# Clarion (band)
**Clarion** are an American shoegaze (rock genre with dreamy, heavily distorted, effects-laden guitar sound) and alternative rock band from East Los Angeles, formed in late 2023, best known for the viral 2024 single "Hello Juliet" and the EPs *Clarion* (2024) and *Blue Fairy* (2026).[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [2](https://www.skiddle.com/artists/Clarion-123621603/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Formed in late 2023 in a shared East Los Angeles lockout; members came out of the local DIY scene[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) |
| Core members | Saya Oliva (vocals, bass), Anthony Sanchez (guitar); Joseph Quezada has been listed on drums and Javier Flores as touring drummer[3](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/) • [4](https://www.melodicmag.com/news/clarion-announces-blue-fairy-ep-alongside-release-of-cathartic-title-track/) |
| Debut EP | *Clarion*, recorded in a three-day sprint in 2024, described by the band as a mix of shoegaze, post-punk, and Japanese rock[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) |
| Breakthrough | "Hello Juliet" spread on TikTok through a fan-made video; it has been streamed more than 55 million times across platforms[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) |
| Label | Signed to Broke Records in 2025; *Blue Fairy* released March 27, 2026[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [3](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/) |
| Sound | Shoegaze and noise rock informed by Fennel, Hum, and Sonic Youth, with lyrical references drawn from anime and manga[5](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026) |
| Touring | Support runs with Violent Vira, Rehash, Mexican Slum Rats, Mind's Eye, and Panchiko; a US headline tour in 2026[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [5](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026) |
## Formation and debut EP
The band came together almost accidentally in a shared east Los Angeles lockout, where Saya Oliva, Anthony Sanchez, and Joseph Quezada had all spent time in the local DIY scene, and began writing music together in late 2023.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) In 2024 they recorded the songs they had written in a three-day sprint, layering multiple amps in stereo, panned left to right with different tones, to create the illusion of two guitarists.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) The recordings became the self-titled debut EP *Clarion* (2024), which the band describes as a mix of shoegaze, post-punk, and Japanese rock.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/)
**"Hello Juliet".** The EP track "Hello Juliet" gained traction on TikTok when a fan-made video went viral.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) Oliva described the song as "about wanting to make it right with someone," and Sanchez said he wrote the riff after the death of a close friend with whom he had parted on bad terms, with lyrics reflecting regret and the wish to start over.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) In interviews the band said the song's popularity initially unsettled them: they worried they would have to keep making tracks like it, and found themselves writing music that felt forced, before returning to songs they wanted to create.[6](https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/start-listening-to/start-listening-to-clarion) By the time of the *Blue Fairy* release, the song had been streamed more than 55 million times across platforms.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/)
## Blue Fairy and growth
After signing with [Broke Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/broke-records) in 2025, the band released the singles "Media Mediocracy" and "American Girl" before announcing the *Blue Fairy* EP, which arrived on March 27, 2026.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [3](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/) • [4](https://www.melodicmag.com/news/clarion-announces-blue-fairy-ep-alongside-release-of-cathartic-title-track/) The title track, an homage to "Confess" by Fennel according to Sanchez, explores mortality and faith; reviewers highlighted Oliva's vocal range across quiet crooning and low screams, and the band's combination of blown-out riffs with melody.[4](https://www.melodicmag.com/news/clarion-announces-blue-fairy-ep-alongside-release-of-cathartic-title-track/) • [7](https://newnoisemagazine.com/reviews/album-review-clarion-blue-fairy/) • [3](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/) A single "Jilt" followed on June 5, 2026.[8](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/clarion/1751863984)
