Karina Wykes, Cameron Robertson, and Joseph Wenceslao went to high school together (William Clarke College, Australia), where they had previously been involved with each other in various music projects.
The guys were in the graduating class above Karina, and as multi-instrumentalists, Cam and Joey started producing music for other artists shortly after finishing school. They eventually wanted to explore their own songwriting and producing capabilities, so they asked Karina to join them as lead singer after she had graduated. One day while Cam was on a holiday trip, he saw a sign atop a ski run called “The Glades” and told Karina and Joey about it. The term simply means “open space,” and they really liked the name idea because it spoke to their overall musical style. And so, in 2015, GLADES officially began.
Growing up, Karina served as a vocalist on Hillsong’s worship team. Her involvement grew prominent during the development and promotional stages of Hillsong Young & Free’s second album, “Youth Revival,” where she was best known and credited as the official lead vocalist for the song “Passion,” alongside Aodhan King.
Cam and Joey both primarily play guitar, but during live shows and stripped-down sessions, Cam is typically on guitar and Joey is on keyboard/samples. Overall, the band’s songwriting process is very organized and collaborative; all three members contribute together. Generally, they start by laying down a beat and chord progression, then write lyrics and melody on top. They generally try to complete a song from start to finish within a day.
Playing live shows is nothing new or recent for them at all. Before their first song release, they were testing early material in several underground shows, where audience reception was consistently positive. Their goal is to keep playing for people all over the world while putting out more music. They work very actively – whether it is writing songs, playing concerts, or communicating with fans and getting feedback. At the root of it all, everything comes from them. What we receive from GLADES is real and untainted artistry, directly from the minds and hearts of Karina, Cam, and Joey.
Sources:
Official GLADES Bio
Ash London LIVE
Beat Magazine
Best Before
Coup de Main (w/ Converse)
Hillsong Young & Free – “Passion”
Hillsong Young & Free – Youth Revival
Saikon Management
Sydney Morning Herald
We Found New Music
Wickedd Childd