Pale Waves have today (July 20) shared another new single from their upcoming new album – check out ‘The Hard Way’ below.
The song begins in a stripped-back way before it soars into a rockier, propulsive number that documents frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie’s “battle with loss and the struggle for acceptance that comes with it.”
Baron-Gracie says the song is her “favourite” on the new album, but went on to explain how it deals with emotive themes.
“When I was in high school a girl who was being bullied took her own life,” Baron-Gracie began.
“I got on the bus with her every single morning and I would see her sitting in her same spot. She sat downstairs, and I would go upstairs. ‘The Hard Way’ is about my regret for not helping her, or standing up for her, that I feel now as an adult.
“As a kid you’re so shy and afraid, but I hope it’ll influence people to stand up for those who need help, and help people understand that their words and actions can be really damaging. You don’t know how cruel you can be sometimes, especially at that age.”
The band recently released new song ‘Jealousy’, following on from previously released singles ‘Lies‘ and ‘Reasons to Live‘.
‘Unwanted’ is the follow-up to 2021’s ‘Who Am I?’. The new album is set to be released on August 12 via Dirty Hit.
Of the band’s upcoming album, Baron-Gracie added: “The album dives into feelings that I felt not only needed to be written but I felt like our fans want to hear.
“Almost everyone has felt like they don’t belong, or has been made to feel like they’re not good enough. That’s a consistent theme that I’m seeing from our fans – that their family doesn’t approve of them, or their friends have disowned them because they’ve come out. So ‘Unwanted’ had to be honest, provocative and loud. Not only thematically, but in the music as well.”
Pale Waves have also announced a UK headline tour for November, which follows a number of festival appearances including Neighbourhood Weekender, Community Festival, Y-Not, Kendal Calling, Boardmasters and Reading & Leeds. They will also headline Live At Leeds: In The City in October.
See full dates below and buy tickets here.
November
25 – Albert Hall, Manchester
26 – O2 Academy, Liverpool
27 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
28 – Fat Sam’s, Dundee
30 – O2 Academy Brixton, London
For help and advice on mental health:
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians (CALL MUSIC MINDS MATTER ON: 0808 802 8008)
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues (CALL: 0800 030 6789)
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
The post Pale Waves share emotive new single, ‘The Hard Way’ appeared first on NME.
