After releasing just seven songs, Will Linley is becoming an artist whose self-confessed “happy sad pop music” captures the whirlwind emotions of Gen Z life, leading to over 40 million streams to date. Now signed to Island Records, the South African singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ignites further momentum ahead of his forthcoming full-length debut by sharing the new single ‘Tough (The Girl Song)’. Listen HERE.
A beat-heavy alt-pop song with some strikingly nostalgic ‘80s-tinged synths, ‘Tough (The Girl Song)’ sees Will Linley lamenting the end of a long distance relationship with the declaration, “It kinda sucks that my whole heart wasn’t enough.” Yet despite the heartbroken subject matter, Will has never sounded so energised as he not only showcases a brighter, bigger soundscape than his breakthrough ‘miss me (when you’re gone)’ but the song’s stunning bridge (“Used to call you baby, but now you’re just the one that got away”) is a leap beyond anything he has released before.
Will says, “‘Tough’ is such a carefree and playful song to me that I really think embodies the sonic space I’ve been wanting to explore a lot more. It was such a fun song to write and I really think that shines through in the actual recording.”
Will wrote ‘Tough (The Girl Song)’ with the song’s producer Jackson Foote (Cheat Codes / Demi Lovato’s ‘No Promises’, Zara Larsson’s ‘Ruin My Life’).
After growing up in Cape Town as the youngest member of a musical family, Will Linley grew up playing violin and viola before teaching himself piano and guitar. He began to write songs in high school, inspired by pop singer-songwriters such as Dean Lewis, Lewis Capaldi and Ed Sheeran. He first gained traction on TikTok, leading to an airplay #1 in South Africa with the Gold-certified ‘miss me (when you’re gone)’. International acclaim soon followed, along with his debut EP ‘kill all my feelings’, while his previous single ‘Last Call’ also made a sizable impact with 14 million streams to date at Spotify alone.
Having previously played shows with One Republic and Matthew Mole, Will Linley will be touring the UK later this month. The biggest moment comes when he hits P!NK’s Summer Carnival at BST Hyde Park on a stacked bill that also includes Gwen Stefani and Sam Ryder. He will also play his debut London headline show at The Courtyard Theatre (tickets available HERE), play three shows as guest to Tors, and perform at Barn on the Farm. The dates are:
JUNE
20th – Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club (with Tors, SOLD OUT)
21st – Birmingham, The Hare and Hounds (with Tors)
22nd – Bristol, Exchange (with Tors, SOLD OUT)
24th – BST Hyde Park, P!NK Summer Carnival
28th – London, The Courtyard Theatre (HEADLINE SHOW)
29th – Barn On The Farm