Campbell Burns, Jake Johnson, Nate Delizzotti and Joseph Van Lier are more famous overseas than their own country.
In fact, most people don’t even realise they hail from Newcastle.
But, internationally-renowned Vacations continue to gain global traction… while putting the Hunter on the musical map, too.
After leaving high school, Burns began writing and recording “sad boy songs” and posting them to his Tumblr account.
His friend Johnson heard the tracks and the two started creating music alongside Delizzotti and Van Lier, eventually forming the band in 2015.
They then recorded and published their first two EPs and maiden studio album by themselves with no management or PR.
Now, Vacations have become the most-streamed band in Newcastle to date, with more than 10 million monthly listeners and one billion streams across their discography.
The group gained worldwide attention when its 2016 single Young went viral on TikTok in 2020.
It went on to be certified platinum in the United States, as did their 2018 offering Telephones.
Following the release of their third studio album No Place Like Home, the quartet appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live in January 2024, performing the record’s debut single Next Exit.
Since then, they’ve embarked on several national and international tours, showcasing Newcastle with their iconic indie-rock sound and rags to riches backstory.
Burns, Johnson, Delizzotti and Van Lier just achieved another first, too.
Paying homage to Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue, Vacations have released their take on her iconic smash Love At First Sight from her 2001 album Fever.
The song blends the naughties sounds of the original with their staple indie-rock genre, creating a funky, catchy, dreamy version of the beloved classic track.
Guitarist Delizzotti described the Minogue classic as “one of the best in the world”.
“We’re trying to pay homage to the cover but it’s inevitably going to be different because of our respective playing styles, our own influences,” he said.
Alongside Love At First Sight, they’ve released a re-imagined country version of their 2023 song Midwest.
Both come as a part of the exclusively-recorded and produced Spotify Singles, which gives artists an opportunity to re-record one of their own tracks and pay tribute to another.
Started in 2016, the initiative has seen many iconic global musos in the studio including Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Mac Miller, G Flip and Troye Sivan.
The singles are now available and can be heard exclusively on Spotify.
For more entertainment stories:
- ‘Fletch’ lends a hand to raise funds for Cessnock Goannas
- Newcastle Jockey Club saddles up for biggest meeting of year
- Best-selling authors set to sizzle over summer
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
