Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice are a British indie rock band from London, active since 2010. The group begins as a solo project for Ellie Rowsell before becoming a full band. The name comes from a short story by Angela Carter.

Line-up and formation

The lineup centres on Ellie Rowsell, who sings and plays guitar, with Joff Oddie on guitar, Theo Ellis on bass and Joel Amey on drums. The verified membership also includes George Barlett and Sadie Cleary. The band starts in North London and remains active from 2010 to the present.

Early releases

Wolf Alice release a self-titled EP in 2012. Their single “Leaving You” receives airplay on BBC Radio 1 and appears in NME’s Radar section. They tour with Peace, record a session for Huw Stephens’ BBC Radio 1 show in January, and then issue their first physical single, “Fluffy”, on Chess Club in February 2013. Their follow-up single, “Bros”, appears in May and is written about friendship; it is one of the first songs Rowsell writes and becomes a regular part of the band’s early sets.

Visions of a Life

In June 2017 the band releases “Yuk Foo”, the lead single from their second studio album, Visions of a Life. Further singles from the album include “Don’t Delete the Kisses”, “Beautifully Unconventional” and “Heavenward”, followed later by “Formidable Cool”, “Sadboy” and “Space & Time”. The album is released in 2017 and wins the Mercury Prize in 2018.

Blue Weekend and later work

In 2021 the band introduces “The Last Man on Earth” with a website update and then releases the single before issuing the album Blue Weekend. “Smile” follows as the second single. The album receives strong critical attention and is nominated for the 2021 Mercury Prize. In 2021 the band also releases Blue Weekend: Tour Deluxe, which includes live versions of “Smile”, “How Can I Make it OK”, “Safe From Heartbreak” and “The Last Man on Earth”, plus a live cover of Alex G’s “Bobby”. In 2022 they release a lullaby version of “The Last Man on Earth” and the EP Blue Lullaby, which reworks five tracks from Blue Weekend.

Awards and touring

Wolf Alice win the 2022 Brit Award for Group of the Year. They also play 17 shows supporting Harry Styles on Love On Tour in 2022, beginning in Hamburg and ending in Lisbon.

Style and genre

The band is associated with alternative rock, dream pop, indie pop, indie rock, noise pop and rock. Their broader description places them within British indie and rock music.