Arkayla: Artist Introduction

Arkayla performing on stage, shot by Jaleesa Lente

Written by Zoë Priscilla | April 2026

Arkayla is a band name that sounds very intriguing to me, and a name that you won’t forget easily.

I first heard of the band when they were announced as the support act for Blossoms’ Europe tour last February. I was lucky enough to experience their live act twice: once in Cologne and once in Antwerp. After having a talk about them with one of my friends, I also came to know they opened for The Royston Club in the winter months of 2025. 

The Manchester band consists of four members: Cal Blakebrough (vocals/guitar), Finley Rubens (guitar), Joey Harley (bass) and Dylan Murphy (drums). Finley also has a solo project running across social media and Spotify. 

I went into their set completely unknown of the genre of music they were playing, and was pleasantly surprised by their performance. They played all of the songs of their first EP, “DON’T LOOK FOR ANSWERS" (2025), and two older releases from 2024. They also played 2 other songs, which at the time were unreleased. One of those two has now been released on streaming platforms.

The new song is called “Run Kid” and is, in my opinion, their best song yet. After seeing them perform it live, I knew it would become one of my favourites. I could repeat the words back to them the day after hearing the song live for the first time; the lyrics stuck well, and the melody is compelling. I believe the band found its sound quite early on, as the instruments perfectly match the singer's voice, which is even clearer during live performances. 

I am excited to see what the band will bring, especially with the shows they have lined up. Personally, I hope to catch them at London Calling in Amsterdam. I would recommend everyone to look them up, see if they’re playing a show near you, and go experience this for yourself! 

The band has recently announced a headliner show at the O2 Ritz in their hometown, Manchester, with support from The North and Cherryholt. Upon selling out, the band later announced a full UK tour, commencing in September this year, adding the band Raynor to the lineup for some dates.

Follow Arkayla's work on Instagram here!