Finding Their Stride: Bonneville Rides Forward with new single “Horse”
INTERVIEWS
By Indi Tejeda
8/11/26
The four-piece break down their new single, the surprising DIY scene in Utah, and their influences.
Bonneville (Photo by Maximus Rogers).
Utah County indie folk-rock band Bonneville has never been interested in building itself around a single voice. Instead, Jack Ralls (lead vocals/rhythm guitarist), Chase McLendon (lead guitarist), Gabe Valadez (drummer) and Keaton Anderson (bassist) have embraced collaboration from the very beginning, allowing each member’s influences, ideas and musical instincts to shape the band’s evolving sound.
That philosophy comes into focus on their newest single, “Horse.” While the song marks another step forward creatively, it also reflects the band’s identity as four musicians who have learned to trust one another throughout every stage of the songwriting process. Rather than centering their music around one songwriter or frontman, Bonneville approaches every song as a collective effort, giving each member the opportunity to contribute both on and off the stage.
Growing up surrounded by music, family influences and Utah’s thriving DIY scene, the members of Bonneville found inspiration in relatives, local artists and one another. Those experiences continue to shape the band today, with each member bringing their own musical background into a creative process that values curiosity, experimentation and collaboration equally.
Bonneville discussed the creation of “Horse,” the band’s collaborative songwriting process, their influences and the community that continues to shape Utah’s growing indie music scene.
Bonneville has always felt like a very collaborative band. How has that approach shaped your music?
Bonneville: We all write. Everyone writes their own parts, but we also write structure, lyrics and melody. People always ask who wrote a song, but honestly, we all did.
There’s really no frontman. Everyone gets moments to shine. Even in “Horse,” there are guitar solos, bass moments, drum moments and harmonies. Everybody contributes something important.
We didn’t even try to make it that way. It just happened to flow. We’ve kind of cracked the code that works for the four of us.
Looking back, what first inspired each of you to start making music?
Bonneville: Growing up watching Desert Noises and With Andrea play shows, we thought, ‘I want to do that.’ Seeing people around us actually creating music made it feel possible.
Our families have always been very musical, so we’ve been around music our whole lives. Growing up watching family members play in bands and perform made us want to pick up instruments ourselves.
For us, those moments of being surrounded by music, whether through family, local musicians or simply discovering an instrument for the first time, made us want to start creating.
Everyone in the band creates music outside of Bonneville as well. How do those different creative backgrounds strengthen the band?
Bonneville: We all release our own music, too. Everybody writes, and it’s all pretty different.
For a long time we were always trying to chase something we’d never heard before. It always ended up being something we’d probably heard subconsciously, but we were always trying to do something different.
Now everyone brings their own influences into the room, and it just works.
Bonneville (Photo by Maximus Rogers).
Each member brings different musical influences into the band. What have you been listening to lately?
Bonneville: Lately (we’ve) been loving softer, quieter folk music. I’m almost going back to the roots of music, folk and blues.
We all listen to really different things. Whether it’s Machine Girl, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Finn Wolfhard, Lifeguard, Sharp Pins, Willie Nelson or Arlo Guthrie, those influences always find their way into our music.
Sometimes people hear our influences and wonder where they are in Bonneville’s music, but they’re definitely there.
Utah has become known for its growing music scene. What makes it such a supportive place for emerging bands?
Bonneville: There’s a massive DIY scene. House shows happen all the time, and venues like Velour are willing to give new bands a chance.
Especially when we were starting, people were just really welcoming. Everyone was trying to make each other better.
It feels like everybody’s friends. Every band wants everyone else to succeed.
There are probably three new bands popping up every day in Utah, but everyone welcomes each other. There’s room for everybody.
You’ve already played venues like Kilby Court at a young age. What moments stand out the most?
Bonneville: Our second show ever sold out at Kilby Court, and we couldn’t believe it. We had no bassist, no music out, and we were just so scared.
[We] remember waking up and hearing, ‘It’s sold out, it’s sold out,’ and immediately getting up because [we were] so excited.
Every time we play somewhere new, it’s like playing Kilby for the first time again. It always makes us feel like little kids.
Playing somewhere nobody knows us is exciting because if people connect with the music, it’s completely genuine.
Why did you choose the name Bonneville?
Bonneville: We wanted something that represented Utah. We loved how other local bands had Utah-inspired names, and we wanted something where people could ask about it and we could say, ‘That’s because we’re from Utah.’
We just wanted something quick and concise. We could hear people announcing it, and it just felt right.
“Horse” has such a distinct atmosphere. What inspired the song and its title?
Bonneville: We have a bad habit of giving songs random working titles. We’ll throw down a name and say, “We’ll think of something later,” but it always ends up becoming the title.
The first lyric was about running, and we thought, “Horses are cool. Horses run. Let’s just call it ‘Horse’ for now.”
We didn’t even know it was the Year of the Horse. Somebody told us afterward, and we thought it was pretty fitting.
Looking back, we can hear some subconscious influences in the song, but that’s kind of how we write. We’re always chasing something different, and sometimes you don’t realize what inspired it until much later.
“Horse” may be Bonneville’s latest release, but it also serves as a snapshot of a band that has found its footing through collaboration rather than convention. By embracing each member’s individuality instead of centering one creative voice, the four-piece continues to build a sound that is distinctly their own. As Bonneville keeps moving forward, “Horse” feels less like a destination than the next confident step in the band’s journey.
Bonneville with Indi and Poet Tejeda (Photo by Poet Tejeda).
Listen to "Horse"
