TL;DR
Bono and The Edge praised Fontaines D.C., Geese and Lambrini Girls in a new interview with NME, describing the bands’ work as inspiring and a reason for established acts to raise their game. The U2 members also discussed Geese frontman Cameron Winter, Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten and the bands’ distinct sounds.
U2’s Bono and The Edge praised Fontaines D.C., Geese and Lambrini Girls in a new interview with NME, pointing to the bands’ originality as a source of inspiration for their own work. Their comments connect the Irish group’s admiration for emerging and established peers with a broader view that competition among artists can push music forward.
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The exchange began when NME interviewer Andrew Trendell raised Fontaines D.C.’s planned stadium performances abroad next year and the press description of the group as “the biggest Irish band since U2.” The Edge responded, “We’re huge fans of theirs.” Bono added that other bands can encourage artists to improve: “Bands make each other better if they’re any good.”
Bono illustrated the point by naming the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and later Blur and Oasis, as acts whose rivalry and influence helped sharpen one another. He said hearing something “really unique and original” could make U2 reconsider its own work. The remarks were praise, not an announcement of a collaboration or a specific change to U2’s plans.
The Edge brought up Lambrini Girls, saying he was “so jealous” of their sound and that he would like to hear similar “sonics” on a U2 album. He also praised Geese and Cameron Winter’s solo work, singling out Winter’s performance of “Drinking Age” on Jimmy Kimmel’s television show. Bono described Winter as someone who understands “the power of a silhouette,” referring to his stage presence, before praising Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten’s “very unique spirit.”
How Peer Bands Shape U2’s Outlook
The interview offers a rare, direct account of how U2’s members respond to younger acts at a point when the band is preparing to release new music. Their praise shows that admiration is not limited to artists with similar careers or sounds: Bono and The Edge cited both Fontaines D.C.’s performance and songwriting and the distinctive sonics of Lambrini Girls, as well as Geese’s music and Winter’s stage presence.
Bono’s comments also frame artistic competition as productive rather than simply commercial. He argued that acts can challenge one another to make better work, using historic pairings as examples. That is his interpretation of musical history, not a claim that those bands directly shaped U2’s next record. The Edge’s remark that he would welcome Lambrini Girls’ sound on a U2 album likewise expresses admiration; the interview does not confirm that the band is working with them or drawing on them in a particular song.
For fans, the comments offer a snapshot of the music U2’s members are listening to and the qualities they value: originality, striking sound, a strong visual presence and a band’s chemistry. They also place U2’s upcoming album in the same conversation as current artists without suggesting that the groups share a genre or have a joint project.
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U2’s Interview and New Album
The praise appeared in a broader NME conversation about U2’s music and creative process. According to the report by Consequence, Bono and The Edge also discussed their forthcoming album, Carnaval de Luz, the value of protest music in the 2020s and a trip to Brazil with Quincy Jones. The report gives the album’s release date as Friday, November 13, 2026.
The musicians also praised other artists in the interview. They called Wolf Alice “extraordinary,” while Bono described Rosalía as doing “something completely unique and different” and making the world fit around her aesthetic. Bono also mentioned Fontaines D.C.’s song with Rosalía, identified in the report as “Where Is Gone?” These remarks extend the interview’s focus beyond the three bands named in the headline, but the central development remains U2’s praise for their work.
Fontaines D.C. are an Irish band whose profile has grown during the 2020s. The source report says they are set to play stadiums abroad next year, but it does not provide dates, venues or a full itinerary. Geese are discussed through their frontman, Cameron Winter, whose solo performance Bono and The Edge referenced. The report supplies no further details about touring or recording plans for Geese or Lambrini Girls.
““We’re huge fans of theirs.””
— The Edge, speaking to NME
No Collaboration Has Been Announced
The interview reports expressions of admiration, but it does not confirm any collaboration between U2 and the three bands, nor does it identify a track on Carnaval de Luz influenced by them. The Edge’s wish to hear Lambrini Girls’ sound on a U2 album is a personal reaction, not evidence of a planned recording.
Some details also remain unspecified. The source does not list the dates or locations for Fontaines D.C.’s stadium shows abroad next year, and it gives no further information about Geese’s or Lambrini Girls’ upcoming releases or performances. The comments are attributed through Consequence’s account of the NME interview; readers seeking the full exchange can consult NME’s complete interview.
U2’s Album Arrives November 13
The next dated milestone in the report is the release of Carnaval de Luz on November 13, 2026. The interview does not specify whether any of the artists praised by Bono and The Edge contributed to the album or influenced its sound, so that cannot be inferred from their remarks.
Fontaines D.C.’s overseas stadium performances are expected next year, according to the report, though specific dates and venues have not been supplied. Further details about those shows, U2’s album and any future activity involving the praised acts would clarify what follows these comments. For now, the confirmed development is the musicians’ public endorsement, not a joint project.
Key Questions
Which bands did Bono and The Edge praise?
They praised Fontaines D.C., Geese and Lambrini Girls. The interview also includes positive remarks about Wolf Alice and Rosalía.
Did U2 announce a collaboration with any of the bands?
No. The interview contains expressions of admiration, including The Edge’s wish to hear Lambrini Girls’ sound on a U2 album, but no collaboration was announced.
What did Bono say about Geese frontman Cameron Winter?
Bono praised Winter’s stage presence, describing him as someone who understands “the power of a silhouette.” He was discussing a Geese performance he had attended.
The source report says Carnaval de Luz is scheduled for November 13, 2026. It does not say whether the bands praised in the interview took part in the album.
Source: consequence.net
