In Focus: Pale Waves

Whilst the Manchester quartet Pale Waves may not technically be a “new” noise as they were formed in 2014, they are underrated and still somewhat under the radar. All of that might be about to change, however, as they performed on BBC Radio One’s Live Lounge recently and gained valuable mainstream exposure. In fact, you can check out their rendition of Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss” right here.

That said, let’s take it back to the beginning for a moment for those who don’t know Pale Waves or have never heard of them. In 2014, lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie met drummer Ciara Doran while attending university in Manchester and together they created the band Creek (later to be renamed). They were then joined by guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood.

Pale Waves were relatively unheard of until 2017, when they signed a record deal with Dirty Hit – the same record label to sign the hugely popular Manchester band The 1975 – and spent much of the past year playing live, even supporting The 1975 on their North American tour. Their debut single with Dirty Records “There’s A Honey” was also produced by Matt Healey and George Daniel from that very same band and their sound is unsurprisingly similar to that of their fellow Mancunian and Dirty Records predecessors.

This year, the band placed fifth in BBC’s Sound of 2018 poll and won the NME Under the Radar Award, gaining more recognition and traction in their career. Their ethereal and dream-like presence in their music videos and live performances radiates Manchester’s originality and authentic indie sound. Their music is also sometimes reminiscent of Manchester’s alternative rock scene (including the likes of The Smiths) but with their own individual style, making them a band to follow and watch out for in 2018.

Pale Waves also revealed in a recent interview that they are working on a new EP following their debut album My Mind Makes Noises. Lead singer Baron-Gracie discussed how the new EP will lean towards “pop punk and rock’n’roll” and will touch on themes such as politics, acceptance and sexuality. Their distinctive visual and musical style with strong messages of individuality and self-expression makes Pale Waves a band that accurately represents Manchester and authenticity in the music industry. You can find more information here.