With KOKO just around the corner, I caught up with Thom Rylance and Kate Lloyd from The Lottery Winners in the middle of their whirlwind tour. We met in a rare moment of downtime, where the band could catch their breath after relentless gigs, long drives, and an exhausting schedule. As we sat down in the middle of the tour chaos, we delved into everything—from their upoming album to their creative process, collaborations, and what it truly means to be a working-class musician navigating an industry that isn’t always built for them.

“Hey guys, long time no see! How’s life on tour?”

Kate: TIRING!! I love coming in here just to sit down for a minute. Even five minutes off my feet feels like heaven at this point.

Thom: It’s long but very rewarding. The tour schedule is relentless. But when you get on that stage and people are screaming your lyrics back at you, it makes everything worth it. That feeling never gets old. You’d think after so many shows, it would lose some of the magic, but it doesn’t. That’s the part that keeps you going.

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Interviewer: Let’s crack on, shall we? I want to take up as little time as possible so that you can grab a quick power nap.

Favourite Songs & Radio Success

Interviewer: What’s your favourite song on the album right now?

Kate: I’m loving Turn Around at the moment. We’ve had some great reception on that one.

Thom: Yeah, Turn Around made it to the A-List on Radio 2, one of the biggest stations in Europe. Plus, it was Record of the Week, which is just mind-blowing.

Kate: I’m still gobsmacked over that.

Thom: Right now, I’m drawn to all the sad songs on the album. Maybe it’s because I’m so tired—there’s something oddly comforting about them. I think when you’re constantly on the go, listening to something that slows you down emotionally feels necessary.

Interviewer: That’s interesting. Do you find that your emotional state on tour changes the way you connect with your own songs?

Thom: Definitely. When we first record them, it’s one thing. But on tour, after playing them night after night and seeing people’s reactions, they start to take on new meanings. Some songs start to hit differently, and others feel like they evolve over time. It’s weird, but I kind of love that about touring.

Collaborations & The Creative Process

Interviewer: You worked with quite a few artists on this album. Who can we expect?

Kate: Nickelback.

Thom: [laughs] I mean, imagine? That would be mad. But no, we’ve had the absolute honour of working with so many incredible artists—some of whom we grew up listening to. To have them actually sit in a room with us and work on these tracks… it’s something else. Surreal, honestly.

Interviewer: Any names you can tease?

Thom: Let’s just say, there are a few surprises. Some names that will make people go, “Wait, what? Them?” but in the best way possible. That’s what we wanted—collaborations that feel natural but also unexpected.

Pressure & Writing on the Road

Interviewer: What was the creative process like this time around?

Kate: There was a lot of pressure. Our last album, A.R.T. (Anxiety Replacement Therapy), hit Number 1, which was insane. That kind of success adds this weird pressure to follow up with something just as strong—or stronger. We didn’t want to overthink it, but at the same time, it was always in the back of our minds.

Thom: We did a lot of writing on tour, in the van, in hotel rooms… basically anywhere we could find time. We even wrote while working with Nickelback, which was a wild experience.

Interviewer: ADHD plays a big role in your music, doesn’t it?

Thom: Absolutely. You could say this album speaks volumes about that. Especially Superpower—it’s about the relief I felt when I finally got diagnosed. Because suddenly, all the things that 12-year-old me thought made him weird or broken… weren’t actually bad things at all. They just made me different.

ADHD, Advocacy & Representation in Music

Interviewer: Thom, you’re really vocal about ADHD—whether through social media, your music, or even going into schools to talk about it. Why is that so important to you?

Thom: Five years ago, ADHD wasn’t something people talked about much. It was either ignored or just misunderstood. I want kids to know that you can have ADHD and still be cool, successful, and do whatever you want in life.

Interviewer: That’s a powerful message.

Thom: All my heroes have ADHD—Dave Grohl, Robbie Williams, The Rev… I mean, I might not be as cool as Dave Grohl, but I’d like to think I’m at least up there somewhere!

Kate: He’s definitely got the energy for it.

Thom: [laughs] If I’d known what ADHD was when I was 12, I wouldn’t have spent so much time feeling like I was broken. That’s why I talk about it—because maybe someone out there is listening, and maybe it’ll help them feel a little less lost.

A Message to Their Younger Selves

Interviewer: If you could talk to 12-year-old you, what would you tell him?

Thom: “Dear self, I know you’re crying out for help, I thought I’d write this letter…” Ha! Nah, seriously—I’d tell him to Keep On Keeping On. That’s what we always said in my family. It’s kind of threaded its way into our music too.

The Industry, Working-Class Musicians & The Struggle to Break Through

Interviewer: I work in the music industry myself, supporting up-and-coming musicians from all over the North. What’s your take on the industry right now—especially for working-class artists?

Thom: Oh, that’s a can of worms if ever there was one.

Kate: We’re a tight-knit community—we have to be. If we don’t support each other, who will? It’s so important that we lift each other up and don’t gatekeep opportunities.

Thom: The industry is broken in a lot of ways. If you don’t come from money, if you don’t have industry connections, it’s so much harder to get anywhere. We were lucky in some ways, but we also worked our arses off.

Supporting Indie Artists & This Feeling

Interviewer: There are platforms like This Feeling that really champion indie artists—giving them festival slots, shows, and a space to grow.

Thom: Yeah, we’ve done loads of work with Mikey & George at This Feeling. They’ve been massive supporters of ours and so many other indie bands.

Kate: We’ve got Brid Spa in August too! It’s gonna be a big one.

Thom: We wanted to support as many artists that are new and upcoming as we can by giving them an opening slot on tour. Playing for 2,000 people and more whilst getting paid fairly. It’s all anyone could ever ask for.

Final Thoughts

Interviewer: With KOKO just around the corner, what can fans expect?

Thom: A massive party. We’re gonna give it everything we’ve got—energy, emotion, the lot.

Kate: And probably a few emotional moments too. Our fans have been with us through so much, so we want to give them a night to remember.

Interviewer: Any last words for your fans?

Thom: Just a massive thank you. We wouldn’t be here without them.

As our chat wrapped up, it was clear that despite the exhaustion of life on the road, The Lottery Winners are as passionate as ever. Their journey—from working-class kids with big dreams to topping the charts—is nothing short of inspiring. With a new album packed with raw emotion, powerhouse collaborations, and a commitment to breaking barriers for neurodivergent and working-class artists, their impact is undeniable.

KOKO is just the next step in what’s shaping up to be a monumental year for the band. And if their unstoppable energy is anything to go by, this is only the beginning.

One thing’s for sure: The Lottery Winners aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Keep On Keeping On x

Words: Isobel Hegarty