Get to know... The Opera

Austin, Texas, the home of SXSW, continues to prove itself as one of the most inventive music cities in the US. Just look at one of it's latest exports, five-piece art-punk outfit, The Opera, who feel like a natural product of their environment.

Formed in early 2024 and drawing influence from across the experimental and alternative spectrum, the band describe their sound as genre-blurring by design, built on constant movement and refusal to sit still stylistically. That same instinct carries into their ethos, where personal and political unease sits alongside a need to find moments of hope.

Already making their mark through Austin’s live circuit and with a recent second appearance at SXSW, The Opera are beginning to build momentum both at home and beyond. With new material in the works, evolving live sets, and ambitions that stretch well past their home state, the band now look ahead to what comes next.

Get to know more about the band in our latest insightful feature.

First things first - who and what is The Opera: 

"The Opera is an Austin based art-punk band composed of members Tyler Dozier, Carol Gonzalez, Chris Himelblau, Aaron Reecer, and Wade Stevens. When we came together in early 2024, we were all nearly strangers, but we all shared a deep dedication to performance and a desire to make something new and exciting."

Describe your sound to someone who’s never heard of you before?

"It’s like if Nine Inch Nails (NIN) yearned for that Bristol sound. Or at least that’s what we’re aiming for. We come from different backgrounds of all kinds of music, and I think that really shines through our sound. Everyone brings a unique style, and that allows us to break the boundaries of genre in an exciting way."

"At its core, our music is experimental. We are always trying out something new or switching it up."

Collectively, what or who would you say are your biggest influences? 

"NIN, Radiohead, Portishead, Stereolab, Björk, Protomartyr, Animal Collective, Leonard Cohen (poem collections, as well as his music), Massive Attack, The Mars Volta, Shame, and Dvorak, just to name a few."

Hailing from Austin, Texas, we’re eager to know if politics plays a role in the shaping of your sound or ethos, given the current state of geopolitics

"It’s impossible to fully separate yourself from the current political climate. While we don’t write explicitly political music, it’s hard not to be influenced by the bleakness of today’s world. We can’t ignore ongoing violence toward the Global South, the treatment of trans people and immigrants, the glorification of law enforcement, or the alienation of the working class. Even indirectly, systems we’re part of have consequences we think about. That frustration comes through in our music, alongside a need to hold onto some hope."

"We’ve also played benefit shows for Texas organisations like RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) and the Lilith Fund, and we’re always looking for ways to support humanitarian and social justice causes where we can."

Speaking of Austin, you recently made your first appearance at SXSW. How was that experience? 

"We’ve just finished our second SXSW as a band this past month. All of us have been active in different Austin projects for 5+ years, so we’re familiar with its ecosystem. While the official showcases are part of it, the real magic is in the unofficial events - playing unexpected venues, sharing bills with touring bands, and jumping between diverse genre line-ups. Those 30-minute sets, repeated across the week, can be exhausting but also a great way to tighten up as a unit."

"This year did feel more subdued compared to previous ones. There were fewer official music showcases and a stronger shift toward tech and film, alongside less support for unofficial programming. SXSW also doesn’t pay artists directly, so most compensation comes through access and whatever merch can be sold at side events. On top of that, reduced line-ups and fewer large sponsor-run shows made the unofficial circuit feel smaller."

"There’s also been ongoing pushback from artists in recent years around sponsorship ties - particularly relating to defence and AI-linked companies - which has shaped how some people view the festival."

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Were there any other acts that you saw at SXSW that blew you away?

"Knats, Geordie Greep, and Water From Your Eyes were some of our favourites from this year. Knats are from Newcastle, I believe. They had a hard jazz fusion thing going on, mixed with some spoken word. Truly, I have never seen anything like it."

"Geordie was absolutely incredible, it was my first time seeing him. He was backed by Knats which tied the experience together so nicely."

We Brits also want to know if there are any other artists local to Austin, that we might never have heard of, worth checking out?

"The Point, Superfonicos, J’Cuuzi, Witches Exist, and Porcelain are some of our favourites."

Your most recent 4-track EP, I want This To Last was released back in August 2025. Can we expect more new music from The Opera in the near future?

"We’re really focused on writing new material right now. Not just for our regular sets, but also for our electronic sets. But we’re always thinking ahead, and we’re ready to start working with a new producer, so we’ve got feelers out regarding recording."

"We will absolutely be releasing new tracks before the year is over, but it’s a little too loose to announce just when, yet."

And what about live dates - can music fans expect to see you performing in Europe in 2026?

"I don’t think Europe is on the books for us this year, but who knows! If we end up out there, you’re definitely on the guest list."

We’ve asked you about your sound - how would you describe The Opera’s stage presence? What does a typical show consist of? 

"Our stage presence is a high energy spectacle with a visual ebb and flow that matches our personalities. Tyler (vocals) is all over the place - she’s climbing in the rafters, rolling on the ground, in the crowd interacting with people. Wade (drums) gets excited and starts yelling incoherent guttural noises while he’s playing. Aaron (keys) is a ballet-trained menace that never stops moving. Carol (bass) is calm, cool, and dancing while singing along. Chris (guitar) almost always has a sucker (lolly) and is head-banging or grinning the whole time."

"We give it all we have and like to keep our shows high energy. We don’t talk much between songs - our music speaks for us. Our best shows are when the crowd matches our output and we feed off of each other."

"Our visuals are done by an Austin outfit by the name of TV Eye media. We give them a vision and they always crush. Tim is our guy!"

Finally, here’s your chance to plug anything we haven’t already covered or to shout out anyone special to you/the band.

"Shout out to the Mets and La Selection Colombia! Chris loves the Mets, Carol loves Colombia!"

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