Wisp (musician)
Wisp | |
|---|---|
Wisp in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Natalie R. Lu |
| Born | August 6, 2004 |
| Origin | San Francisco |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2023–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | musicbywisp |
Natalie R. Lu (born August 6, 2004), known professionally as Wisp, is an American musician. She began releasing music in 2023 and released her debut EP, Pandora, in April the following year. A track from the album, "Your Face", went viral on TikTok and charted on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs.
Early life and education
Lu grew up in San Francisco's Sunset District.[1][2] Her background is Thai and Taiwanese. As a teenager, she attended Wallenberg High School, where she drew musical inspiration from her modern band class and the yearly music and arts festival.[3] Wisp was a computer science major in San Francisco State University when she started her musical career.[2]
Career
Her debut single, "Your Face",[2] was released on April 4, 2023. Since then, her songs have been popular on the social media platform TikTok.[4][5][6][7] Wisp has been described to take inspiration from bands such as Whirr,[8][9][10] Title Fight, and Cocteau Twins.[11][10] In March 2024, Jonah Krueger of Consequence said that Wisp "Is the Next Leader of the Shoegaze Revival".[12] She released her first EP, Pandora,[13][14] on April 5, 2024.[15] Their debut studio album, Pandora, was independently released in April 2024. In early 2023, a track later featured on the EP, "Your Face", went viral on TikTok, and charted at number 8 on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs going for a run of 15 weeks.[16] In 2025, she featured on Photographic Memory's single "Heartstyle", from his album I Look at Her and Light Goes All Through Me.[17] She is due to release her debut album, If Not Winter, on August 1, 2025.[18]
Musical style
Wisp's profile at AllMusic says she blends indie rock, dream pop and shoegaze.[19] Wisp prefers to categorize her music as nu gaze[20][21] and alternative rock.[21]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| If Not Winter |
|
EPs
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Pandora |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Your Face" | 2023 | Pandora |
| "Tangled Dreams" | Non-album singles | |
| "Once Then We'll Be Free"[22] | ||
| "See You Soon"[23] | 2024 | Pandora |
| "Enough for You"[24] | ||
| "I Remember How Your Hands Felt on Mine" | Non-album singles | |
| "Tomorrow" (with Distressor) | ||
| "Sword" | 2025 | If Not Winter |
| "Get Back to Me" | ||
| "Save Me Now"[25] |
References
- ^ Karoff, Tiffany (August 13, 2024). "How a San Francisco local went from college student to rock star overnight". Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c Brown, August (November 15, 2024). "Shoegaze rocker Wisp is Gen Z's ambassador for the opaque and brutal—even at rap festivals". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 15, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ Salvadó, Arnau. "Wisp: shoegaze that eases the spirit". Metal Magazine. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ "TikTok Has Made Shoegaze Bigger Than Ever". Stereogum. December 18, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ "Wisp, the 19-year-old artist making viral shoegaze". Dazed. April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ "Who Is Wisp, The 19-Year-Old Making Top-Notch Shoegaze?". Nylon. November 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Cohen, Ian (April 3, 2024). "Wisp Is Pushing Her Shoegaze Beyond Its TikTok Moment". Uproxx. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Cosby, Walker (January 28, 2024). "Wisp". Ink Magazine. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Wisp". twnty three. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Sisario, Ben (July 11, 2024). "Cigarettes After Sex and Gen Z's Passion for Dream-Pop". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ Soki-Kavwahirehi, Alex Gardner, Jacob Moore, Sabine Adorney, Patrick Ong, Olive. "Best New Artists". Complex. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Krueger, Jonah (March 28, 2024). "Wisp Is the Next Leader of the Shoegaze Revival: CoSign". Archived from the original on March 27, 2025. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Jibril, Halima (April 8, 2024). "Wisp, the 19-year-old artist making viral shoegaze". Dazed. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ Murray, Robin (April 5, 2024). "Wisp's 'Pandora' Feels Like A Moment | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ Bardhan, Ashley (April 9, 2024). "Wisp: Pandora EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Cabral, R. J. (December 16, 2023). "Hot Hard Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Hatfield, Amanda (May 6, 2025). "Photographic Memory teams up with Wisp on "Heartstyle"". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
- ^ a b If Not Winter by Wisp on Apple Music, August 1, 2025, retrieved June 23, 2025
- ^ "Wisp Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | AllM..." AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Capulong, Izzy (May 30, 2024). "Breaking News: Wisp Isn't Shoegaze". Office Magazine. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ a b Jibril, Halima (April 8, 2024). "Wisp, the 19-year-old artist making viral shoegaze". Dazed. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ Von Pip, Andy (October 31, 2023). "Wisp Releases "Once then we'll be free"". Under the Radar. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (January 24, 2024). "Wisp – "See you soon"". Stereogum. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (March 15, 2024). "Wisp – "Enough for you"". Stereogum. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Rosignol, Derrick (June 6, 2025). "Wisp Continues To Save Shoegaze On 'Save Me Now,' Her Heavy New Single". Uproxx. Retrieved June 8, 2025.