Willie J Healey | Photo credit: Hollie Fernando
WILLIE J HEALEY
Shares new single ‘Woke Up Smiling’
Listen / Watch the video HERE
Autumn 2023 UK & Irish headline tour dates on-sale now HERE
Currently on tour with Arctic Monkeys
Eagerly-anticipated album ‘Bunny’ released 25th August 2023
Pre-save / Pre-order HERE
“I’ve completely fallen in love with his music, it’s very bright, clever, excellent soul-y funk music with a keen sense of humour… My new favourite artist” – Guy Garvey, BBC 6 Music
“I just love the sounds that Willie is coming out with, I think this is gonna blow a lot of people away” – Matt Wilkinson, Apple Music
“WJH is a completely brilliant singer songwriter” – Greg James, BBC Radio 1
“The word is starting to spread about our boy WJH, not gonna lie, we really love to see that.” – Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
“I’ve always liked the way Willie has followed his own path away from the music scenes, he seems to have wandered through the past few years, oblivious to where the zeitgeist might be, and he’s done it again here.”– Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music
Willie J Healey’s new music has also found early support from the likes of Clash, DIY, Dork, The Independent, The Line of Best Fit, NME + more.
Willie J Healey has today announced the release of a fiercely positive new single, ‘Woke Up Smiling‘ (as premiered by Steve Lamacq) the final track to be released, and a big highlight, of his eagerly anticipated forthcoming LP, Bunny, which lands at the end of August 2023.
Following a celebratory weekend set at Finsbury Park in support of Jamie T and now touring Europe with the iconic Arctic Monkeys, Willie has a 2023 UK & Irish headline tour beginning this November, including his biggest London show to date at Brixton’s iconic Electric venue.
These November headline shows offer fans the first chance to see Willie perform tracks from his forthcoming LP Bunny; including recent fan favourites and 6-music playlisted tracks ‘Dreams’, ‘Thank You (featuring Jamie T)’, and ‘Little Sister.‘ A full performance of a recent live show in support of Arctic Monkeys in France is available to view now, below.
The euphoric ‘Woke Up Smiling’ shimmers, and is another uniquely brilliant fusion of Philly soul, rock and R&B, taking its sonic cues from boundary breaking Fresh-era Sly and The Family Stone whilst fusing Willie’s love of Beck, Outkast and the more unusual influence of David Bowie’s relatively undiscovered The Gouster – an album of the Thin White Duke at his funkiest.
Willie says “The whole era is something that I love. Long before making ‘Twin Heavy’, I had always listened to funk, soul and R&B, but for some reason it never translated into my own music. Really my inspiration was just the feel of things.’’
He goes on to say about ‘Woke Up Smiling’ specifically “I wrote this during a glorious period of my life. I was living in a studio flat in Bristol, it had these huge sash windows which let huge amounts of morning sun in. I’d make coffee and sit with my guitar & cat, I’m pretty sure my cat helped me write that song.”
Following the breakout release of his Neil Young-meets-The Beatles-meets Elvis Costello charms of 2020 album ‘’Twin Heavy’’, Willie J Healey has garnered a reputation for being your favourite artists’ favourite artist.
Alex Turner, Joe Talbot of IDLES, Jamie T, Florence Welch and Orlando Weeks are among those who have hailed Willie J Healey as a unique talent. Having completed a run of support dates with Florence + The Machine this past January, Willie supported Jamie T at his recent London Finsbury Park show and is currently playing as special guest of Arctic Monkeys on all their European dates.
Produced by Loren Humphrey (Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Rey), and showcasing his most accomplished and ambitious work to date, new album Bunny is set for release on August 25th 2023 via Yala! Records and is available to pre-order now on standard black vinyl and very limited-edition pink gatefold vinyl here. A transparent vinyl edition is also available via key indie stores and HMV, while a Rough Trade edition features exclusive alternate artwork. A brand-new Yala! Records T-shirt has now also been added to the store and is available with all album pre-order.
Very limited tickets are available to see Willie perform tracks from Bunny in a unique stripped back setting during week of release as part of his instore dates. See here for more information.
Hear ‘Woke Up Smiling’ on streaming services here and watch the video below.
Autumn 2023 UK & Irish headline tour dates are below – tickets available now via williejhealey.com
November
9 Brighton Chalk
10 Oxford O2 Academy
11 Liverpool Hangar 34
12 Dublin Whelan’s
14 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
15 Newcastle – The Cluny
16 Glasgow St Luke’s
17 Edinburgh – The Mash House
18 Manchester Band On The Wall
20 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
21 Birmingham Castle & Falcon
22 Bristol SWX
23 London Brixton Electric
Willie J Healey – Bunny
Out 25th August 2023 (via YALA! Records) Pre-order HERE
Album Tracklisting;
- Woke Up Smiling
2. Dreams
3. Tiger Woods
4. Thank You – featuring Jamie T
5. Bumble Bee
6. Black Camero
7. Sure Feels Good
8. Chrome
9. Late Night Driving
10. Little Sister
11. Morning Teeth
12. Reprise
13. Blue Bird
Follow Willie J. Healey – Website | Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
