Winyah: Manifestation, Dedication, and an Unmatched Stage Presence
- Josie Page
- 1 day ago
- 12 min read
Winyah is an alternative, indie rock band with songs perfect for windows-down car drives and singing in the shower. They have a unique ability to tell stories through music and connect with their listeners. Regardless of their performance length, their stage presence captivates the audience’s attention and creates an unforgettable experience.
Winyah consists of Robert “Rob” Buffington Jr. (keys), Luke “Butters” Gordon (guitar), Jake Riley (drums), Thomas Rowland (vocals/guitar), and Stephen Russell (vocals/bass).
The five of them grew up in the Carolinas, with their name coming from Winyah Bay, South Carolina. Since 2023, they have dedicated themselves to creating music that resonates with listeners. Their energy on stage is unmatched, and they take pride in being their honest selves in every situation and conversation.
The Formation of Winyah
Winyah began as a band in 2023, and despite being relatively early in their career, they have already built a name for themselves. Before Winyah, Thomas Rowland’s solo career led him to assemble a supporting band for live shows with Luke “Butters” Gordon, Robert “Rob” Buffington Jr., and Stephen Russell.
After realizing their connection, their focus shifted to creating music together. They started playing shows at frats and opening for other artists at small, local venues. When the opportunity to play Bonnaroo in 2024 arose, they knew their lives would shift.
Jake Riley joined the group in the fall of 2024, when they went on their first tour as the opening act for Dogpark. Butters and Thomas saw him play in his former band and were in awe of his energy and drumming abilities. His attitude and personality grabbed their attention, and they knew he belonged in the band.
Thomas describes the experience: “We called him up one day, we're like, 'Yo, hypothetically, if we had a whole tour and we needed you to be our drummer and just move to Nashville tomorrow, would you do it?' And he was like, “Yeah, I'm down!” And so we lined that up, he sold all his stuff, and came to Nashville. Then we went on tour, and it seems like we've been on tour ever since.”
For Jake, this was the opportunity he was waiting for.
“I was working full-time. I didn't know any of these guys… just playing music in a local aspect, and not really seeing the bigger picture. Because playing covers, you just make ends meet, and you work on top of that. ”
After connecting with the group, they clicked and knew they had something special. But it wasn’t a small decision. This endeavor would require packing up his whole life and moving to a new state.
“Seeing the live videos… I was like, 'There’s something to this. They sound great. Music’s really good.' And I was stoked when getting the call and the offer. I was like, “This is where you have to make a decision.” Either spend another three or four years here and be nobody or just try to make a legacy at least some point.”
All five of them followed a similar path, realizing they were part of something special and that this project was something they needed to pursue. Individually, they changed their lives, whether that was quitting their jobs or dropping out of school, to move to Nashville and pursue their dream of music together.
Since then, they have played hundreds of shows across the US, as headliners, supporting artists like Wilderado, The 502s, and Stoplight Observations, and performing at various festivals (including Lollapalooza in 2025!)
Bonnaroo or Bust!
Performing at Bonnaroo was an experience that changed their lives and was the push they needed to pursue music full-time. Despite only having demos, Thomas’s networking skills landed them a spot at Bonnaroo 2024.
Thomas says the phone call letting him know they would be performing is a highlight of his life.
“It was a God-sent moment… it literally chokes me up thinking about it. I was walking over a bridge, going into a meeting, and I got this call, and I literally was jumping up and down, crying. It was amazing. It gives me chills thinking about it.”
He isn’t the only one who remembers the phone calls as life-changing. For Rob, he says, “That was one of the most memorable phone calls I got in my life, letting me know. That was a special opportunity.”
For Butters, his perspective changed at Bonnaroo, and he walked away knowing this was the path for him.
“Not only just getting to play, but experiencing live music together and seeing all the other bands there, and just being starstruck. That was big for us… But after that, I left, going, ‘There’s nothing that can stop me from doing this now. It’s gonna happen. I’m gonna do it or die trying.’”
This experience marked the moment they realized they were destined to make music together and continue down this path as a band.
The Power of Manifestation and Dedication
As a band, Winyah believes in the power of manifestation. They credit their success to speaking their goals as reality and believing they'll get there. This mindset has shaped the way they see career opportunities.
“The way we always talk about it is, 'I can't wait till we're doing that.' Instead of ‘I wish we could do that.’” Rob says.
