While the rest of the world has been watching Bad Bunny’s Superbowl half-time show or trying to get tickets for the new Harry Styles tour, people in Oldham have been talking about a music act much closer to home.
The Two Connors, also known as Danny and Callum Connor, have been a part of the local music scene for the last three years.
They have been slowly building their fan base, playing local venues and community events, but this week the duo achieved a new level of success when their new single ‘Familiar Faces’ reached number one in the iTunes charts.
Commenting on the milestone, Danny told The Oldham Times: “We're so proud. When you're up against the giants, the odds are always stacked against you, aren't they?
“To have the backing that we've had from other towns and other cities, we're over the moon with it. To get to number one is a massive accomplishment.”
Callum said that they have received messages of support from people in Scotland, Ireland, the US and Netherlands. They’ve even been sent free clothes from sportswear brand Adox.
He said: “We've had a lot of love. The messages are constant that it's to the point now where we can't actually reply to everything.”
The brothers have been working away at their fledgling music career while also working full time jobs, but they hope this will change one day.
They work collaboratively, developing their music and lyrics separately before putting it all together in the studio.
If they are ever stuck for ideas, they look towards their hometown for inspiration.
Callum said: “I'll go out with my partner to the pub or I'll have a night out somewhere and it'll give me ideas, even from the conversations with the old men at the bar.
“I have to get out there to feel it. I can't think of it from an outside perspective.”
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Two Connors beat Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny for top spot in iTunes charts
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The Oldham pub that people are driving from Staffordshire to visit
Danny added: “It just feels like when me and Callum go out in the town or we're going to a pub, or a cafe, it just feels like we're always very welcomed by our people.
“The characters that you meet along the way, growing up and then hearing stories about all the characters maybe that we didn't know from back in the day. It just feels very heavy on the heart.”
These themes are central to ‘Familiar Faces’, which is why it has also received some criticism online, particularly due to its mention of some of the shadier characters from Oldham’s past.
Quoting Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, Callum said: “You remember the odd balls, but you don't remember the people calling them the odd ball. And for me, that pretty much sums it up. It’s about the characters.
“People like Mick Chadwick [notorious criminal, infamously banned from every pub in Oldham and mentioned in ‘Familiar Faces’], regardless of what his story is, what his past is, he is still a character. He’s still on the end of everyone’s tongues.
“If you don't mention things like that, then you're not mentioning real life, are you?
“You've got to mention what you see and what's real. It's not about negativity, we only spread positivity. But everyone's perceptions are always different.”
Looking to the future, the Two Connors have several shows booked in for the spring months and, now with an iTunes hit under their belt, they’ve set their sights on the UK Official Chart.
Callum said: “It really, really puts us in a position now to get into the actual official global charts and that's competing with the big giants.
“And to be put up there in a competition in the actual official charts would massive for the town. Absolutely massive”.
‘Familiar Faces’ is available to purchase now on iTunes for 99p. You can also follow their journey on Spotify and social media.
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