Wet Leg
{{Short description|British indie rock band}}
{{For|their eponymous album|Wet Leg (album){{!}}Wet Leg (album)}}
{{Use British English|date= September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wet Leg
| image = File:Wet Leg (2022).jpg
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape = yes
| alt =
| caption = Wet Leg performing in 2022
| alias =
| origin = Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom
| genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|post-punk|indie pop}}
| years_active = 2019–present
| label = Domino
| website = {{URL|wetlegband.com}}
| current_members = Rhian Teasdale
Hester Chambers
Henry Holmes
Josh Mobaraki
Ellis Durand
| past_members = Doug Richards
}}
Wet Leg are a British indie rock group from the Isle of Wight, England, founded in 2019 by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. They debuted with the single "Chaise Longue" in 2021. Their self-titled debut album debuted in 2022 at number one on the UK Albums Chart and Australia's ARIA Albums Chart. The album was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize. At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Wet Leg won Best Alternative Music Album for their debut and Best Alternative Music Performance for "Chaise Longue", and were nominated for Best New Artist.{{cite news |last1=Horton |first1=Adrian |last2=Lee |first2=Benjamin |title=Grammy awards 2023: list of winners |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/feb/05/grammy-awards-2022-list-of-winners |access-date=6 February 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=6 February 2023}} They also won Best New Artist and Best British Group at the 2023 Brit Awards.
Wet Leg have cited various bands and artists as influences, including Bombay Bicycle Club, PJ Harvey, the White Stripes, the Strokes, and Kings of Leon.{{Cite web |date=March 21, 2022 |title="We didn't make decisions – we were flying by the seat of our pants!" – the inimitable WET LEG talk influences, not being taken seriously |url=https://www.buzzmag.co.uk/wet-leg-album-6-music-festival-influences-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215165605/https://www.buzzmag.co.uk/wet-leg-album-6-music-festival-influences-interview/ |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |access-date=June 4, 2024 |website=buzz magazine}}
History
=Early lives=
Merseyside-born Teasdale moved from Formby to the Isle of Wight when she was eight.{{cite web|url=https://anchor.fm/bf-radio-interviews/episodes/BF-Music-Radio---Wet-Leg-e19haf3|title=BF Music Radio – Wet Leg|last=Hemmings|first=Jeff|work=Brightonsfinest Radio Interviews|date=29 October 2021|access-date=19 November 2022}} She performed for many years on the Isle of Wight as a local musician and pianist,{{Cite web |url=https://onthewight.com/no-trouble-for-rubble-club-to-please/ |title=It was no trouble for Rubble Club to please music lovers |date=12 May 2021 |website= |access-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512182419/https://onthewight.com/no-trouble-for-rubble-club-to-please/ |archive-date=12 May 2021 |url-status=dead}} and prior to forming Wet Leg, was known as RHAIN and was linked to the music scene in Bristol.[https://web.archive.org/web/20220410094026/https://365bristol.com/story/2016/12/02/the-sound-of-bristol-rhain/3466/ The Sound of Bristol: RHAIN], Web.archive.org, December 2016 As RHAIN, Teasdale performed her song "Humdrum Drivel" in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSKyASxPChk|title=Choosic TV IOW // RHAIN - Humdrum Drivel|date=September 2013 |access-date=10 June 2022|via=YouTube}} In 2014 she was photographed by Cosmopolitan magazine while attending the Isle of Wight music festival.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/fashion/news/g3501/festival-fashion-street-style-isle-of-wight/?slide=4 |title=Festival fashion: street style at Isle of Wight Festival |date=10 April 2022 |website= |access-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410092436/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/fashion/news/g3501/festival-fashion-street-style-isle-of-wight/?slide=4 |archive-date=10 April 2022 |url-status=dead}}
=2019–2022: Band beginnings and ''Wet Leg''=
