Chew Lips
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | East London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Indie dance-pop music |
Chew Lips was a British indie dance-pop group formed in 2008, featuring vocalist 'Tigs' (Alicia Huertas) alongside multi-instrumentalists James Watkins and Will Sanderson.
2008–2009: Early beginnings
Originating from East London, Chew Lips swiftly attracted notice with their vibrant electro-pop style and energetic stage presence. Their inaugural single, "Solo," launched in March 2009 via the French label Kitsuné, quickly sold out. It garnered praise from Pitchfork, which described it as "classic, pristine," while The Fly magazine hailed it as "one of the most magnificent debuts of the year."
2009–2010: Follow-up Kitsuné release and Unicorn
After extensive touring, Chew Lips unveiled their second single, "Salt Air," in July 2009 through Kitsuné; NME labeled it "an addictive slice of heart-wrenching disco-pop." Subsequently, they teamed up with producer David Kosten to produce their debut album, Unicorn, which they self-released in January 2010. This record showcased a notable progression in their musical approach with tracks like "Play Together," "Karen," and "Slick." It received favorable critiques from the BBC ("startling"), NME ("mesmeric"), and earned a 4/5 rating from The Guardian.
The band maintained an active touring schedule, highlighted by a successful performance at SXSW where Elle US named them the top emerging act. They also headlined the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury Festival and supported prominent artists including The Killers and Delphic. In 2011, Chew Lips completed three sold-out tours across the UK as well as a European tour.
Disbandment
In 2015, Huertas revealed via Twitter that she was composing for other musicians, signaling the end of Chew Lips as a group.
Studio albums
| Album Details | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Unicorn | 25 January 2010 | Family |
Singles and EPs
| Release Details | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | January 2009 | Kitsuné |
| Salt Air | 6 July 2009 | Kitsuné |
| Play Together | 18 January 2010 | Family |
| Karen | 28 March 2010 | Family |
| Do You Chew? | 4 May 2012 | Sony |
| Hurricane | 3 September 2012 | Sony |
Chew Lips remixing
Their remix portfolio includes work for artists such as Bernard Sumner, Hot Chip, Amanda Blank, and Plastiscines.
Soundtracks and syncs
Tracks by Chew Lips have been featured in television series including Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Skins, and the UK show Made in Chelsea, alongside MTV broadcasts and the motion picture Paris Connections.
UK highlights
They performed at prominent festivals like Glastonbury Festival, The Great Escape Festival, Latitude Festival, Lovebox Festival, and Bestival.
United States
Their appearances include a set at SXSW.
European festivals
Their festival engagements extended to Electric Picnic (Ireland), London Calling Festival (Netherlands), Les InRocks Festival (France), Dockville Festival (Germany), Paredes de Coura Festival (Portugal), Cupola Festival (Switzerland), Summer Well Festival (Romania), Bažant Pohoda Festival (Slovakia), and Off Festival (Poland).
Press
The album Unicorn garnered widespread praise from numerous publications including Q, Mojo, Time Out, The Fly, MusicOMH, The Independent, The Observer, NME, BBC, Metro, and Grazia. Critics emphasized its distinctive electro-rock style, potential for broad appeal, and its rich emotional resonance.