Vedera
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Kristen May, Brian Little, Jason Douglas, Drew Little |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Kansas City , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Vedera (initially known as Veda) was an American indie rock group originating from Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 2003 by Kristen May, Brian Little, Jason Douglas, and Drew Little, they launched their first full-length album, The Weight of an Empty Room, in 2005. That same year, due to legal issues with a band of a similar name, they adopted the name Vedera.
After securing a deal with Epic Records in 2007, Vedera toured alongside The All-American Rejects and The Fray. Their 2009 album Stages climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The band officially ended their activities in 2011.
History
Each band member was raised in the Kansas City suburb of Blue Springs, Missouri. Kristen May, coming from a musically inclined family inspired by legends such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King, began crafting songs after her drummer father gifted her a guitar at age 17.
Brian Little picked up guitar playing at age 13 and participated in various bands throughout his high school years. Having known each other since high school, May and Little collaborated in Red Authentic after May left college in Nashville to pursue music full-time.
In 2003, when May’s brothers’ band required a guitarist, they invited Little to join. Since her brothers were unable to tour, May and Little brought in Drew Little and Jason Douglas, forming the group initially called "Veda".
From Veda to Vedera
During the summer of 2004, Veda recorded a six-track EP titled This Broken City at Black Lodge, with production assistance from Ed Rose. The following year, they released their LP The Weight of an Empty Room.
In December 2005, their label Second Nature Recordings announced the band’s name change to "Vedera" to prevent confusion with another similarly pronounced band, Vaeda.
Starting in mid-2005, Vedera toured with bands such as Dredg, MewithoutYou, Communiqué, Thrice, Mae, and Underoath. In January 2006, they supported Mutemath on a 40-city tour and later performed with Owen. The summer of 2006 included tours with Lucero and Murder By Death, followed by dates with Mae and The New Amsterdams. Kristen May and Brian Little eventually married.
In 2007, Vedera signed with Epic Records, gaining visibility through placements on The Hills, iTunes features, and performing their track "Satisfy" on Ellen. May also shared the stage with lead vocalists from The All American Rejects and Jason Mraz during tours. Early in 2008, Vedera supported Eisley on their Combinations tour. In early 2009, they opened for The Fray during their club tour and joined The All-American Rejects on the I Wanna Rock tour.
Stages
The recording sessions for their album Stages commenced on October 17, 2007. It became available digitally on October 6, 2009. The album achieved notable commercial success, peaking at No. 2 on the Top Heatseekers chart and reaching No. 146 on the Billboard 200 during the same year.
May characterized Stages as an embodiment of "our blood, sweat, and tears over the past five years as a band on the road." Vedera collaborated with Epic Records A&R executive Mike Flynn, who is recognized for co-producing The Fray's double-platinum album How to Save a Life and Augustana's 2008 release Can't Love, Can't Hurt. The production and engineering were handled by Warren Huart, known for his work with The Fray and Augustana.
Breakup
Vedera parted ways in 2011. Following the split, May and Brian Little worked together on May's solo project. Subsequently, on October 22, 2012, May became the lead singer of Flyleaf, stepping in for Lacey Sturm.
Band members
- Kristen May – vocals, guitar, piano
- Brian Little – lead guitar
- Jason Douglas – bass guitar
- Drew Little – drums
Discography
- 2004: This Broken City
- 2005: The Weight of an Empty Room
- 2009: Stages