A few days before Only The Poets dropped their latest single, Guess She’s Cool, we caught up with frontman Tommy Longhurst to talk about where the band’s heading and what this new release really means. Written years ago and quietly sitting in the archives, the track has finally found its moment. It lands somewhere between heartbreak and healing, dressed in shimmering alt-pop textures and carried by that distinct emotional honesty that’s become the band’s signature, the kind that turns personal turmoil into something strangely universal.
Tommy describes it as one of their most vulnerable songs to date, a reflection on the kind of heartbreak that lingers longer than you’d like to admit. But there’s also growth here, and a sound that feels more refined without losing the raw edges that fans first connected with. The band’s long-time ethos, creating music that makes people feel seen and showing that no one’s alone in what they’re feeling, runs deep through this new era. In the interview you can read below, we talk about how Guess She’s Cool came together, what it means to write from lived experience, and why this song feels like a small but solid step into whatever’s coming next.
Hey, welcome to METAL! Where in the world are we catching you?
We’re actually at home in the UK currently; we’ve just been getting lots of music over the line, so we’ve been in and out of the studio and have had a sprinkling of summer shows as well, which have been really fun!
We’re just days away from the release of Guess She’s Cool. How are you feeling in this final stretch?
Yeah, really excited about this tune. We really experimented with the sonics on this one, and we feel this is a side of Only The Poets that we haven’t really shown thus far. I actually wrote the song a long time ago, so I’m buzzing that we’ve pulled it out of the archives and got it to a place we all really love and are super proud of.
The track feels both sharp and tender, like it’s carrying a truth you’re still trying to sit with. What moment or feeling sparked this one into existence?
It’s just all about how you navigate yourself through a first real heartbreak and the emotional challenges that come with it, really not being able to move on and get over it. I’m sure we’ve all been there and can relate, and that’s what we try to do with our music: pour ourselves and life experiences into these songs so that people can relate and take whatever they choose away from listening to them. It’s a really vulnerable side of us, particularly lyrically, and yeah, we are just really proud of it and excited for it to be with everyone soon!
There’s a real clarity in your sound lately: less indie scruff, more alt-pop edge, but still full of emotional weight. Was Guess She’s Cool always meant to lead this next phase, or did it take on that role naturally?
It took on that role naturally, to be honest. In the process of writing all this new music, this one definitely felt unique to us and had that real alt-pop feel to it. We really wanted to treat the production carefully to power home the messaging within and make the song feel up close and personal, yet also big and bold at the same time.
You’ve said before that you finally feel like the band you would’ve loved as teens. What do you think your younger selves would hear in this song?
I mean, I think they’d take a lot away from it, to be honest. I love listening to tunes and being able to relate, knowing I’ve been through exactly the same kind of thing. I would have taken comfort listening to it, I reckon, and I would have really loved how the song sounds. It kind of has that timeless feel to it with a clear sonic inspiration from multiple eras in music, I would say.
You worked with DanDlion again, someone who’s been part of your story since day one, plus Clem and Marcus on co-production. Can you tell us more about the creative process?
Yeah, it’s been amazing, man. To have Dan, who’s an old friend of mine, be so involved in creating this album with us has been so enjoyable. Having half the band so involved in the production side, along with Dan, has made the record and this era of music feel really cohesive. I think the boys are always thinking about the live show too, and what the songs would sound like in that form, so that’s been fun and exciting and a seamless process, which has been really great. From the writing side as well, having Dan co-write some of my most honest lyrics with me was great because I feel that trust and comfort around him allowed me to open up and pour my heart into these tunes.
You’ve played Guess She’s Cool live already, even before its official release. How does it feel performing a song that’s still unreleased? Does the crowd reaction shape how you connect with it?
We really enjoy it! It’s so great to see a firsthand reaction of someone taking in a song for three minutes. We’re lucky to have incredible fans who scream lyrics back to us, so it’s really unique and such a different experience, but so interesting at the same time, and I really love doing it.
I Keep On Messing It Up was a real sonic pivot; louder, bolder, and more defined. Do you see Guess She’s Cool as part of that same thread, or is it stretching into new territory altogether?
