Artist of the Month is an accolade given to a rising artist or band on the cusp of stardom. In April 2022, we give the nod to one of the buzziest bands around, Wet Leg.
Getting Wet Leg on the phone for an interview is impressively challenging. In the run-up to last week’s release of their self-titled debut, the Isle of Wight duo of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers were, in their own press rep’s words, “scheduled within an inch of their lives.” Between countless interviews, their second tour of the United States, and performing on nearly every late-night show there is, the buzziest band around is hard to lock in for a 30-minute chat.
All the attention has been a wild ride for Wet Leg, but an understandably exacting one. As Teasdale notes, it’s hard to appreciate the landmarks when they come at you so fast. “It’s so funny; we sat on the plane [home to England] and went through our camera roll,” she recalls. “It’s so interesting to look back at the year that we’ve had. It’s important to take it all in because stuff is moving so quickly. Sometimes it’s hard to be as present as you’d like to be.”
It’s even harder to be present when your WiFi connection is so spotty that your speech frequently devolves into electronic gibberish. “Beep, boop, boop! You’ve gone a bit robot-y again, HC,” Teasdale laughs every time Chambers cuts out during our call. But the two roll with the glitches just like they’ve rolled with everything that’s happened to them since forming in 2019.
Before coming together under the Wet Leg title — a name arrived at by blindly typing out emojis on a phone — the two attended Isle of Wight College. Although they were in the same performing arts program, their friendship didn’t blossom until later. “I always knew I wanted to be friends with her because she was so effortlessly cool and herself,” says Chambers. “I don’t have very much confidence in myself. I keep telling myself I can’t have a nice thing because I’m not worthy, but being friends with Rhian gives me a perspective on life.”
“It works both ways as well,” chimes in Rhian. She doesn’t necessarily buy into the “extrovert” and “introvert” labels some have hoisted on the soft-spoken pair, instead noting, “We do have a lot of the same fears and internal battles, we just kind of present them a little different. Me and Hester and our friendship has been integral to having the gusto to start the band.”
