Wrexham’s Loudest Sweet Tooth Band
Baby
Brave
Ahead of their brand-new album dropping on October 9th, we got up close and personal with one of Wrexham’s most loved bands, Baby Brave.
We first saw Baby Brave
perform live in Wrexham as long ago as 2018.
Back when we first started to support and sponsor FOCUS Wales - the international music showcase and film festival based here in Wrexham.
Loyal
Followers
Over the years, we supported them more and more - we first covered them here on Visit Wrexham at last years’ WrexFest, where they performed at The Rockin’ Chair and again at this year’s FOCUS Wales 2026 where they performed on their biggest stage yet – the Big Top Tent - to a rapidly growing and fiercely loyal crowd.
Brand
New
Album
We’ve bumped into their drummer Jason on more than a few occasions whilst out and about in town, and through getting to know each other we wanted to help and support the band here on Visit Wrexham - as they now take their significant next step in releasing their first full album, ‘Sugar To The Tongue’.
Their
Story
We met up with them in September in the Visit Wrexham offices to capture their story.
Baby Brave is comprised of the talents from Emmi Manteau, Steve Nicholls, Jason Williams, and Andrew ‘Stokes’, with their first EP recorded all the way back in 2012. Both Emmi and Jason took time out of their working week to bring us up to speed on their history and their exciting plans for the future.
Emmi, lead
vocals, lyricist and rhythm
guitar is one of the founding members of the band.
Originally from Chesterfield, Emmi came over to study at nearby Chester University, spending two years living in France before settling down here in Wrexham, being drawn in to the vibrant music & arts scene. Steve, who we’ve also met before – is lead guitarist and from Wrexham and gave us an insight into their plans – when we first caught him in the sunshine back in the summer over at ROC2 Studios just outside town. Jason, drummer and backing vocals, is also from Wrexham and he brought in fellow local talent Stokes who plays bass. So whilst the band has gone through a couple of iterations, the make-up of the team has now been firmly established together since 2019.
Wrexham
Festival
Town
Jason talked about the excitement and buzz around the town during festivals such as FOCUS Wales, starting each day by watching local musician Kip Cannon perform - Kip hosts a stage at the Royal Oak based on the High Street. "Start every FOCUS Wales with an afternoon Kip!"
Guilty
Pleasure
We asked what band they like to catch at the festival and Emmi said, “My guilty pleasure is HMS Morris – they’re like the Madonna of Wales! They re-invent themselves for every gig in Wrexham and we looove that”.
Community
Connections
Jason has played in many bands and performed locally for a long time, and is well connected to local performers, as well as he’s a drum tutor for Wrexham Sounds, a not-for-profit music school dedicated to making positive differences to lives and communities. Jason is also a lifelong Wrexham AFC fan and because he works in adult social care is fortunate enough to regularly have tickets to see Wrexham play matches, through the support he does for the local community. Connecting with their community is what the band are all about.
Baby Brave were invited to represent the best of Wales music
with our friends FOCUS Wales when they toured BreakOut West in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, back in 2019, which in turn helped attract top performers from Canada to return and play here in Wrexham at FOCUS Wales.
High
Creative
Output
The sound performed by the band is best described as being catchy and heavy, new wave noise pop – and in our opinion the band have become a mainstay sound of the Wrexham scene for some time now. They have created a lot of bangers that should have been hits already. They have filmed a number of high production videos shot locally over the years. Their video productions are also a key part of their look and output.
You're
So
Cool
Emmi then told us about the video for their next single, ‘You’re So Cool’, due for release on 2nd October, which took at least a whole year to film and edit. Created entirely without AI, the painstaking video production was made scene by scene and cut by cut, using green screens, loads of costumes, lighting rigs and all lovingly hand-stitched together by multimedia animation artist Echo The Hare.
First
Vinyl
Album
With full time work being the priority for the band during busy weekdays with local employers, the team live for the weekend and the band’s patient wait for success. Over the years they have taken their modest earnings from regular gigs and ploughed their returns back into the recording and production of their very first vinyl album. We were un-officially the very first recipient of their first copy when it was presented in person to our offices back in September, and being pressed on clear vinyl, it’s fair to say it already taken prized position in our own vinyl collection.
Beyond the single
release on 2nd October, the band will be headlining a special album launch party and get together at The Rockin’ Chair a week later on Friday 9th October.
They will be playing all the tracks from their new release.
Supporting them will be local bands Groom The Giant, Fleece and Roadside Assistance – we can’t wait!
And whilst the band are permanent residents and practice and rehearse at nearby ROC2 Studios, the album was in fact produced and mastered by Charlie Francis at Synergy Mastering in Cardiff, with album artwork created by SANS Studio.