Why Pale Waves are exactly what the music industry needs right now

I’m heading to a pub near my parents’ house in the bustling area of Kings Heath, Birmingham. Whilst normally I’d be here to catch up with mates, tonight something bigger is coming to the Hare and Hounds. Hailing from Manchester, Pale Waves evolved from two girls meeting at University, front-woman/guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran. Tonight, they play a sell-out Birmingham gig as part of their first headline tour, following a year supporting The 1975, signing to Dirty Hit, and releasing a string of singles. Earlier on in the day, I had the chance to catch up with Baron-Gracie, and see her perspective on her burgeoning success.

It seems Heather “never went to Uni to get a degree”, but wanted to meet similar people who were as “committed and driven” as herself. One of these people was Ciara and this initial “perfect duo” were joined two years later by bassist Charlie Wood and guitarist Hugo Silvan. The four-piece spent the year writing, releasing two demos online ‘Heavenly’ and ‘The Tide’ in 2015 and getting attention in the music industry. Heather tells me how playing a show for XFM DJ John Kennedy led to the band catching the eye of Mike Walsh, (Head of Music at XFM) and their current manager Jamie Osbourne. “Mike got in touch and was like come to my office, I will help you with anything I can”. Seeing the potential in the band, Mike got in contact with Jamie Osbourne, owner of Dirty Hit Records, home to the likes of Wolf Alice, Ben Khan and The 1975. “We were playing Y Not Festival and Jamie got in contact and said he was coming down to Manchester the next week to see us play and discuss things further.” This discussion led to the band being signed to Dirty Hit and sent on tour with The 1975. Asking about whether it was a conscious decision to sign to an independent label, Heather told me how the band wanted creative control at the initial stage of their career, and would be unhappy if that was taken away as a consequence of signing with a major label. “Dirty Hit is amazing to me because they respect you as an artist. I have a lot of friends in bands who are on majors and some of the stories I hear are just a bit scary really.”

…despite the upbeat athematic nature of their tracks, they have a lyrical darkness

This creative control the band has over their music is clear when considering their unique spell-binding 80’s synth sound, with infectious power guitar riffs and a clear pop vocal. Noting The Cranberries, Prince, The Cure and Madonna as some inspirations, Heather reinforces that despite the upbeat athematic nature of their tracks, they have a lyrical darkness.  “If you dissect our music, you will realise that the lyrics are very mundane and depressing surrounded by this kind of sound that makes it a really nice balance.” This balance is clear in their live show, where the sharp drum kicks, melting guitar riffs and clashing synths of set opener ‘Television Romance’ has the devoted audience singing and swaying in admiration. Latest single and power-ballad esque ‘My Obsession’ is performed next with Heather guiding a soothing ethereal vocal break during the reflective and honest number with unexpected electric drum snaps and snares.

Yet the true set standouts were the superb ‘New Year’s Eve’, a song that conveys the loneliness in a relationship over a wave of glistening synths and fan favourite ‘Heavenly’ that had the audience moving to the infectiously grungy guitar riffs and trailing vocals. Set closer and modern love song ‘There’s A Honey’, produced by George Daniel and Matty Healy of the 1975 , is the perfect way to end the night with a euphoric bridge and athematic chorus. When asked if there is any further material produced by The 1975 on the band’s forthcoming EP Television Romance out next year, Heather tells me “Matty and George are just doing the two singles ‘There’s A Honey’ and ‘Television Romance’. We have recorded our EP and we finished it like a week ago, and because they are so busy with Music For Cars and we are so busy with our own thing, we wanted to be indulged with ourselves for now.”

With the EP, Heather wants it to “spread out to as many people as it possibly can” and “for it to connect with our fan base and for them to love it.” However, judging by the sell-out shows and fantastic reception Reading & Leeds festivals this year (despite having a midday slot), Pale Waves have already successfully built a devoted fan base by having a unique musical identity and being unapologetically pop with a difference.  A female-led band is a rarity in the current musical climate in a male-dominated industry, something that both Heather and myself believe requires transformation. But with Pale Waves leading the way, 2018 is set to be a great one for change.

Pale Waves debut EP ‘Television Romance’ is due for release in early 2018. Tickets for their upcoming February-March ‘DIY Class of 2018’ Tour are on sale now.