Teasdale and Chambers first met at Platform One College of Music on the Isle of Wight while studying.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-64539349|title=Wet Leg deserve Grammy wins, says Isle of Wight music teacher|work=BBC News |date=7 February 2023}} After ten years of friendship, they formed a band in 2019 under the name Wet Leg,{{cite web |title=Meet Wet Leg, the British rock band to know now |date=25 February 2022 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/esmagazine/wet-leg-band-chaise-longue-interview-b984651.html |accessdate=3 June 2023 |publisher=Evening Standard}} and later signed with Domino Recording Company.{{Cite news|url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/19373615.quirky-debut-ensures-splash-isle-wight-band-wet-leg/ |title=Quirky debut release ensures splash for Isle of Wight band Wet Leg |website=Isle of Wight County Press |access-date=29 September 2021}}{{Cite web|date=9 October 2021|title=One to watch: Wet Leg|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/oct/09/one-to-watch-wet-leg-isle-of-wight-wet-dream|access-date=11 October 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Several different explanations have been given for how the band got their name: in a December 2021 interview, they said chose the name by picking different emoji combinations;{{cite web|url=https://onthewight.com/wet-leg-band-name-whats-the-origin-and-meaning-we-have-the-answer-direct-from-the-band|title=Wet Leg band name: What's the origin and meaning? We have the answer, direct from the band|last=Perry|first=Sally|work=On the wight|date=6 December 2021|access-date=16 April 2022}} in an April 2022 YouTube interview, the band said it came from an Isle of Wight slang to describe non-locals on the island - those who had crossed the Solent were said to have a "wet leg" from getting off the boat.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIcyPaaXSB8 @Wet Leg on their band name, “Chaise Longue” and social media | DIFFUS] 8 April 2022 0:55 Former drummer Doug Richards, in a July 2023 interview, alleged that the name stemmed from a list of "stupid band names" that was added to "anytime you’d think of a funny combination of words". He further alleged that the original "stupid band name" was Wet Book, but was misheard as Wet Leg.{{cite web |last1=Glancy |first1=Josh |title=My Wet Leg lover gave me the boot — and won’t stop kicking |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/music/article/my-wet-leg-lover-gave-me-the-boot-and-wont-stop-kicking-ll29qgl5w?region=global |website=The Times}}
File:Wet_Leg_(52031506992).jpg in 2022]]
The band's debut single, "Chaise Longue", was released on 15 June 2021,{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=15 June 2021 |title=Wet Leg – "Chaise Longue" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2151122/wet-leg-chaise-longue/music/ |access-date=30 November 2021 |website=Stereogum}} and gained media notice for earning millions of streams and video views.{{cite news |last1=Aswad |first1=Jem |title=Oddball British Duo Wet Leg Return With Their Second Great Single This Year, 'Wet Dream' |url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/wet-leg-single-video-dream-1235076142/ |access-date=29 September 2021 |work=Variety |date=28 September 2021}} Their second single, "Wet Dream", was released on 28 September 2021. Variety noted, "It's rare that a new group releases two songs and they're both great". They appeared on Later... with Jools Holland on BBC2, on 30 October 2021.{{cite news |last1=Little |first1=Lori |title=Isle of Wight band Wet Leg to star on Later With Jools Holland |url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/19680132.isle-wight-band-wet-leg-star-later-jools-holland/ |access-date=30 October 2021 |work=Isle of Wight County Press |date=28 October 2021}} On 29 November 2021, they announced their debut self-titled album, released on 8 April 2022 via Domino. The same day, Wet Leg released the double-single "Too Late Now" / "Oh No".{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Damian |date=29 November 2021 |title=Wet Leg announce debut album and share two new songs 'Too Late Now' and 'Oh No' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-announce-debut-album-and-share-two-new-songs-too-late-now-and-oh-no-3107104 |access-date=30 November 2021 |website=NME}}
In 2022, they toured the UK playing songs from their first album. It was then announced that they would tour Australia and New Zealand as the support band for Harry Styles's Oceanic leg of Love On Tour in 2023.{{Cite web |date=27 April 2022 |title=Wet Leg live in London: a glorious victory lap for the indie sensations |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/live/wet-leg-live-gig-review-debut-in-london-radar-3213434 |access-date=28 April 2022 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} Wet Leg appeared on Later... with Jools Holland in November 2021 and returned for the first part of his next series in May 2022.{{Cite web |title=Wet Leg set for second appearance on Later with Jools Holland TODAY |url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/20123535.isle-wight-band-wet-leg-back-later-jools-holland/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=Isle of Wight County Press |date=14 May 2022 |language=en}}
=2022–present: World tour conclusion and ''Moisturizer''=