New Noise Magazine placed the band's rise in the context of the alt-rock shoegaze revival scene, noting that within months they went from a local DIY band in east Los Angeles to a new figure in that scene, with much of their online presence built from anime compilations and corecore-style videos.[7](https://newnoisemagazine.com/reviews/album-review-clarion-blue-fairy/)
## Anime and lyrical references
The band's songwriting draws heavily on anime and manga: "Taxidermy" is about *[Chobits](https://www.edgepedia.org/chobits)*, "Inertia" is about *Goodnight Pun Pun*, and "American Girl" is about *Nisekoi*, with earlier songs referencing *Blood on the Tracks*, *Madoka Magica*, and the manga *Happiness*.[5](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026) • [9](https://www.crunchyroll.com/hi/news/interviews/2026/6/9/clarion-anime-and-guitar-music-interview) Vocalist and bassist Saya Oliva was named after an anime character.[9](https://www.crunchyroll.com/hi/news/interviews/2026/6/9/clarion-anime-and-guitar-music-interview)
## Live shows and DIY culture
The band grew out of the East Los Angeles DIY scene and has kept close ties to it, playing unconventional spaces including a local Denny's and hosting an annual Christmas charity benefit show in Pomona.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [5](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026) Sanchez said he had been integrated into the scene since he was 16, hosting and attending shows.[6](https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/start-listening-to/start-listening-to-clarion) Their live shows, described by writers as loud and chaotic, have drawn sold-out crowds on tour, including a run of [House of Blues](https://www.edgepedia.org/house-of-blues) dates in Anaheim supporting Panchiko in May 2026.[5](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026) • [10](https://loudwomen.org/2026/04/14/clarion-dive-into-a-magical-haze-on-new-ep-blue-fairy/) In 2026 they completed a nearly sold-out US headline tour and planned dates in the UK, Ireland, and Europe.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/)
## Lineup notes
Sources describe the group inconsistently. A 2026 review lists Clarion as Saya Oliva, Joseph Quezada on drums, and Anthony Sanchez.[3](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/) The band's own statements and several press pieces name Javier Flores as touring drummer, a role he took on during 2025 tours with [Violent Vira](https://www.edgepedia.org/violent-vira), Rehash, Mexican Slum Rats, and Mind's Eye.[1](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/) • [4](https://www.melodicmag.com/news/clarion-announces-blue-fairy-ep-alongside-release-of-cathartic-title-track/) Some coverage, including a 2026 FLOOD feature, calls the group a duo of Oliva and Sanchez.[11](https://floodmagazine.com/222708/watch-clarion-flood-sessions/)
## References
1. [Clarion, Winterruption Yeg artist page](https://winterruptionyeg.com/artist/clarion/)
2. [Clarion, Skiddle artist page](https://www.skiddle.com/artists/Clarion-123621603/)
3. [Clarion – Blue Fairy, chorus.fm review, April 8, 2026](https://chorus.fm/reviews/clarion-blue-fairy/)
4. [Clarion announces 'Blue Fairy' EP, MELODIC Magazine, February 24, 2026](https://www.melodicmag.com/news/clarion-announces-blue-fairy-ep-alongside-release-of-cathartic-title-track/)
5. [On the road with Clarion, Alternative Press, May 13, 2026](https://shop.altpress.com/blogs/news/clarion-blue-fairy-tour-photos-2026)
6. [Start Listening To: Clarion, Still Listening magazine, May 14 (2026)](https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/start-listening-to/start-listening-to-clarion)
7. [Album Review: Clarion – Blue Fairy, New Noise Magazine, March 27, 2026](https://newnoisemagazine.com/reviews/album-review-clarion-blue-fairy/)
8. [Clarion, Apple Music artist page](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/clarion/1751863984)
9. [Clarion on the Link Between Anime and Guitar Music, Crunchyroll News, June 9, 2026](https://www.crunchyroll.com/hi/news/interviews/2026/6/9/clarion-anime-and-guitar-music-interview)
10. [Clarion dive into a magical haze on new EP Blue Fairy, LOUD WOMEN, April 14, 2026](https://loudwomen.org/2026/04/14/clarion-dive-into-a-magical-haze-on-new-ep-blue-fairy/)
11. [Watch Clarion Play "Hello Juliet" in Somerville, Massachusetts, FLOOD](https://floodmagazine.com/222708/watch-clarion-flood-sessions/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Ensembles and groups › Rock, pop, and metal bands › Rock, indie, and pop groups › Rock bands › Hard rock bands › 2010s and 2020s hard rock bands*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license