Glass Animals on the success of ‘Heat Waves’ and their “Celtic opera” new album

Speaking to NME on the red carpet ahead of the BRIT Awards 2022, Glass Animals told us about the secret to the runaway success of their single ‘Heat Waves’ and thoughts about going all “Celtic opera” on their next album and dreams of collaborating with Lil Nas X. Watch our interview with the band above.

The Oxford band were at the London ceremony where they nominated for Best Rock/Alternative Act as well as ‘Best Song’ for ‘Heat Waves’ – which has racked up millions upon millions of streams over the last year and recently saw them become the first UK band to top Spotify’s global singles chart.

“There’s something in it. It landed at the right time,” frontman Dave Bayley told NME about the track’s success. “I feel like everyone in the pandemic has been feeling nostalgic. No one was going out and creating new memories, they were all reliving the old ones. This song is about that – it’s about memories, it’s about missing someone, everyone’s been missing people in this age.”

Does he feel like they could just write another one and cash in? “That would be the worst thing – trying to write the same thing again!” he replied. “It would be so boring. No, we’ll try and do something totally different. That would be my advice to anyone making music: don’t do the same thing again.”

Looking back over the last “absolutely mental” couple of years since the release of 2020’s acclaimed ‘Dreamland’,  Bayley told us: It’s been such a crazy couple of years and there were a few moments where I thought this album would never see the light of day. Joe [Seaward, drummer] had this crazy accident, had a miracle recovery, then we got hit by the long hard schlong of the pandemic.

“I thought in the storm of the pandemic that this album would get blown away like a fart on the wind. The fact that we’re here feels great.”

Asked about progress on their next album, Bayley replied: “It’s not happening. We’ve been insanely busy, we’re still touring this record, there are little bits of things tickling around. We’ve got some collaborations coming.”

Any thoughts on what it might sound like?

“It’s going to be operatic. Celtic opera!” he laughed. “There are going to be bagpipes.”

As for the night at hand, Bayley said that he and the band were hoping to catch up with Lil X. “Lil Nas said that ‘Heatwaves’ was his favourite song, so I’d love to catch up and give him a hug,” he said. Could a collab be on the cards? “I haven’t asked him, but I’ll send him a message shortly.” You heard it here first.

Watch our full interview above as Glass Animals tell us about their partying habits, and fashion style of “mum and dad holiday chic”.

Check back at NME for more news, interviews and more from the BRIT Awards 2022.