In an interview with Andrew Ford of ABC in Australia in July 2022, Wet Leg clarified that a comment about a completed second album in a previous interview{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-completed-second-album-interview-radar-3252129|title=Wet Leg reveal they've completed their second album: "It's in the bag"|last=Skinner|first=Tom|work=NME|date=21 June 2022|access-date=25 June 2022}} was "a big joke". "We haven't got a second album; we haven't had any time to write".{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/wet-leg-rhian-teasdale-hester-chambers-allan-clayton-winterreise/13975066|title=Wet Leg play live and Allan Clayton takes you on A Winter's Journey|last=Ford|first=Andrew|work=ABC|date=16 July 2022|access-date=19 November 2022}}
Wet Leg received three nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Performance ("Chaise Longue") and Best Alternative Music Album. Of these, they won the Grammys for Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Alternative Music Album.{{cite news |last1=Saunders |first1=Zach |title=Isle of Wight band Wet Leg win TWO Grammy Awards |url=https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/23300928.isle-wight-band-wet-leg-win-two-grammy-awards |access-date=6 February 2023 |work=Isle of Wight County Press |date=5 February 2023}} Wet Leg won Best New Artist and Group of the Year at the Brit Awards 2023 where they performed "Chaise Longue" with the prog Morris dance troup, Boss Morris, and their Morris beasts.{{Cite web |last=Wilks |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Wilks |date=2023-02-11 |title=Who are the Morris dancers dancing with Wet Leg at the Brits?|url=https://tradfolk.co/performance/morris-dancing/morris-dancers-wet-leg-the-brits/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Tradfolk |language=en-GB}}
Wet Leg performed at Coachella in April 2023,{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=Coachella 2023 Weekend 2 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/coachella-2023-weekend-2-lineup-and-schedule-all-the-set-times-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} where they were joined on-stage by Dave Grohl during their performance of "Ur Mum".{{cite web |last1=Wilkes |first1=Emma |title=Dave Grohl makes cameo appearance during Wet Leg Coachella set |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/dave-grohl-makes-cameo-appearance-during-wet-leg-coachella-set-3434142 |website=NME |date=22 April 2023 |publisher=BandLab Technologies |access-date=8 July 2023}}
On 6 July 2023, Wet Leg remixed Depeche Mode's track "Wagging Tongue", the second single from their Memento Mori album.{{cite web |last1=Monroe |first1=Jazz |title=Wet Leg Remix Depeche Mode's "Wagging Tongue": Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/wet-leg-remix-depeche-modes-wagging-tongue-listen/ |website=Pitchfork |date=7 July 2023 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |access-date=8 July 2023}}
In March 2025, Wet Leg posted a new photo on their Instagram account with the caption "We’re so back", indicating they the band was set to return with new music.{{cite web |last1=Duran |first1=Anagricel |title=Wet Leg announce their return: “We’re so back” |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-announce-their-return-were-so-back-3846997 |website=NME |publisher=BandLab Technologies |access-date=17 March 2025}} Later that month, the band played a secret show under the name Uma Thurman at the Green Door Store in Brighton, during which they performed seven unreleased songs.{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=Wet Leg Debut New Songs At Secret Brighton Show |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2301455/wet-leg-debut-new-songs-at-secret-brighton-show/news/ |website=Stereogum |publisher=Stereogum Media |access-date=25 March 2025}} The band's new single, "Catch These Fists", was released on 1 April 2025, coinciding with the announcement of their second album Moisturizer, out on 11 July.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Damian |date=1 April 2025|title=Wet Leg announce new album 'Moisturizer' with thunderous single 'Catch These Fists' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-announce-new-album-moisturizer-with-thunderous-single-catch-these-fists-3850978 |access-date=1 April 2025|website=NME}} The band were referred to in the album's press materials as "the Isle of Wight five-piece" - indicating that long-serving touring musicians Henry Holmes, Josh Mobaraki and Ellis Durand had been formally inducted into the band as official members after four years together.{{cite web |title=Wet Leg - Moisturizer LP |url=https://shop.umusic.com.au/collections/pre-order/products/wet-leg-moisturizer-lp?srsltid=AfmBOopmL4nW5G7Spssk8daA7UoZrVX0ie8HhxVGmdL-gTYQzc0nomOE |website=Universal Music |access-date=3 April 2025}} Along side the release of "catch these fists" they announced a UK tour and a North America tour on their Instagram.
