DUNDEE upstarts Ruvellas are used to hearing people talk about how young they are – but 2019 will be the year they come of age.

Indeed, the prodigious five-piece – all aged between 17 and 18 – are hoping music fans will look past their youth and focus on the mature sound they have been creating for the past few years.

And with new releases on the horizon, the group will be happy to see their fans focus on their ability and not how old they are.

Ruvellas are comprised of Aiden Stuart on the vocals, Ben Gowans on bass, Matthew Smith on drums, with Matthew Short and Lewis O’Farrell on the guitars.

They have been a tight-knit group since their inception and have previously been tipped for big things from the likes of Jim Gellatly.

The quintet have a busy May ahead – with each gig an opportunity to let audiences hear them up close and personal.

Bass player Ben said: “When we first started, we were 15 and 16 and a lot had been said about our age, people looking upon as if we’re just kids.

“We weren’t too bothered by it at the time, but we’ve all matured a lot since then – especially in terms of our music.

“I realise that, for many, we may still seem like a young band, but our sound is far from immature. When we just putting the band together, we were running through Guns ‘n’ Roses covers and we’re capable of playing in all kinds of styles.

“For the moment, we have been refining ourselves and we’ve recorded a few songs that we’re delighted with.

“We’ll be touring around the next few months, trying to let as many people as possible hear what we’re about. Then they can decide if we’re kids or not.”

The lads had been playing together for a number of years already, having grown up in Lochee together.

But it wasn’t until singer Aiden joined that they developed and became the band they are today.

Ben added: “The four of us grew up together and went to Menzieshill High School. We met Aiden at the studio and when he heard him singing on a Catfish and Bottlemen song, we just thought: ‘This guy is class’.

“It all kicked on from there and though it’s been a natural fit for us all, it’s not been easy.

“We knew we would have to put the hours in and we’ve been practicing constantly. We’re determined to make this work.”

Ruvellas are undoubtedly shaped by Britpop, but the band proudly boasts an eclectic mix of influences.

They have been playing around Dundee for a few years, with gigs around Fife, Perth and Glasgow.

Last month, the guys release a music video for their single Sick & Tired, and should their next few releases prove successful, a tour around the UK may well be on the cards.

Ben continued: “We have a growing local fanbase in Dundee at the minute; every time we play, we find there are more and more people showing up to hear our music.

“In the short term, we are focusing on growing our following and maybe setting down a few gigs around the country.

“From our Spotify we can tell we have a lot of listeners in Glasgow and London and we’ve had a few messages about coming down to play some gigs. We’ll just need to see how it goes over the next few months.”

For tour dates, visit Ruvellas.com or keep up to date via the band's Facebook Page