However, Winyah’s success didn’t magically happen. These guys work hard. They’ve been on the road most of the last few years, and when they’re not on tour, they’re in the studio or writing new music. They don’t take any opportunity for granted; rather, they see it as a chance to learn, experience something new, and make genuine connections.
These connections have been invaluable to the growth of their band. Their positive attitudes have enabled them to form connections with people, opening doors and leading them to tour with artists like Evan Honer and Willis.
A Viral Rise to Success
Winyah’s rapid growth as a band is partly due to social media traction, but also due to their commitment to their art.
The strategy behind their marketing has been to form bonds with people who relate to their music. They began creating TikTok videos showcasing their personalities and humor, and their goal of authenticity remained unchanged.
They also created covers of songs that went viral, with several getting millions of views. This skyrocketed their following and connected with a wide range of fans. Their song "Lala" was even featured in an Instagram post by Joe Jonas!
After the inspiration from Bonnaroo and the attention through social media, there was a lot of pressure to start releasing music, and quickly. With the time crunch, they had to write whenever inspiration struck.
“We wrote "Feel it All Again" under a shack in the tailgate lot of the University of South Carolina football stadium.”
Another song was written on a Zoom call while Stephen was driving.
“We knew we wanted these songs ready for Bonnaroo. So we were like, ‘I have an hour. Get on a Zoom call. I'm driving. Let's do it. It's the only time we have.’ We were spitballing lyric ideas, pitching stuff, and revising.”
During a trip to El Salvador, Butters wrote the song “Mamacita”, which became their first demo and first song to be played live.
“I wrote "Mamacita" in my hotel room in El Salvador. They had a street party going on all night… I had my guitar with me, and all I could hear was a bass and kick drum through the wall. I just couldn’t sleep, so I sat up and wrote "Mamacita" with my window open.”
Their ability to create their best work under pressure is quite admirable and showcases their talent as creatives. Despite the quick turnaround, they have produced music that resonates deeply with a wide audience.
Their debut album, Lot To Learn, came out in February 2025, and in less than a year, it’s been streamed millions of times. Their latest headline tour was sold out at most stops, and their 2026 tour has upgraded venues to accommodate their growth.
Live on Stage!
While they love writing music and spending time in the studio, their passion lies in performing live. In the songwriting process, they focus on what the live experience will be like, both for the crowd and for them. It is easy to imagine how the songs will sound live when they spend most of their time on the road!
“Recording music is important to us, and we put a lot of thought into that. But our show is what we do the most as a band. It's the most accurate representation of us, sonically.”
As a listener and fan, I can tell. I’ve attended seven Winyah shows, in five different states, and I’ve never left disappointed. They are part of Cloverdale Records, an artist-driven record label created by Evan Honer. In January of 2025, Cloverdale hosted its first-anniversary party at a small cocktail lounge near Nashville. I love several of the artists on the label, such as George William Thomas, Sierra Carson, and Kate Stephenson, among others, so I made the trip to Nashville! I’ve been drawn to Winyah’s energy since the fall of 2024, even before seeing them live, so I knew I needed to be there. Despite only having a 20-minute set, I left an even bigger fan than I was before. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to see them several more times across the US, and I’ve loved watching them grow as performers.
The most recent show I attended, they opened up for Willis in Boulder, Colorado. Out of all the shows I’ve been to, I have never seen an opener bring so much energy to a crowd. I am amazed by their ability to capture everyone’s attention and create an audience that is so present in the moment. No matter their show length, from 20 minutes to two hours, they enthrall everyone with their personalities.
During the show, I heard several people talking about how they had driven hours just for Winyah, or others were leaving as new fans. During their set, they announced that in April 2026, they would be playing this same venue, The Fox Theatre, as the headliner. I saw several people buying tickets for the show before they were even off the stage!
As a band, they always strive to be better on stage, to figure out how to fill the room and engage with the audience. Every time I see them after a show, they ask “How was it?” or “How did we sound?” and truly value my takeaway from the show.
“[Touring has] been a really great opportunity to see people react to our music and what they love. That has definitely aided us in the writing process of songs that are yet to come.”
Their dedication to building relationships and filling the stage with meaningful sets has created devoted fans. While I’ve traveled for several shows, I’m not the only one. And this is not something they take for granted.
“As touring musicians, we expect to have to come to our fans. And as we've seen our fans travel to other shows, it's really been an amazing realization for us that what we are doing is able to resonate in a way that encourages traveling and going to new places that you've never been to. That to me is really why I [Thomas] wanted to play music for a living, since high school, because I wanted to travel and play. To be able to impart that on our fans in the slightest bit is very special to me.”
