Why ‘The Idea of You’s August Moon Band Feels So Real to Viewers

After listening to August Moon’s catchy songs in The Idea of You, viewers will be curious whether it is a real or fictional band.

The Idea of You premiered recently on Amazon Prime Video and has captivated viewers with its tale of a bittersweet and unexpected romance. Based on the book of the same name by Robinne Lee, the movie follows Solène Marchand, a 40-year-old single mother who finds herself falling in love with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). However, Hayes is also the lead singer of the hit British boy band August Moon, and it’s not long before his relationship with Solène enters public discourse and draws scrutiny over the age gap.

Throughout the movie, viewers hear a few of August Moon’s songs, including “Closer” and “Dance Before We Walk.” The songs are quite catchy, with the band giving off a One Direction vibe. In the movie, fans of the charming boy band call themselves “Moonheads.” It didn’t take long for viewers to begin labeling themselves Moonheads and declaring August Moon the hottest new boy band. However, some may be confused about whether it is a legitimate band.

Is August Moon a real band?

Despite the August Moon mania sweeping the nation, the band is not actually real. It’s a wholly fictional band created by Lee when she published The Idea of You in 2017. She confirmed that the band was inspired by a real-life boy band she stumbled across one night. Although she didn’t name the band, it’s believed to be One Direction, especially since she mentioned that the lead singer, who partially inspired Hayes, dated older women. Lee was likely referring to Harry Styles, whose relationship with Olivia Wilde drew scrutiny over its age gap.

The Idea of You movie had to bring August Moon to life and decided to do so in a way that made the band semi-real. The band consists of five boys: Hayes, Oliver (Raymond Cham, Jr.), Simon (Viktor White), Rory (Dakota Adan), and Adrian (Jaiden Anthony). To make August Moon feel more real, the five actors sang and recorded the three August Moon songs that appear in the movie. In addition to appearing in the movie, the songs are also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music for streaming.

Hence, when one listens to the songs, they are hearing the actual voices of the five actors portraying August Moon. The actors also took things a step further, creating an official Instagram account for August Moon. The page was launched on March 4 and saw the band teasing the release of their music leading up to the movie.

Ultimately, August Moon isn’t a real band, but one can still stream their music and follow them on social media as if they were real. Although the band may feel real, the social media accounts and music are just a promotion for The Idea of You. It’s unlikely August Moon will release more music or go on an European tour, as many viewers are secretly hoping for.

(featured image: Amazon Prime Video)