Driven to flee Trump’s America, Australian folk band The Heart Collectors landed in England on a whim at the start of this month - and they’ll be performing some their first English gigs at the Rochester Sweeps Festival.

They’re among dozens of top acts due at the festival over a riotous weekend from Saturday, April 29 to Monday, April 1 - but their unique story stands out in a crowd of unique artists.

Take singer Kymrie Henge. Formerly a professional dancer in New York, she broke both feet in a competition, bringing her dance career to an end but driving her to put her creative forces into music.

Without that tragedy and creative rebirth, the band would undoubtedly have a different sound to the one that has captivated audiences around the world but then the same can be said of each member.

This is a band that’s built its reputation on incredible four-part vocal harmonies, combined with cello, guitar, banjo and mandolin - and it’s that meld of musical forces and characters that has won them repeat gigs at the world-renowned SXSW Festival, and won the hearts of fans wherever they’ve played.

And yet there was one man whose heart they weren’t sure of winning.

“With the whole immigration thing with Trump we didn’t feel that safe,” said mandolin player Tristan Dafoe. “We did the - which was really great, 11 shows in six days, but after that we felt we didn’t want to do this illegally in America so let’s go to England.”

They landed at Heathrow on a wing and a prayer on Wednesday April 5.

“It was difficult having to blind book shows,” adds Tristan. Most places are booked two years in advance; but we just let the music take us wherever we need to be.”

Other members include 18-year-old guitarist Reuben Loire - who took a leap of faith and joined the band on the road two years ago, straight after high school - and classically trained cellist Mobius Barnaby, who Tristan describes as the “glue that’s held everybody together” and the man who helped transform the band’s early “glass-breaking” efforts at vocal harmonies into the powerful force they are today.

Watch The Heart Collector’s story unfold further on Sunday, April 30 - at the Castle Gardens from 3.45pm to 4.45pm and the Flippin’ Frog from 8.45pm to 11pm - and on Monday, May 1 at the Boley Hill stage, from 11am to noon.

Find out more about The Heart Collectors and their new album at www.theheartcollectors.com