Beyond the music they write, their interactions with fans showcase how grateful they are to be able to create and perform. As I waited for my turn to talk to them, they gave everyone talking to them their full attention, going above and beyond to express their gratitude. You know they don’t take these experiences of touring and releasing music for granted.
The Winyah Brotherhood
As a new band, their friendships are rather new as well, but you wouldn’t know. Their bond is evident in their interactions on stage, their Instagram photo dumps, and the way they talk about each other.
Over the last few years, they’ve spent all their time together, whether that’s while touring and exploring new cities, spending time at home in Nashville, or creating new music in the studio. Their friendships are built on a unique experience and a shared lifestyle that only touring musicians would understand. It is obvious that they truly care about each other, as individuals and creatives.
For Butters, these relationships have been critical in his personal growth
"I've known these guys for a really short amount of time in my life. But each one of them has dropped their walls, opened up, changed, and tried new things. Whether it be clothes, music, food, beer, whatever, when they let their light shine, it allows my light to shine… I naturally get inspired. They open the door for me to drop my walls and try new things."
Their relationship as a creative team has changed as they’ve grown as a band. Their connection is the most important factor to them as songwriters. When writing something new, they value creating something that can spotlight each member’s talents.
“Realistically, when I'm [Thomas] writing, these guys inspire me. I want to bring something that sticks with them like it does with me.”
Many songs off the album, Lot to Learn, were written by Butters, Thomas, and Stephen. However, as their friendship has blossomed, they’ve been able to draw inspiration from each other. The trust they’ve built with each other allows them to be their best selves creatively.
“As a creative, [our friendship] really allows me to throw ideas at the wall, or throw ideas at the guys and feel like I [Thomas] don’t have to hold anything back, because I know that they’re going to give me the best they’ve got. What’s best for our band and what’s best for our fans, and it’s very comfortable to make decisions and do things and know that we’re all locked in. We all have each other’s backs.”
The process of learning from one another creatively has enabled them to refine their writing approach. Their second album, due out in summer 2026, will showcase this change.
“We’ve had a bit more of an integrated writing process than in the past… Album one was a collection of songs that Butters, Thomas, and Stephen had written. And now, for album two, we're all on the same page. Because we live the same life.” Rob says.
The Value of Connection
As a band, Winyah values connection. Their sold-out shows fill rooms with listeners of various ages and different life experiences, screaming the same lyrics. Each person has a unique connection with the song. For Butters, hearing listeners’ different interpretations drives him to continue to create.
“I love it when you write something, and it has a meaning this way, and then someone interprets it completely differently. And you're like, ‘that's so awesome that this is what this song means to you versus what it meant to me at the time writing it.’”
The various perceptions often lead back to a common theme: comfort. Through the songwriting process, they value creating art that reflects experiences and feelings that can resonate with the listener. Stephen keeps this in mind as he works on new songs.
“If I'm writing something, I pull a piece of my experience that feels lonely or feels like it’s hard to explain, and try to put it in a way where it is relatable. Then someone can hear it and think, 'Alright, there are other people out there. I'm not the only one; other people are thinking this kind of stuff.'”
For Thomas, he wants fans to be uplifted by the messages throughout the songs, whether that’s through their lyrics or their nostalgic sound.
“I want people to be able to confide in the music that we make and bring it into their lives where they need it, and where it can help them. Whether it's Monday morning and you're driving to work and you're bummed out about it, you turn on a Winyah song, and it makes your morning a little bit better. Or somebody is worried about what's going on in their life, and they're not sure what to do, and they turn on “Thread,” and they know that they're not alone. I want our fans to know that it's okay.”
Keep an Eye Out
Pay attention to Winyah; their dedication and manifestation powers will help them conquer the world! With dreams of playing Red Rocks in Colorado, Madison Square Garden in New York, and The Caverns in Tennessee, I know the five of them will make it happen. And you can count on me being there!
In the spring of 2026, they will be traveling the country during their “There’s No Place Winyah Would Rather Be” tour. As someone who has seen them in a small bar for a 20-minute set, sold-out headline shows, and a two-hour show in a town with only a handful of people who knew their music, you won’t regret it.
They spent all of January 2026 in the studio, and their second album is scheduled for release in the summer of 2026. I’ve been lucky enough to hear a few of the songs throughout various shows, and it’s destined to be a killer album.
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