Singer/songriter Wallice has shared her new single “90s American Superstar,” title track from her forthcoming second EP, set for release on May 6th via Dirty Hit. Set to appear at The Great Escape 2022, including showcases in Glasgow, Dublin and Brighton, Wallice will also play her first London headline show on May 17th at The Lexington. The track follows her recent North American tour with Still Woozy, the new single is accompanied by a visualiser from her time on the road.

The title track sees us introduced to the EP’s protagonist at the height of their fame, as they resent their lacklustre musician partner with classic refrains like “stop being so damn dramatic, you just got dropped from Atlantic”. Wallice explains; “‘90s American Superstar’ is about a fictional relationship in which my partner is showing very LA ‘dating a musician’ type behaviour. It’s kind of a part two to the saga from a track on my last EP called ‘Hey Michael’. The chorus makes it sort of a breakup song, and the verses make it a diss track. The first verse has six 90s movie references, and looks inwards at a breakup and what I did wrong. The second verse is blaming the other person – so it’s kind of a rollercoaster of emotions. The chorus is very lighthearted, and I think the tone of the “la la la’s” is important in showing a devil-may-care attitude – not knowing what to feel or do and just going with it.”

The new track follows previous single ‘Little League’, which is effectively our icon’s origin story. Shining a light on her cut-throat competitiveness which started in junior baseball, she continues to lose friends as she claws her way to the top. On ‘Rich Wallice’, she pines for her future cashed-up self, a wry take on the darker side of success; ‘I just want more money, I just want more stuff’. The EP moves onto its big ‘blowout’ moment, ‘John Wayne’, on which our anti-hero’s instability peaks. This is celebrity Wallice at her Tom-cruise-jumping-on Oprah’s-sofa moment. The unravelling is captured perfectly via the raucous track, which was recorded live with a full band. The EP, and its delusions, come to a natural end on future single ‘Funeral’. Here, Wallice fantasises about her own memorial, a surrealist affair complete with her “casket in a muscle car.” Wallice plans the event as if it were her last big rock show – “don’t forget the camera crew” she begs.

The 90s American Superstar EP was written and recorded with friends at Wallice’s Grandparents house in Southern Utah. On its concept, she comments; “The EP is a hypothetical look into the celebrity life that lots of musicians and the LA entertainment industry crowd seeks. It’s fun to think about, “what if I was famous?” and how fame can change people. Especially since I grew up in LA– I love it here, but it’s a strange place and it can feel like everyone is just looking for their big break. To me, the EP plays with that perspective and the way people think about that dream. By exploring the idea of fame, I think the EP is a fun way of saying everyone is human. We all have aspirations, bad qualities and egos, but even if you’re famous (which by the way– I’m not in any way), that doesn’t make you better or worse than someone who isn’t. I want people to have fun listening to this EP, and be inspired to make music that they want to listen to, not just what they think others want to hear.”

After picking up her first instrument at age 6, Wallice started writing songs in middle school and later played in her high school band, inspired by the lyricism of Thom Yorke, Lana Del Rey and the punky irreverence of Weezer and No Doubt. She also modelled and acted (once appearing in an episode of Frasier) throughout adolescence, with her former actress mother supporting all creative pursuits. A proud college dropout, she attended the New School in New York City for Jazz Vocal performance for a year before moving back to California and connecting with childhood friend marinelli.

Wallice
90s American Superstar
tracklist
Dirty Hit Records

01. Little League
02. 90s American Superstar
03. Rich Wallice
04. John Wayne
05. Funeral

Wallice 2022 tour Dates

May 6 | Glasgow | The Road to The Great Escape
May 10 | Dublin | The Road to The Great Escape
May 11 – 14 | Brighton | The Great Escape 2022
May 17 | London | The Lexington