A band formed by a group of Leeds graduates has been accused of classism in a song they wrote about being a student in the city.
Ten Hands High faces backlash over the song Leeds, which the band says reminisces on their lives in Hyde Park, a popular suburb for students just outside the city centre.
It includes lyrics like: “Hyde Park the streets ain’t made of gold, but don’t you worry you can just paint over mould” and: “No use looking in our wallets – oh shit. Did you remember to bolt and lock it?”
One student claims the lyrics are “romanticising poverty”, which the band denies.
Despite being criticised, the song has also received acclaim. It was played at Headingley Stadium during The Hundred, a professional cricket competition, and the band has a combined following of 10.7k across Instagram and TikTok.
@tenhandshigh A special place
‘Leeds’ is out now xx #uniofleeds #leedsuni #leedsuniversity #leeds
Nikki, a Leeds student who was born and bred in the city, took to TikTok to express her disapproval of Leeds’ lyrics, asking: “When did poverty become something to aspire to?”
She feels the song is insensitive because Hyde Park was a former council estate before students moved to the area, which, she says “pushed people out of living there”.
In the TikTok, which now has over 376,000 views, she repeated “people live like this”, referring to the idea that, for many students, they’re lucky enough to have safe homes to return to after university finishes.
However, for those living in poverty, realities like mould or safety concerns may be a constant presence.
With Nikki’s video going viral, the student sparked a wider debate about classism in the comments section, as she encouraged others to share their opinions on the song.
@n1colamysz ur so lucky you have a home that you go back to after studying where these problems don’t exist. stop romanticising it. #leeds #student
One user commented: “I wanna live like common people,” comparing the song to the 90s hit about class divisions, while another remarked: “They’re singing about being at university, their lyrics could transcend to any single place in the country.”
The Leeds Tab spoke to students about the criticism Ten Hands High face, with one student saying: “I think the backlash is pretty honest.”
They felt especially frustrated by Leeds supposedly being treated as an “escape from the south and its rules and conventions” by many southerners. At its heart, they said, Leeds is a “northern city with working-class roots”.
However Leeds graduate Selina Wilson Bryson told The Leeds Tab she thinks the backlash the band has received is slightly unfair, and doesn’t believe the debate’s framing helps achieve equality. She said: “The class divide we see on topics like this further separates people. No one should have to live like that.”
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Featured image via @tenhandshigh on Instagram and @nicolamysz on TikTok
