to make boybands cool again” – Kaci

From what it looks like online, the fan reaction has been quite intense.

Kaci: Yes. Intense is the word. It’s been quite wild, to be honest. We’re on tour right now with Mahalia, and I feel like we’ve seen the biggest fan reaction while we’re on tour with the people we’re meeting. Basically, at the end of the shows, we’ll just meet a bunch of people at the end, taking selfies and stuff – and it’s a lot. But it’s good, though. So sick to meet with the fans, and just to meet new people.

On TikTok, you’re always singing in a car park. Why is that location particularly inviting to you as a group?

Ebubé: We started making TikTok’s when we first met at the office. The acoustics in the office didn’t sound good, it didn’t really look right – it wasn’t matching who we’re supposed to be. So we just went to our closest car park, because we knew it was gonna sound reverb-y. No one comes, there’s no cars – it’s just perfect. We still go there to this day. There were times when we were like ‘this is the last time I want to come to this car park’ because I want a video of our actual songs to go viral – but we still go there.

Kaci: Now we have viral songs and we’re still in the car park.

What was the inspiration for the new songs ‘White Tee’ and ‘Long Walk’?

Kaci: We’ve dropped two EPs now. We just wanted to take things, not even a different direction, but just improve on what we’ve already been doing. We’re getting an idea of what works for us and what necessarily doesn’t. With ‘White Tee’ we wanted to bring a bridge back, and it’s us really vocalising, again, like our first EP Is It A Crime? We have proper vocals and we’re singing together, it’s much more that kind of vibe.

With ‘Long Walk’ it was a bit different, because we were like ‘let’s just try something very different.‘ It’s like a boom-bap style, and we never really ever saw ourselves doing that. It was one of the songs we made randomly in Miami, and it ended up coming through as one of the stronger ones. So yeah, we’re excited for people to hear these songs, to be honest.

Josh: I feel like both of those songs are two types of songs that we haven’t released, and fans haven’t heard from us. We always wanted to give our fans something fresh.

How do you approach the songwriting side of things?

Ebubé: Mainly, we go out to Miami. There’s this particular studio that we really like. They pamper us, give us chicken wings, loads of soul food. We usually write off concepts with a writer and a producer. We’ll sit down even before we get in the studio, and work out if we want to write something up-tempo, something more slow jam, something more meaningful, and then we’ll come up with a concept. Usually it’s just a word. Like for ‘Spicy’, it was just the word spicy, and screeching the word out loud.

“Being in a group is a very different experience in the industry, so I think there’s something to take from all groups. We’re nothing like One Direction, but [we can take something from] One Direction” – Zeekay

There obviously aren’t many R&B groups out at the moment in this country. How do you feel about the current landscape of British R&B and where you guys fit into that?

Kaci: I think it’s quite exciting that it’s not that big a space right now, because it just gives us so much room to try everything and create the path ourselves. There’s no real rules with what the look is or what the sound is. Literally all of it is just off the cuff, no guidance. But it’s definitely growing. It’s just an exciting time. With groups like FLO and ourselves at the moment, what we’re doing is not just keeping British R&B in Britain, we’re taking it around the world.

What other groups – British or global – would you say you’re inspired by?

Josh: I would say BTS is a great example of a group that isn’t traditionally from the Western market or from the US, but have translated so well globally. Their hard work and what they’ve been able to create, it’s something that we look over to and think we want to do something similar, but in our own way and in our own lane, which is, I think, really exciting.

Zeekay: Being in a group is a very different experience in the industry, so I think there’s something to take from all groups. We’re nothing like One Direction, but [we can take something from] One Direction. We’re nothing like JLS, but [we can take something from] JLS. We’re closer to people like Boyz II Men and Jodeci, but we’re from a completely new time doing something that’s actually different.

When did you first become aware of the power of good music?

Kaci: When I started listening to R&B when I was younger. The power of harmonies and vocal groups together, I feel like that was the first time I was like ‘music can send good messages.’

What song could you not stop playing growing up?

Zeekay: ‘P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)’ by Michael Jackson.

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

Kaci: Sometimes you’re advised to not vocalise how you actually feel in rooms. I think it’s always important to give your two cents when it’s your creative vision as well. Say your piece, even if it doesn’t change anything, it’s always good to have your say – not just in music.

Josh: For me, it would be ‘just go with the flow’. I hear it, but sometimes it’s good to know what you want. It’s really important to know what you stand for and what things you will accept in your life and what you won’t. Outside of music, but just in everything.

Any internet obsessions at the moment?

Kaci: Mine is PinkPantheress’s new song ‘Mosquito’.

Ebubé: Oh yeah, you’re rinsing that one.

Josh: Mine’s the guy on TikTok who’s like, ‘it’s the way you act! It’s the way you act!’ That guy is hilarious.

Zeekay: When I’m up at 3am on YouTube, people make these videos talking about old Disney Channel movies, and they’ll break them down and say why it’s such a good movie. I just rinse those cos I miss Disney Channel so much.

What conspiracy theory are you actually quite into?

Kaci: My biggest one is the whole space thing.

Zeekay: I was gonna say the moon landing.

Ebubé: Yeah, no one’s gone there since.

Kaci: Just space full stop.

You think space is a conspiracy theory?

Kaci: Lowkey, yeah! Kind of. I haven’t seen it for myself and I never will. It’s just a very interesting topic.

What’s your ghost outfit?

Josh: I’d been in them really bougie Fendi robes. Those bathrobes were you just look like the guy. In slippers. Bathrobe and slippers.

Zeekay: If I can’t feel the weather, I’d just be naked man.

Pettiest thing you’ve ever done?

Kaci: Sometimes I just be adding people to my close friends, just to show them what’s really going on. People I don’t like.

What do you put on your rider?

Ebubé: For me it’s Lucozade Sport. That’s essential.

Zeekay: Lemon San Pellegrino.

Josh: Mangoes!

Zeekay: Dried mangoes.

Ebubé: Mangoes.

Josh: Coke – like Coca Cola.

Zeekay: Honey and lemon.

Josh: We’re not too crazy at the moment. Just need to make sure we’re hydrated, to be honest!

Join Dazed Club and be part of our world! You get exclusive access to events, parties, festivals and our editors, as well as a free subscription to Dazed for a year. Join for £5/month today.