Rising UK rock trio Villanelle have announced the release of their debut single ‘Hinge’, arriving on Wednesday, September 10, alongside news of their first full UK tour.
The band – fronted by Gene Gallagher with Ben Taylor on guitar and Jack Schiavo on bass – came together by chance in the summer of 2023. What began as an encounter quickly grew into a shared mission: to revive the harder edge of rock music.
“It was a genuine passion and drive to bring back rock music again,” Taylor told NME. “Bands have been in the culture lately, but it was indie rock for a long time. Then it plateaued into an almost ‘pop’ band-y culture. We wanted to bring something back.”
That ethos has driven Villanelle’s rapid rise on the live circuit. Despite not releasing any music to date, the trio capped off 2023 with a sold-out UK headline tour on word-of-mouth alone. Earlier last year, they secured a coveted slot supporting Gene’s father Liam Gallagher on his ‘Definitely Maybe’ 30th anniversary shows.
Now, Villanelle are ready to introduce their sound to the world with ‘Hinge’. Described by the band as a ferocious collision of lo-fi grunge and arena-ready swagger, the track nods to the raw energy of Nirvana while channelling punk rock urgency.
“It’s just all heavy guitars,” Gallagher explained. “That’s my favourite tone of any song: just really chuggy chords and really fucking distorted. All my favourite songs are like that – very punk rock. ‘Hinge’is a proper right-hook of a song.”
The single’s arrival marks a significant milestone for the group, who have so far relied on live shows to build their reputation. With a UK tour announcement set to coincide with the release, Villanelle are poised to translate their live energy into a new chapter defined by original material.
As anticipation builds, ‘Hinge’ will serve as the first glimpse into what Villanelle have been crafting behind the scenes – a band intent on bringing back grit, volume and attitude to the UK rock landscape.
‘Hinge’is released Wednesday, September 10, with details of Villanelle’s forthcoming UK tour also due the same day. The single can be preordered here. Based on the anticipation of the band so far, it seems Villanelle have an exciting musical career ahead and fans should stay tuned for potential future releases.
