Single: “I Want you” by Kolumbia
Back in October 2024, Fin met two lads, Rex and Leo, who already had the beginnings of an idea for a band. By May 2025, the three of them had turned that idea into reality, taking to the stage at Witchampton Club for their first gig as Kolumbia. Then, in December 2025, Oscar joined the ranks and the final piece of the jigsaw fell into place.
If you’ve been anywhere near the Dorset local music scene over the last 12 months or so, you can hardly have failed to notice this young band popping up at every conceivable opportunity. The four lads from Wimborne-based Kolumbia have been nothing short of relentlessly proactive, playing virtually every local festival and venue that would have them.
And that’s quite some list.
This year alone they’ve appeared at Wimborne Minster Folk Festival, Rustic Stomp, Anonymous Festival and Cursus Festival, alongside a seemingly endless run of venue appearances including Lighthouse, Oddfellows Arms, Bear Cave, The Old Fire Station, Rising Sun, Horns Inn, Sandbanks Brewery, Lytchett Royal British Legion and, most recently, The Camden Club and The Underground in Boscombe.
For a young band still finding their feet, that’s an impressive amount of live experience to cram into such a short space of time. But Kolumbia have clearly understood that there is no substitute for getting out there and playing. They’ve also never been too proud to accept help and advice from some of the more established faces within our local scene, with Mark Lyons, Matt Black and Ben Bennett all playing their part, alongside their ever-present and hugely supportive manager, parent and roadie, Darryl Squires.
Now, almost two years on from those first tentative steps, Kolumbia are ready to take another important one. On 30th October 2026, they release their debut single, *I Want You*.
Recorded with the help of Hangover Hill Studios here in Dorset, the track represents another milestone for a band whose members are still only 16 and 17 years old. And while they clearly enjoy the spotlight and the excitement that comes with performing, there’s also a feeling that these lads are soaking up every experience, learning from every gig and steadily developing into the musicians they want to become.
Like most bands, Kolumbia started out playing covers, but those early days have gradually given way to an ever-growing armoury of original material. *I Want You* is the first opportunity to capture some of that creativity in the studio, and interestingly, the recording doesn’t lose the ingredient that has made their live performances so infectious.
I’ve played this track a few times now — okay, perhaps more than a few — and the first thing that strikes me is just how much of the energy that Kolumbia bring to a stage has survived the journey into the studio.
There are certainly hints of Britpop running through *I Want You*, with the guitars and melody carrying echoes of that great British tradition of writing songs that are immediate, catchy and built to be sung back from the crowd. But rather than sounding like a simple exercise in nostalgia, Kolumbia take those influences and throw a sizeable dose of youthful exuberance into the mix.
The result is a track that feels energetic, melodic and, importantly, genuine. You can hear four young musicians beginning to discover exactly what they are capable of, while still retaining that wonderfully unfiltered enthusiasm that comes from simply loving being in a band.
And perhaps that’s what makes *I Want You* particularly enjoyable.
This isn’t supposed to sound like a band who have been doing this for 20 years. It sounds like Kolumbia — four teenagers who have thrown themselves headfirst into the Dorset music scene, learned from the people around them, played wherever and whenever they could, and now finally have something of their own to put out into the world.
For a debut single, *I Want You* is a very promising first statement.
Kolumbia may still be at the beginning of their journey, but judging by the amount of ground they’ve already covered, I’d suggest keeping an eye on these four. They’ve got the energy, they’ve got the enthusiasm, they’ve got a growing catalogue of original songs and, perhaps most importantly, they’ve already discovered that the best way to learn this game is to get out there and play it.
The journey has only just begun.
Kolumbia are
Fin – Guitar & Vocals
Rex- Lead Guitar
Oscar- Bass
Leo – Drums & Vocals
Links
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583233695779
https://www.facebook.com/groups/688130680705234
https://www.instagram.com/kolumbiahq
https://kolumbia.co.uk
