Willie J Healey shares brand-new single 'The Apple'
Willie J Healey | Photo credit: AJ Stark
Praise for Willie J Healey and new album Bunny
"I’ve always liked the way Willie has followed his own path away from the music scenes, oblivious to where the zeitgeist might be”– Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music
"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
“WJH is a completely brilliant singer songwriter” - Greg James, BBC Radio 1
“One of my favourite albums of the year’’ - Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
"[Bunny] perfectly captures the essence of those mellow summer afternoons." - Clash ★★★★
“Your favourite songwriter’s favourite young songwriter” – DIY ★★★★
“A record to stick on, and bliss out to. Willie’s never had more style.” - Dork ★★★★
"a woozy and playful marriage of guitar and funk music." - The Independent
“He’s hurtling toward Next Big Thing status” - Mojo ★★★★
“New album, Bunny, represents a great leap forward, with elements of 70s funk newly added to his earlier George Harrison stylings.” – The Observer
"The hype is justified on new album Bunny, a record that keeps the essence of his laid-back, slacker songwriting while inviting in new elements of R&B and pop and expanding his world." - Rolling Stone UK
2023 proved to be a big year for Willie J Healey as he earned widespread critical acclaim for his ‘Bunny’ album, including Album of the Year recognition from Guy Garvey at 6 Music plus Rough Trade, Truck, Vinilo and Resident as well as playing high profile tours with Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys and Jamie T. Today sees Willie J Healey share the brand-new single ‘The Apple’ ahead of a huge year of touring ahead.
‘The Apple’ feels like a succinct summary of Willie’s most compelling artistic traits as it unites the contemporary take on ‘70s funk and vintage soul influences of the ‘Bunny’ album with his long-standing admiration for Neil Young and Elvis Costello. Lyrically it’s just as positive as the themes that dominated ‘Bunny’ as Willie celebrates where he’s currently at, with flashes of his self-deprecating humour also shining through. It is effectively a product of the continuation of the creative process behind ‘Bunny’ after Willie returned to New York last December for a week-long session with the album’s producer Loren Humphries (Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys).
Willie says, “I wrote ‘The Apple’ after feeling weird and self-aware. I was living in my head until I realised, man, life is short… so be yourself, get your cake and fu*king eat it!”
The visual for the song plays upon those thoughts as Willie throws self-awareness to the wind with an uninhibited performance full of personality against a backdrop that takes inspiration from ‘The Ames Room’ and depth perception photography to ingenious effect. It was directed by his regular visual collaborator AJ Stark.
Watch the video below.
The release of ‘The Apple’ brings further big news from the Willie J Healey camp after the announcement he will tour as special guests to IDLES later this year. The band and particularly Joe Talbot join the likes of Alex Turner, Florence Welch and Jamie T as high-profile members of the WJH fan club.
The IDLES tour adds to an already busy schedule for Willie. After selling out the Brixton Electric last year, he will now take ‘Bunny’ on a second UK tour next month before embarking upon his debut European headline run later that month. His summer festival schedule is also building up, with Latitude, Truck, Tramlines, Boardmasters and Psych all already confirmed. Willie’s upcoming shows are listed below, please see here for ticket details.
MAY
1st - Exeter, Phoenix
2nd - Bath, Komedia
3rd - Cambridge, Mash
4th - Southampton, Wanderlust Festival
5th - Tunbridge Wells, Forum
7th - Ipswich, The Baths
8th - Leicester, O2 Academy
9th - Hebden Bridge, Trades Club
10th - York, The Crescent
11th - Blackpool, Bootleg Social
12th - Hull, Central Library
16th - Paris, Point Éphémère
17th - Brussels, Rotonde
18th - Amsterdam, London Calling Festival
19th - Nijmegen, Doornroosje
21st - Berlin, Maschinenhaus
22nd - Munich, Ampere
23rd - Fribourg, Fri-Son
24th - Bologna, Locomotiv
JULY
26th - Suffolk, Latitude Festival
27th – Oxford, Truck Festival
28th – Sheffield, Tramlines Festival
AUGUST
9th – Newquay, Boardmasters Festival
31st – Manchester, Psych Festival
NOVEMBER - SPECIAL GUEST TO IDLES
23rd - Glasgow, OVO Hydro
24th - Newcastle, O2 City Hall
25th - Nottingham, Rock City
26th - Nottingham, Rock City
29th - London, Alexandra Palace
DECEMBER - SPECIAL GUEST TO IDLES
1st - Brighton, Centre
3rd - Birmingham, O2 Academy
4th - Birmingham, O2 Academy
6th - Manchester, O2 Apollo
7th - Manchester, O2 Apollo
8th - Manchester, O2 Apollo
