Los Angeles-hailing Wallice Hana Watanabe, known mononymously as Wallice, has shared her latest single Best Friend alongside announcing her forthcoming EP Mr Big Shot, set for release on Friday 23rd June via Dirty Hit. The track’s accompanying music video arrives as a striking piece directed by Anthony Pham and John Merizalde, known for their work with the likes of Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, and Depeche Mode. Best Friend is Wallice’s first new music of 2023, a year already shaping up to be a big one for her having just wrapped up a US tour with JAWNY and now currently on a tour of Asia and Australia as direct support for lablemates The 1975. The 24-year-old has also announced a series of UK headline dates for later this year, including London’s Moth Club, then will roll right into a headline US run of shows this summer before returning to the UK for Reading and Leeds Festivals.
Wallice (Le3ay)
Carrying on from where she left off with previous single Japan, Best Friend sees Wallice continue to showcase her more reflective and sentimental side touching on the sometimes nostalgic, sometimes frustrating memories of lost relationships. Wallice comments: “A recurrent theme in my music has been friendship. I think this song can easily relate to both friendship and the friendship within a romantic relationship. I’ve had a couple falling outs with various friends throughout my life, I think it’s just part of life and growing up. Even though that friendship might not serve you anymore it’s still so easy to reminisce on it and miss it.”
Check out the Pham & John Merizalde-directed video for Best Friend below:
Swiftly earmarked as one of indie pop’s most exciting new voices, Wallice has become synonymous for her wry, self-effacing anthems capturing Gen Z anxieties. A breakout 2022 saw her sign to Dirty Hit for the release of her second EP 90s American Superstar, which charts the rise and fall of a fictional celebrity across five cutting, tongue-in-cheek tracks.
Wallice (Nicole Busch)
Wallice has toured through the US, supporting the likes of Beabdoobee, Still Woozy, chloe moriondo and Wallows, crossed the pond for a sold-out London headline date and showcase at The Great Escape and wrapped up 2022 on a very high note with a sold-out US headline run of shows. Most recently, she was invited to contribute a track to the first ever Pigeons & Planes compilation album alongside the likes of EKKSTACY, Terry Presume and Fana Hues, with executive production by Mike Dean.
UK Live dates:
MAY
31st – The Poetry Club, Glasgow
JUNE
1st – YES (The Basement), Manchester
2nd – Moth Club, London
AUGUST
25th – Reading Festival
27th – Leeds Festival
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