In "Music meets Football", we speak to some of our artists about their love of the beautiful game and the teams they support. Our latest feature is with Bria Keely, aka better joy.
The Manchester-based alt-pop musician is a supporters of the blue side of the city – pictured above at Manchester City’s 2022/23 Treble Winning season parade. Launched in late 2023, better joy is a solo project led by Bria and backed up by her band. Bringing comparisons to The Cure, The Smiths and Phoebe Bridgers, Bria has an upfront and centre voice as colourful as Debbie Harry and a knack for effortless storytelling.
better joy kicked off 2025 by announcing details of her debut EP ‘heading into blue’ set for release on March 21. The six-track EP, a perfect introduction to better joy’s alt-pop sound, features previous singles ‘waiting on time’, ‘carnival’ and ‘what a day’ alongside new single ‘quiet time’ – which you can listen to now on the Manchester City Official playlist – and arrives ahead of a headline tour across the UK and Europe in March and April this year. You can find tickets to better joy’s upcoming tour, pre-order ‘heading into blue’ on vinyl and stream her music here: https://linktr.ee/betterjoy
SP: Tell us about how you became a fan of Manchester City.
Bria Keely: It was nothing more than being born into a blue family!! My Dad was a Maine Road season ticket holder for decades so it was just a given really.
I don’t always follow City and football religiously but there is something about family and football that is just so ridiculously bonding, and that’s the best part for me!
SP: What are your earliest memories of attending a game at City?
BK: I’ve got a memory like a sieve so I can’t remember much of Maine Road from when my dad used to take us sadly!
I remember going to the Etihad for the first time with my pals when I was a teenager and that feeling of being amongst a crowd and that sense of camaraderie was insane. I loved it. That was also my first-time experiencing Manchester after a win and it was hilarious and absolutely mad.
SP: Who were your footballing heroes growing up – whether that be Man City players or otherwise?
BK: [Sergio] Agüero. How could it not be Aguero!
SP: What’s the best moment been in your time supporting City?
BK: That Agüero goal was insane, watching that with Man Utd fans will be imprinted in my memory forever haha, but it’s always those moments like the Agüero goal when you’re on the cusp of losing the title and they just pull it back at the last minute.
Another stand out was that final game of the season against Aston Villa a couple years ago racing for the title against Liverpool. I was watching it with the family and we were all just going absolutely ballistic. I think the range of emotions you can feel in such a short period of time is just not like anything else, that adrenaline is wild!
SP: What are your thoughts on how the 2024/25 season has gone so far?
BK: Disappointing! Having so many key players with injuries at the start of the season didn’t set us up well but that’s just the way it goes. We aren’t used to it so it’s hard to swallow for sure.
SP: What are your hopes for the rest of the season?
BK: My brother told me we’ve signed some new players so hopefully they’ll get us back on track. I also think setbacks aren’t always a bad thing, you grow from the knock-downs and you come back fighting even harder so I’m confident we’ll pull it back, because it’s Pep!
SP: Who are your favourite players in the current Man City squad?
BK: It’s not been their best season obviously, but I’m still a big fan of Phil Foden – he’s home grown and when he’s on form, he’s absolutely class. I know Rodri is injured but Rodri, always! He’s an absolute gold mine of a player – he rarely makes mistakes and is so consistent. That’s what we’ve missed this season.
SP: How important has the crossover between music and football been in your life?
BK: Honestly, there’s not been a massive crossover between music and football in my life so far but I’m hopeful this will change!
SP: What song do you associate with a cherished footballing memory?
Not so much a specific football memory but that chant about Yaya and Kolo Touré. I just remember that being a response to so many things when we were young!
SP: If you had to pick one of your songs for Man City to walk out to before kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, which one would it be?
BK: Ooooooo! Maybe ‘what a day’. It’s about generational trauma but it’s weirdly uplifting haha especially the chorus so just skip to that part and it’ll get ‘em going!
SP: Your debut EP ‘heading into blue’, is coming out this month. How does it feel to be getting so close to the release of the record, after a busy 2024 of single releases and touring the UK?
BK: It feels like a long time coming. As always with music, you end up sitting on songs for so long that by the time it comes to the release, it’s more excitement than any nerves, it’s a weird but very fulfilling feeling when something is yours and then it becomes everyone else’s. Touring these songs too just gears you up cos you get a gauge of what connects etc.
SP: Fans will be familiar with some of the tracks already released from the EP, including latest single ‘waiting on time’, but what can they expect from the songs they’ve yet to hear from the record?
BK: Expect vulnerability, energy, good bass lines and sing-along-able choruses. Oh and also a more intimate side too!
SP: What plans do you have in store for the rest of 2025 following the release of ‘heading into blue’?
So, so, so, so much more! I’m going on a UK & EU headline tour around the time of the release so that’s a big first – going to be playing so much new material and I can’t wait for those shows! Then festivals through the summer, more gigs and more songs of course!
I’m also really just excited to develop as an artist this year and dive deep into my creativity and see where that takes me. (P.S. my debut EP is ready to pre-order and it’s on 12” baby blue vinyl. There might be a link there!)
