Hard Life

Hard Life

Hard Life is an indie pop and funk band from Leicester, United Kingdom. The group forms in 2017 around frontman Murray Matravers and his school friend Sam Hewitt, who plays bass, saxophone and sings. The line-up also includes drummer Olly Cassidy, whose playing is described as Afrobeat-influenced, guitarist Lewis Berry, and Jordan Birtles on percussion, keys and backing vocals. The band previously performs under the name Easy Life before changing to Hard Life in June 2024.

Early releases and label history

The band releases its debut single, “Pockets”, in November 2017 through Chess Club Records. The track’s inclusion on the FIFA 19 soundtrack helps to raise the group’s profile, after which it signs to Island. Hard Life then releases its debut mixtape, Creature Habits, in April 2018, followed by the singles “Frank” and “Nightmares” later that year. The band also releases “Temporary Love Part 1” in December 2018, with “Temporary Love Part 2” as its B-side.

Mixtapes, singles and television appearances

Hard Life’s second mixtape, Spaceships, appears in March 2019 and includes the single “Sunday”. The band later releases “Earth”, which is featured as an Annie Mac Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1 and has a video that addresses environmental issues. Around this period, the group appears on Later... with Jools Holland.

Albums and chart success

The band’s third mixtape, Junk Food, is released in 2020 and reaches number seven on the UK Albums Chart. Hard Life is also named runner-up in the BBC Sound of... poll for 2020. The group releases its debut album, Life’s a Beach, in 2021, which reaches number two on the UK Albums Chart. Its second album, Maybe in Another Life..., follows in 2022 and also reaches number two.

Festival appearances

Hard Life headlines the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury in 2019 and appears at the festival again in 2022, this time on the Pyramid Stage. In 2022, Kevin Abstract joins the group on stage during the performance.