KIDS WITH BUNS

When a guitarist had to drop out of a Belgian youth competition in 2019 due to illness, Amber Piddington stepped in without hesitation. What began as a stopgap solution became the spark that ignited Kids With Buns—the duo that is now considered one of Europe’s most exciting indie acts. Marie Van Uytvanck and Amber Piddington took their name from the Gorillaz song “Kids With Guns” and found their strength in simplicity: two guitars, an unusually deep voice, and lyrics that don’t shy away from anything.

Early singles like “Bad Grades” and “1712” quickly made the rounds, and their victory on Studio Brussel’s “De Nieuwe Lichting” in 2021 catapulted them into the spotlight. “Bad Grades” climbed to the top of the radio charts and racked up millions of streams. But numbers only tell half the story. What matters most is how these songs sound: like quiet confessions in the dim light of a teenager’s bedroom, and at the same time like anthems for those who feel “out of place.”

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