Sunflower Thieves Explore Family, Friendship and Healing on Tender New Single ‘Overdose’

Rooted in the warmth of sisterhood and shared history, Sunflower Thieves - the musical partnership of childhood friends Amy Illingworth and Lily Sturt-Bolshaw - continue to carve their own heartfelt path through the UK music scene. With their latest single Overdose, the Leeds-based duo offers an intimate reflection on familial ties, self-discovery, and the quiet, poignant moments of adulthood.

Having first found their voice amid the creative buzz of Leeds, Amy and Lily have steadily earned critical acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, Radio X, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, Atwood Magazine and more. Following the release of their debut EP Someone To Be There For in 2022, the pair returned in 2024 with the shimmering, deeply personal Same Blood EP. Their sound - often described as dream-pop with a raw emotional centre - blends gentle harmonies, soulful lyricism, and ethereal textures, while remaining grounded in unflinching honesty.

Overdose is a natural continuation of that emotional journey. Written with close friend Liv Greenlees in a cosy Kentish Town studio, the track was born at a time when Amy had returned to her family home in Derbyshire to mend a broken heart. In that space of reflection and reconnection, the song took shape — a poignant tribute to parents and the evolving relationship one has with them after leaving home.

“It’s a love letter to them,” the band shares. “We’ll always be there, and we need them as much as ever, even if we’re not home so much.” That gentle sentiment pulses through every note of Overdose, as the duo explore the feeling of missing one’s parents, the occasional sting of letting them down, and the deep, sometimes surprising bond that grows with age.

The track is wrapped in Sunflower Thieves’ signature dreamy instrumentation, but there’s a newfound weight to the lyrics - a subtle shift that suggests maturity and a broader emotional lens. There’s also a playful thought woven in: how they suspect they’d have been great friends with their parents if they’d been the same age - a tender musing that captures the generational connection and empathy at the heart of the song.

Having supported the likes of Tors, Lexie Carroll, Dan Croll, Lewis Watson, Hayley Blais, Flyte, Say She She, Hannah Grace and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Sunflower Thieves have steadily built a loyal following. Their first-ever headline tour in September 2024, including a sold-out show at London’s Servant Jazz Quarters and a triumphant hometown performance at Leeds’ iconic Brudenell Social Club, was a landmark moment in their journey.

With Overdose, Sunflower Thieves invite listeners once again into their world - one where connection, care, and authenticity reign. It’s music as a safe haven, a reminder that growing up doesn’t mean growing apart, and that love - in all its forms - remains the heart of it all.