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Dec 04, 2024 By Andy Von Pip Photography by Louise Mason

HotWax release their new single “Wanna Be A Doll,” accompanied by a self-directed video by singer Tallulah Sim-Savage. The track is the second single from their debut album Hot Shock, set for release on March 7th 2025 via Marathon Artists. Bluesy and grunge-infused, “Wanna Be A Doll” has been a standout during the band’s recent support dates with The Libertines and Warmduscher. To celebrate the album release, HotWax will play a series of instore shows in March next year.

Sim-Savage shares her insight into the track’s creation: “This was the first song we wrote for the album, we rewrote it in so many different ways and it ended up pretty similar to the first version, which seems to be how it goes. It’s a song where I am writing about myself from someone else’s point of view, being self-aware of my bad—sometimes destructive—traits.”

HotWax’s debut album follows the success of two critically acclaimed EPs in 2023, which propelled the Hastings trio onto bigger stages. Over the past 18 months, they’ve played over 150 live shows, including major festivals like Reading + Leeds, Mad Cool, All Points East, and Download. They’ve also toured alongside Royal Blood, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, and Deap Vally.

It was the band’s high-octane performances that caught the eye of producer Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) at a show in Third Man Records’ Blue Basement last summer. “It was the sweatiest gig we’ve ever done – it was really, really packed,” explains Sim-Savage. “Afterwards, Catherine came up to us and said, ‘Oh my god, I need to record your album with you. I want it to sound like the energy in this room. It needs to feel like a party.’”

The band went on to assemble an all-female team to produce Hot Shock, with Marks co-producing alongside Steph Marziano (Picture Parlour, Cassandra Jenkins). They brought a group of friends to London’s iconic RAK Studios, where they recorded a live runthrough of the album, capturing the distinctive, frenetic energy of a HotWax show. While on tour in the US, the band also recorded with Warpaint drummer Stella Mozgawa at her studio in Joshua Tree.

The resulting album is made to be played loud and live, radiating the energy of their performances. Yet, beneath the chaos of life on the road, there is a pulse of vulnerability that runs through Hot Shock. As bassist Lola Sam explains, “Touring and constantly living in the moment can be chaotic. But there’s also a feeling of knowing that the more life experience we gain, the more fearless we become.”

Childhood friends Sim-Savage and Sam have been writing together since they were 12, with Sam later meeting drummer Alfie Sayers at music college five years ago.

HotWax Live Dates:

March 3, Music’s Not Dead, De La Warr Pavilion - Instore

March 7, Resident Brighton - Instore

March 8, Rough Trade Nottingham (Midday) - Instore

March 8, Rough Trade Liverpool (Evening) - Instore

March 9, Rough Trade Bristol - Instore

March 10, Vinyl Whistle Leeds - Instore

March 11, Rough Trade East - Instore

March 12, Vinilo Southampton - Instore

March 13, Truck Oxford - Instore

May 31 2025, Leeds, Temple Newsam Park, Kaiser Chiefs + Cribs All Dayer

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