LVVRS: Love, Fire, and a Breakout Year

The fire and soul of Louisiana pulse through LVVRS, a pop-rock band that channels heart, honesty, and heat into every note. With charisma that lights up the stage and songs charged with emotion, the five-piece outfit’s year is already shaping up to be a defining one. Pronounced “lovers,” the group has transformed passion into purpose, building a devoted following that stretches far beyond their Southern roots.

Their breakout performance at Austin City Limits Music Festival marked a dream realized and a circle completed. “Our very first show as LVVRS in 2018 was actually in Austin,” recalls frontman River Gibson, whose vocals and magnetic showmanship anchor the band’s identity. “So playing ACL felt like coming home, only on a much bigger stage. We left everything we had out there.” The performance followed an earlier run that included SXSW, and a return to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s Gentilly Stage, opening for Cheap Trick. From the moment they hit the stage, LVVRS proves that their rise isn’t luck but the result of vision and undeniable chemistry.

That same appeal takes center stage on their newest release, From the Heart: Acoustic Sampler, which dropped on November 14. The three-track acoustic collection offers an intimate glimpse into a softer side of the band, featuring “Dancing with a Broken Heart,” a demo of “Free,” and a tender cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire.”

“‘The ‘From the Heart’ songs are the most personal I’ve ever written,” Gibson says. “They started on an acoustic guitar at home, so it made sense to let them live that way, raw and honest.”

“Free,” he adds, holds a special place in his personal journey. “That feeling of leaving a place you loved and searching for something deeper in life and within yourself really resonated with me. ‘A time to love / a time to hold / a time to cry / a time to grow.’ I knew this song belonged on the acoustic record, and once that song came together, the rest of the world around our forthcoming ‘Heaven and the Heartland’ 2026 album started to take shape.”

Even their Springsteen cover came from a moment of pure instinct. “I watched the Jeremy Allen White biopic, felt that emotion, and recorded the song that same night. It just felt right, like paying tribute to one of the greats.”

Formed on Valentine’s Day 2018, LVVRS (Gibson on vocals and guitar, Gareth Calk on synths, Zac Lyons on bass, Mike Hilbun on lead guitar, and Brenon Wilson on drums) infuse their music with the same emotion that inspired their name. Their sound blends Louisiana grit with radio-ready polish, offering a cinematic fusion that lands somewhere between Maroon 5, The 1975, and INXS, yet remains unmistakably their own. It’s a balance of soul and swagger, built on stories that feel lived-in and real.

Their rise began to catch fire in 2024 when their single “Iconic” surpassed 630,000 streams, while the video for “Fever Night” took home “Best Music Video” at the Josie Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry. The win marked a turning point, propelling the band into a creative streak that carried straight into 2025 with the emotionally charged singles “The Love You Gave Me” and “The Bed.” The latter came in a single burst of inspiration. “That one wrote itself in five minutes,” Gibson recalls. “It just poured out.” In August, their song “Wild Heart” landed on Spotify’s Release Radar, and this month, the singer and songwriter took home the coveted “Vocalist of the Year” award at this year’s Josie’s.

But LVVRS’ story isn’t written solely on recognition and stages. Their music has been featured in Netflix’s Love Is Blind, USA Network’s Temptation Island, and The Iron Claw, starring Zac Efron. They’ve headlined the House of Blues New Orleans five times, captured the top prize at the Louisiana Music Prize, and earned glowing praise from Antigravity Magazine, which called their debut “a record built for dance floors and Top 40 radio.”

With their new acoustic project, LVVRS takes the opportunity to reveal what lies beneath their anthemic choruses and soaring hooks. “I’ve always loved acoustic and stripped-down versions of songs by other artists like Bon Iver,” Gibson shares. “There’s a rawness and sincerity in a softer version that you sometimes lose in the pop production.” 

From the Heart: Acoustic Sampleris a window into who they are when the lights dim and the noise fades away. “We’re just some regular guys chasing a dream,” Gibson says with a grin. “If you can dream it, you can do it. And we’re just getting started.”