On the day they release their first album for Columbia, Sony Music UK & Ireland chairman & CEO Jason Iley has described Wolf Alice as “one of the greatest bands of our lifetime”.
Speaking exclusively to Music Week for our September cover feature, which celebrates the long-awaited return of Wolf Alice, Iley expressed his delight that the major has signed the band.
“Columbia and Sony Music are lucky to be on this journey with them,” Iley told Music Week. “We are truly excited by The Clearing, it’s such a special record, and you can feel the band have pushed themselves creatively. I truly think it’s one of the best albums I have had the pleasure to work on in my many years of doing this job.”
In our cover feature, Iley recalled the first time he heard The Clearing, which follows their 2021 No.1 Blue Weekend, in a London studio with the band’s manager Stephen Taverner and Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer.
“I was lucky enough to hear the album with Rob and Tav last year, and I walked away from the studio feeling so very happy and thinking, ‘this is exactly why I love my job so much,’” he said. “Those are the moments we all live for, each track that was played got better and better.”
Iley said that Stringer “has been hugely instrumental in the whole process – he totally gets their vision and more than anything, is a huge fan”.
The executive said that Wolf Alice are a prime example of the UK business at its best.
“Sometimes people underestimate the influence and talent coming from the UK, and Wolf Alice are unquestionably one of the best bands the UK has ever produced,” he said.
He added that such acts are “at the heart of our business”.
“We want to ensure that we are signing the best artists in the world and Wolf Alice are unquestionably one of those artists,” Iley said. “We are delighted that they chose to sign with us. It’s not necessarily about who you’re signed to, it comes down to the team you have around you, and we have an excellent team of executives collaborating with them on a global scale to bring their vision to life.”
Wolf Alice are unquestionably one of the best bands the UK has ever produced
Jason Iley, Sony Music UK & Ireland
Columbia UK MD Amy Wheatley, opened up about the campaign, which has been packed ever since it began with lead single Bloom Baby Bloom, which gained the band their first Top 75 single. Yesterday, a London pop-up gave fans the chance to meet the band and hear the album, while they played a packed show at Dublin Castle in Camden last night. Further activations are taking place internationally too.
“It’s been a careful and thoughtful planning process with the band,” said Wheatley. “They are super creative and always open to ideas. A key element has been coordination across territories and collaboration with all the key stakeholders to ensure that we can deliver a joined up global campaign.”
“This is their fourth album and feels like their most ambitious yet,” she added. “This label has a long history with legendary artists and Wolf Alice are now at the forefront of the new Columbia legacy.”
Wolf Alice were signed with Dirty Hit for their first three albums, while RCA US licensed their releases for North America. The label’s SVP of A&R Dan Chertoff has been close to the band for their past campaigns.
Wolf Alice are now at the forefront of the new Columbia legacy
Amy Wheatley, Columbia UK
Chertoff spoke to Music Week about how The Clearing, which was recorded with Greg Kurstin in LA, took shape.
“Ellie [Rowsell, singer and guitarist] and the band were focused on the songs having to stand up on their own, and each one had to work even in its most stripped-down form,” he said. “They were referencing great ’70’s records that were more natural and organic sounding and used fewer instruments to reinforce the songs. Ellie’s lyrics were, as usual, remarkable and her vocal performances on this record are on another level.”
Chertoff said Kurstin was “first on our list” and noted that the ways in which he was able to help them achieve their vision from demo stage to final recording was exceptional.
“He can work across multiple genres at the highest level and also understands band dynamics,” said Chertoff. “He understood every reference point and was able to push each one of them into some of the best performances of their career.”
Ellie is a special songwriter and an iconic frontwoman who is at the peak of her career
Dan Chertoff, RCA US
On the subject of Wolf Alice’s evolution, Chertoff argued that “they’ve built their career the right way and have never skipped steps”.
“They have great chemistry as a band and have always been very ambitious,” he added. “They’ve continued to grow with each album, and I believe with The Clearing, they’ve made the best album of their career so far. Ellie is a special songwriter and an iconic frontwoman who is at the peak of her career.”
Read the full Wolf Alice cover story in the new issue of Music Week, out now. Subscribers can read it online here.
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