Members
File:Wet Leg at The Truman 2022-12-06.jpg on 6 December 2022]]
Current members
- Rhian Teasdale – lead vocals, rhythm guitar {{small|(2019–present)}}
- Hester Chambers – lead guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals {{small|(2019–present)}}
- Henry Holmes – drums, percussion, backing vocals {{small|(2025–present; touring musician 2020–2025)}}{{cite web | url=https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/wet-leg-members-album-songs-live-dates/ | title=Wet Leg: Everything you need to know about the band, their debut album and more }}
- Josh Mobaraki – rhythm guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals {{small|(2025–present; touring musician 2020–2025)}}
- Ellis Durand – bass, backing vocals {{small|(2025–present; touring musician 2021–2025)}}
Former members
- Doug Richards – drums, percussion {{small|(2019–2020)}}{{cite web | url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/former-wet-leg-bandmember-claims-hes-uncredited-for0co-writing-their-songs-30747/ | title=Ex-Wet Leg bandmate claims he's uncredited for co-writing songs | date=3 July 2023 }}
Former touring musicians
Discography
{{Infobox artist discography
| Artist = Wet Leg
| Studio = 1
| EP = 1
| Singles = 7
| Music videos = 6
}}
= Studio albums =
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="1"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="1"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Apple Music Home Session: Wet Leg
|
|
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year !scope="col" colspan="6"| Peak chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications !scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| JPN
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
|
| scope="row" | "Chaise Longue"
|rowspan="4"|2021 | 74 || 13 || — || 18 || 15 || 21 | | rowspan="6"| Wet Leg |
| scope="row" | "Wet Dream"
| 74 || 7 || 19 || — || 25 || 36 | |
| scope="row" | "Too Late Now"
| — || — || — || 35 || — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Oh No"
| — || — || — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Angelica"{{cite web|url=https://www.dominomusic.com/news/uk/wet-leg-unveil-new-single-angelica|title=Wet Leg unveil new single "Angelica"|website=dominomusic.com|date=28 February 2022|accessdate=2 April 2025}}
|rowspan="2"| 2022 | — || 38 || — || — || 22 || 41 | |
| scope="row" | "Ur Mum"
| — || 46 || — || — || — || — | |
| scope="row" | "Catch These Fists"
| rowspan="2"| 2025 | 99 || 39 || 15 || 3 || 11 || 9 | | rowspan="2"| Moisturizer |
| scope="row" | "CPR"
| — || — || — || — || — || — | |
| colspan="10" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
= Music videos =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! | Title ! | Year ! | Director |
| scope="row"| "Chaise Longue"
| rowspan="3"| 2021 | rowspan="2"| Wet Leg |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Wet Dream" |
| scope="row"| "Too Late Now"
| Fred Rowson |
| scope="row"| "Oh No"{{cite web|url=https://www.dominomusic.com/news/us/wet-leg-share-video-for-oh-no|website=Dominomusic.com|title=Wet Leg share video for "Oh No"|access-date=5 February 2022}}
| rowspan="3"| 2022 | rowspan="2"| Wet Leg |
| scope="row"| "Angelica" |
| scope="row"| "Ur Mum"
| Lavaland |
| scope="row"| "Catch These Fists"
| 2025 | Wet Leg |
Tours
"Moisturizer" Tour 2025
= <u>Supporting</u> =
Love On Tour - Inglewood, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Everything or Nothing at All Tour - Manchester and London.
Accolades
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{Discogs artist}}
- [https://rhainmusic.bandcamp.com/album/oscar-november-echo-ep RHAIN Bandcamp]
{{Wet Leg}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Wet Leg
|list =
{{Brit British Breakthrough}}
{{Brit British Group}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2019 establishments in England
Category:Domino Recording Company artists
Category:English indie rock groups
Category:Musical groups established in 2019
Category:Musical groups from the Isle of Wight