HotWax - 'Wanna Be A Doll'

HotWax dazzle with second single ahead of debut album release.

One of the most critically acclaimed up-and-coming bands in the UK, HotWax have seen themselves through a remarkable two-year span comprising two EP releases and over 150 live shows across Europe including touring with the likes of Royal Blood and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

It is of no surprise then that their long-awaited debut album Hot Shock is one of the most anticipated releases of 2025. Produced by Wolf Alice and Boygenius collaborator Catherine Marks, Hot Shock sets to be a record on the unsettling terrain of entering young adulthood, whilst being recorded almost entirely in live takes to try and capture the group’s incessant live energy.

The first song written for this album, “Wanna Be A Doll” touches on the pressures and anxieties that come as a young woman in the modern world, the lyrics brilliantly capturing the sense of uncertainty that comes with growing up. “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”, explains singer Tallulah Sim-Savage.

The lush guitar tones on this song combined with the playful basslines of Lola Sam and the ardent drumming of Alfie Sayers evoke a strong modern post-punk feel, whilst simultaneously sounding like a The Breeders release from the 1990’s with the help of the sharp and lively vocals of Sim-Savage.

Taking on a UK record store tour next March in preparation for their debut album, it is easy to see why so many fans have already set their eyes on HotWax as one to watch in the upcoming year, with singles such as this one sounding so effortless yet so vibrant, a telling sign of a band that has their sound nailed down to a tee.

Words by Jay Cohen