I think there are similar elements and production elements that definitely tie the two together. I think conceptually and melodically, they’re very different and offer a different way of thinking for us and how they make you feel on first listen. Having the boys so involved in the production again has made it all feel cohesive and like it lives in that same world, and the theme of self-discovery and reflection is the underlying tone across the new music.
Let’s talk about Emotionally Hungover, a track that’s already become a fan favourite and a highlight of your live sets. Did you know it would resonate that hard, or did it catch you by surprise?
I think we felt like this song sounds kind of like the most traditional OTP song amongst the new stuff, so we sort of knew it would resonate with people on some level, but the reaction has been so overwhelming. It’s already a standout moment for us in the live show now, and as each show passes, the crowds sing it louder and louder.
After something as personal and big as Emotionally Hungover, did you feel pressure to match that energy in Guess She’s Cool, or freedom to move somewhere else?
I think the freedom to move somewhere else. This next tune is far more low-key and vibey, and like I said earlier, it’s just a different flavour I don’t think we’ve put out before. As much as we want a cohesive collection of songs, we also love the slight genre bending that we feel happens across the new music; we're just super excited to keep showing everyone what we’ve been working on.
You’ve spoken about how growing up, being open, especially as a young guy, wasn’t always welcomed. Does releasing songs like this feel like a way of giving younger fans the space you didn’t always have?
Yeah, 100%. Music was my outlet and my escape in difficult times. The music spoke to me and made me feel better, and I just think now with our music alongside me, being really vocal about how I’m feeling might help people even more. Raising that conversation has always been so important to us, and we will always continue to do so through not just the music but also how we talk about it.
Mental health isn’t just something you sing about but part of the way you connect with your fans and build community. How has that shaped this new material?
It’s just made me feel like I can really be so honest. There is no bigger compliment than when someone tells you a song you’ve written has helped them in some form. That is an incredible feeling and the real power of music, which is a beautiful thing, right? The sense of community and all that comes with that, in feeling like you can express yourself in a safe space, definitely is how I now approach the songwriting, especially knowing I can pour into a song if I’m going through a tough time, in the hope that it may help someone along the way if it comes out.
From £1 shows and student houses to sold-out venues and a North American tour on the horizon, how much of that early DIY mindset still guides you now?
For me, it’s kind of like everything beyond those early ambitions has been a bonus. When we started, all we wanted to do was play shows and enjoy them with an audience. The £1 shows started with us making sure affordability wasn’t a barrier to coming to see us play live. We’ve always tried to carry that through in some form, offering lower-priced tickets for those who may not be able to pay full price. It’s something that we experienced firsthand as young music fans. Things have just gotten bigger from there; we really didn’t ever fathom going to the US and Europe and playing festivals and all those amazing things we are lucky enough to now do. I think it keeps the hunger there, and the fans have been so incredible. We are just so grateful that we get to do this, and we remember those times so fondly because they shaped us into the band and the people we are today.
You’ve been teasing an album for 2026. What can you tell us about where this is all heading?
We are so excited for the album. All I can say is that it’s the proudest we’ve ever been of a body of work, and there is so much excitement and fun stuff going on around it all that we can’t wait to share it with everybody. Really feel so lucky to be putting out our debut record, so yeah, just absolutely buzzing, man.
Live, your shows feel like a kind of release, not just for you, but for the crowd. Does it shape the way you write or what you choose to say?
Yeah, I definitely think that the energy we feel from all these shows over the years has made me think about those beautiful moments when I’m writing. The biggest takeaway for me, really, though, is just how our amazing fans embrace and love everything we put out and connect with it on such a deep level; that’s where that willingness to always be transparent and 100% honest comes from in the music.
What would you like listeners to feel when hearing Guess She’s Cool for the first time?
Music is so subjective, so there isn’t really any way I can tell people how to feel, but if you have had that heartbreak in your life and struggled to move on, know that you aren’t the only one, and most of us have been in that headspace before.
Any dreams to fulfil?
We want to play arenas all over the world one day. That’s the dream destination for Only The Poets.
