Wolf Alice Speaks Out for the Tragic Fate of Small Music Venues Threatened with Extinction

JAKARTA - North London band Wolf Alice have reconfirmed their dominance in the British music industry by winning the Best British Group category at the 2026 BRIT Awards.

Instead of celebrating the victory, vocalist Ellie Rowsell used the honor stage to voice her concerns about the crisis that has hit small music venues in the UK.

In his speech, Rowsell recalled the early days of his band's career and paid tribute to the loyal fans who had supported them from the start.

However, the atmosphere turned emotional when Rowsell mentioned a January industry report that said 30 independent venues had closed in the past year, with another 48 venues ceasing to operate as concert halls.

"We want to thank all the grassroots pubs, clubs and venues across the country, where we really learned to play instruments and write our songs," Rowsell said, quoted by NME, Monday, March 2.

"Thank you for opening the door for us, and thank you to those who continue to fight to keep those doors open," he continued.

Rowsell highlighted the stark contrast between the direct music performance sector's economic contribution of billions of pounds with the worrying conditions at the grassroots level.

He explained that in addition to the closure of venues, about 6,000 jobs were lost, and more than half of small venues reported not making any profit at all.

According to him, being a musician should be a viable career choice for anyone from any background, not just sheer luck.

"It shouldn't be a struggle of life and death for bands and artists to survive. We shouldn't depend on any kind of aid or funding scheme to be able to work at a level we are proud of," said the vocalist.

"This shouldn't feel like winning a golden ticket, but rather a career-worthy decision for anyone from any background," he continued. "You only need to look around us today to see how proud we are of the contribution of British music and how important it is to nurture and protect this incredible British music scene."

Wolf Alice's victory was driven by the success of their fourth album, "The Clearing", which was released last year and received good reviews from various music critics.

Following this win, Wolf Alice are scheduled to embark on a major tour, including an outdoor gig at London's Finsbury Park, as well as headlining the Teenage Cancer Trust series at the Royal Albert Hall in March.