British indie rock powerhouse Wolf Alice have officially signed a new deal with Columbia Records, an imprint of major label Sony Music. After completing their three-album contract, the Mercury Prize-winning band have quietly parted ways with independent Dirty Hit with whom they released 2015’s Grammy-nominated ‘My Love Is Cool‘, 2017’s ‘Visions Of A Life‘ and 2021’s ‘Blue Weekend‘.
Whispers of the move first began when the group’s manager Stephen Taverner hinted at the prospect of a shift, confirming it in an interview with Music Business Worldwide in 2022. Taverner was quoted in the interview in the first person, describing Dirty Hit founder Jamie Obourne as “pissed off” by the decision, but said that ultimately Obourne “does understand” and that the band “were signed to him since their early 20s and they want to see what it’s like elsewhere. It’s nothing personal.” Taverner claimed that Columbia CEO Rob Stringer is a “huge fan”, and that Wolf Alice were eager to “experience something different”.
2022 saw a huge series of shows for the group, including global tour dates, supporting Harry Styles on his European tour and electric performances at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds Festival. Their frontwoman and lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell also appeared alongside Spice Girls star Mel C and musician and actor Self Esteem on the single ‘Call Me A Lioness’, which was recorded for the England Women’s World Cup team and celebrated their historic win at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. Since then, the group appear to be flying under the radar, and despite going cold on their social media channels, they still remain at the epicentre of online hype and TikTok edits.
Their last known performance was in September last year at a charity gig at the Sebright Arms in East London in aid of Barnfest, an all-day fundraiser for the children’s cancer charity Flynne’s Barn. The intimate performance included the band’s take on classics like The Pogues’ ‘I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Everyday’, Johnny Flynn’s ‘The Water’, and the American folk song ‘Plastic Jesus’, as well as acoustic versions of their own discography. The four-piece also delivered a haunting cover of Alex G’s ‘Bobby,’ which is featured on the deluxe edition of Blue Weekend. Rumoured to be working on new music, Wolf Alice’s move marks a significant shift for the coming-of-age quartet as they embark on an exciting new chapter with Columbia Records.
Wolf Alice live at Sebright Arms in support of @flynnesbarn [9/9/23] pic.twitter.com/PRQwDYdKbI
— gherkin rowsell (@gherkinrowsell) September 11, 2023
