Front Row with Aura Electric

All images courtesy of Aura Electric

Front Row with Aura Electric

Our next FRM interviewees, 'Aura Electric' are a Soweto-based DIY punk rock band—and an apt Youth Day reminder of the plethora of young raw talent which exists & is bubbling under within our underground music scene.

They're not just another band—they're Aura Electric. A crew born on creaky amps and pavement vibrations, they boldly represent the talent pool which FRM is attracted to—raw musical ingenuity forging their AE identity through chord-shatter and grit. Soweto is Aura Electric’s pulse. Their riffs are defiant and their lyrics unfiltered—a sonic testimony to economy, environment & youth discontent. They don’t just perform, they pulse with purpose, exposing what boils beneath.

At FRM—we celebrate the creators who reject shortcuts. Aura Electric is fire: spontaneous, daring, necessary. Now follow us as we step into the Aura Electric stratosphere to discuss all things AE encompassing, the bands experiences thus far, and so much more.

These kids aren’t just alright—they’re the vanguard.

Would you mind introducing yourself and including a short description of what you do?

AE: We are a four-member band by the name Aura Electric and we are Skate/Experimental/DIY punk rock band based in Soweto.

Firstly, I really like your band's sound! I recently heard of you from a mutual–Abdula from Twenty One Children–who highly spoke of you as the next up! How did Aura Electric begin? Who forms part of the band?

AE: The name Aura Electric was initially a clothing brand name owned by a close friend who lives in the same street as Kym. So we both had an idea of starting a rock band using the name—but unfortunately he never arrived at our first show, or any show after that. But Ash who also wanted to start a band with me came to the show and performed a freestyle track and it was where Aura Electric officially began. It started as two guys—Ash (vocalist) and Kym (lead guitarist)—who met on Facebook and usually saw each other at Skate competitions. We met for the first time as a duo at our first show which was 'Punk Fucks' in 2023 with no songs and no drummer—just guys who gatecrashed and hijacked the opening band slot.

All images courtesy of Aura Electric

KYM: Ndabenhle is my friend from school who came to support us while we did not have a drummer—which led to us giving him the drummer position. Timmy who was in Cape Town at the time also moved to Gauteng and joined us in April 2024.

ASH: It was my first time at a rock show—I didn't even know shows happened in Soweto. We ended up opening for amazing bands like Twenty One Children, Club Valley, Tantrum, Zondo Commission and Mantra. That was the day we knew we seriously needed a drummer. Kym and Tim (bassist) also met on Facebook—we were both part of a Papa Roach group and ended up being friends online.

I loved the live performance of 'Danko Means Fuck You' on YouTube! I enjoy the cadence which the band Naturally performs with. What inspires your music as Aura Electric? And what inspires the lyrics & songwriting process for the band's music?

AE: When Ash initially wrote the song, he was in a spiritual state & furious and it was a message to ancestors. He had this idea on how people you've never met before get to control your life—but he felt it was very disrespectful and when he told Kym about it he thought the song was a message to the government—which really made a lot of sense as they are old people you don't know who are in a way also controlling your life. So it switched from ancestors to government since we really hate the leadership in this country we live in. We analyse the daily lives of people in our neighbourhoods and compare them to the punk scene—we find those similarities and put them together. For example, 'boobs and beer' is inspired by the consumption of alcohol and peoples love for boobs—so we sort of add humour to our song by putting them together and everyone seems to be enjoying the song, whether they are punk or not. And most of the other songs are about the political & environmental issues happening in our country and express them in a musical way.

Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations when it comes to your unique AE sound?

AE: Soweto is the inspiration on its own. There's a lot of bands we look up to like Twenty One Children, Shameless, L.o.c—there's more we could mention but we are actually inspired by the whole scene in SA and the environment around us.

All images courtesy of Aura Electric

Is there any advice which you've picked up within your short tenure which you could impart to any emerging musicians attempting to make a name for themselves within the industry?

AE: Our advice is—do not be too picky when it comes to gigs you never know who's there watching. Have fun and take advantage of everything that comes your way. We've played at fashion shows, parties and events we knew never had bands before and we knew people are gonna hate us for making noise for them but that's what we were going for. The hate was the drive though there was never really much hate at those shows—people loved us for bringing something they never knew existed though we hated the crowd sometimes. That's how we got to where we are right now. This may sound a bit cocky but we think people shouldn't go start bands for the sake of looking cool—a band is mostly a place where you find the the individuals have a different taste in musical ideas which often leads to creative differences. The band is not the frontman, guitarist, drummer or bassist—but it's about everyone in it and people with the same mindset and ideas. Also, I feel like people should know the right target audience for them and not give up in working towards their goal. Our goal is to spread the truth about our struggles in our neighbourhoods'—and give people joy by showing them that places like Soweto aren't as bad as what the media shows them.

What are you looking forward to most in 2025?

AE: More music, an EP maybe, visuals and definitely more shows, tours and a new, awesome and dangerous wave of bands on the come up to get recognition in the scene. Bands like The Sons of Solomon and Decay are bands that people should be on the look out for. Check out the kids—listen to the kids because the kids are going to take over.

All images courtesy of Aura Electric