With recent emergence in the indie music scene, The Runarounds have gained widespread attention for their authentic sound, lively lyrics, as well as their overall message that centers around youth, connection, and growth.
In September, 2025, they released their very own musical teen drama series on Amazon Prime starring a teenage rock band from Wilmington, NC, pursuing stardom after high school graduation. However, this wasn’t the beginning and, for The Runarounds, it certainly wasn’t the end.
The band formed in 2021 after “Outer Banks” creator, Jonas Pate launched a major talent “casting call” for musicians all over the world to appear in his next big hit series.
The overall goal was to build a real band that could create and perform music authentically for their new coming-of-age television series, instead of using actors without prior experience.
From just over 5000 applicants, the five chosen included William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jesse Golliher, Jeremy Yun, and Zende Murdock who assembled in Charleston, South Carolina.
The talent of these musicians varied significantly. Ellis was and still is the lead singer of the band, Ax and the Hatchetmen. Golliher was and still is a part of his band, Geskle. Lipton was a solo songwriter. And for Yun and Murdock, their experience in bands only meets these expectations.
Quickly, the finalized five young musicians developed major chemistry not only through their musical talent and creative visions, but also through their strong personalities that correlated with one another greatly.
The release of their early songs such as “Sofia” and “It’s Funny How The Universe Works” as well as other live performances helped generate buzz and momentum which would lead to increasing love and connection early on.
Following the debut of their TV series, The Runarounds embarked on their first headline tour titled the “Minivan Tour.”
Their music strongly resonates with young audiences worldwide who are navigating heavy topics such as change and personal discovery converting strong purpose.
Senior Anthony Federico says, “The similar age range and social dynamics of the band members within the show to real life really connects to me personally and resonates with me.”
After the major success with their debut tour, just last month, The Runarounds started 2026 by healing fans’ arrhythmia—adding 30 new shows, extending their tour across the country.
Senior Owsley Quinn states, “It really feels like they’re not just doing it for the fame and are driven by music, passion, and them being real close friends adds so much not just to the music but to the good vibes they never fail to convey.”
Their extended 2026 tour began on January 15th and will continue to sell its shows until June with an accelerated growth in popularity, impact, and overall listeners worldwide across every streaming platform.
Axel Ellis argues, “Yeah the best part of all this really has to be the relationships I’ve made along with doing what I love, and I constantly find all of it by putting as much as I can into this music thing.”
Today, The Runarounds are recognized as both a touring band and a creative collective. What originally began as experimental casting has certainly evolved into a meaningful musical project that resonates with young listeners.
Federico adds, “Seeing them continue to succeed feels very refreshing as many well-respected bands tend to have been before our time, as now we can see the Runarounds succeed in real time.”
In addition to streaming the “The Runarounds” on Amazon Prime, you can catch the real band on their extended Minivan Tour pt. 2 this spring.
Their journey expresses just how authenticity, collaboration, and connection can truly turn an unconventional beginning into a great purpose, inspiring people all over the word to simply, “Keep Chasing the Good Times.”
