Wet Leg didn't follow the old indie rulebook. Two friends from the Isle of Wight, a deadpan sense of humour, and a song about a chaise longue that somehow became one of the biggest guitar hits of the decade. No slow build, no support tours for years - just a single, a debut album and a Mercury nomination.
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers wrote songs that were catchy, weird and unapologetically British. "Wet Dream," "Angelica" and the rest of the self-titled album proved that indie could still be fun, sarcastic and TikTok-friendly without losing its edge. The live show - tight, loud, a bit chaotic - turned them into festival headliners in training.
How it started
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers met on the Isle of Wight and played in separate projects before deciding to start something new. The idea was simple: write songs they wanted to hear, without overthinking it. "Chaise Longue" was one of the first results - a deadpan, absurdist anthem built around a single riff and a lyric that referenced Mean Girls and furniture. When they released it in 2021, the reaction was instant. The song went viral on TikTok, got playlisted everywhere and turned Wet Leg into one of the most talked-about new bands in the world before they'd even put out an album.
The speed of the rise was unusual. Most guitar bands spend years building a following through support slots and slow-burn singles; Wet Leg seemed to skip the queue. Part of it was timing - the world was ready for something fun and unpretentious after a difficult period. Part of it was the song itself: memorable, shareable, and impossible to ignore. But a lot of it was the band's refusal to play the serious-artist game. They were funny, they were sharp, and they didn't take themselves too seriously. That combination was irresistible.
The debut and the live show
When the self-titled album arrived in 2022, it didn't disappoint. "Wet Dream" continued the run of sarcastic, catchy singles; "Angelica" and "Ur Mum" showed they could do variety without losing the vibe. The record was short, tight and full of hooks - no filler, no pretension. It earned a Mercury Prize nomination and confirmed that Wet Leg weren't a one-hit wonder; they were a band with a sound and a personality that could sustain a career.
Live, they've only got stronger. The duo's chemistry is obvious: Teasdale on vocals and guitar, Chambers on guitar and backing vocals, both feeding off each other and the crowd. The shows are loud, a bit messy in the best way, and full of moments that feel like shared jokes. They've graduated from small rooms to festival stages and arenas, and the songs have held up. "Chaise Longue" still gets the biggest reaction, but the rest of the set has become just as essential to the Wet Leg experience.
What it means for British indie
For every new band wondering if guitar music still has a place, Wet Leg are the proof: the right song at the right time can still blow the doors off. They didn't need a major label push or years of grinding; they needed a great single, a clear identity and the confidence to be themselves. The next wave of British indie is already taking notes - and the lesson is that fun, humour and hooks are still enough to win. Wet Leg's story isn't over; if anything, the second album will be the real test. But the first chapter has already changed the conversation about what British guitar music can be in the 2020s.