Ever since they first broke through, emerging outfit The Butterfly Wheel have always looked to add a broader and more emotive edge to the contemporary indie-folk scene. And with plenty of praise and acclaim for their recent material, they recently cemented their more impactful era with their hotly-tipped new album ‘Behind The Veil’.
So with the new LP available to stream now, we caught up with them to discuss their origins and where they are planning to take their sound next.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
Alice: We have all grown up surrounded by music. My dad is an incredible harmonica player and used to perform in all the local bars in North West London. That’s actually where Myrrh and I first met, at age 14—she was there with her punk-music-loving aunt. We bonded instantly over our shared love of music, having both been raised with songs from every era always playing in the background.
We spent much of our early teens going to indie concerts, but it wasn’t until we were around 20—after creating soundtracks together for our immersive theatre shows—that we really began to fall in love with making music ourselves. That’s when I discovered my singing voice.
Both of us have always felt a strong, innate drive to express deep truths and bridge realms through creativity. We found that music and lyric writing became the most natural and powerful way for us to do that—together.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
Alice: The first album I bought for myself was No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom, which I loved singing along to. But even as a child, I also enjoyed singing along to my parents’ music from the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s—Eartha Kitt, The Doors, Nancy Sinatra, and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. I still feel that my vocal range is best suited to those tones, and I’ve always loved the poetic quality of their lyric writing.
Both Myrrh and I bonded over one of our favourite songs: Golden Brown by The Stranglers. Other shared influences include Kate Bush, Suicide, The Seeds, The Velvet Underground, Bowie, and Julee Cruise.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
Alice: Myrrh and I played our first gig in the crypt of a church, as part of a William Blake–inspired event for a mental health charity, ‘Mental Fight Club’. Myrrh had created homemade footage that was screened behind us, and we were dressed in our usual DIY costume garb—my handmade headdresses and all. But this time, we were away from the bohemian fringe theatre my mum ran, which had been our creative playground. The focus now was primarily on the music, and at that stage, it was still very raw. Our palms were sweating…
But afterward, we came off stage feeling completely in our element. We toasted to our commitment to a life in music—and we haven’t stopped since.
Following that debut, we went on to play at various renowned London music venues. A particular high point was supporting ’80s icon Lene Lovich at Cargo. Still, we found ourselves especially drawn to playing in atmospheric churches. We started our own creative hub night at St Leonard’s Church in Shoreditch, Sun At Night, where we continued developing as a band, writing songs on the organ and eventually meeting Antonio Acunzo, our multi-instrumentalist.
Later, we met Ryan Hewitt, who has been instrumental in helping us expand our sound and anchor and furthering our vision for the band—especially in our ceremonial concerts and immersive experiences.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
Alice: Usually, we begin by jamming, and I’ll start improvising lyrics. We always keep a phone nearby to record the session, so we can listen back and catch the gem moments. From there, we revisit the material and, together as a band, shape and evolve it into a complete piece.
Sometimes, Myrrh and I write together with a chosen theme in mind—I’ll weave the lyrics around it, or she’ll add her own vocal parts to build it out collaboratively.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
Alice: When I sing, I can describe it best as a sort of dropping into my own inner wellspring, contained and shaped by the music that’s playing. I genuinely hold the intention to commune with the deepest part of myself and with something unnameable—but that some could call spirit, Holy Spirit, or an innate and living presence of truth—and listen to what spontaneously arises, with the intention to be a voice for, and to speak to, that place in people. To unravel us to that depth, to that place that is us. And when delivered live, I like to feel this is where we therefore meet—amidst the words and melodies that are the vessel for this, and are imbued with this quality.
Often, the songs’ lyrics are inspired by our personal experiences. We have songs about childbirth, loss, grief, longing, transformation, and our environment—the city and the forest.
We also have songs inspired by myths, such as the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Alice: I feel like I’ve spoken about this a fair bit in the previous question, but I would hope that people leave feeling more like themselves and inspired—that our songs and concerts offer doorways to their innate connection with the profound presence that lives within them, and that it supports them on their transformational life journey, or resonates with them on a personal level that touches and moves them.
Alongside this, I’d like to say that I don’t like to impose too much on the listener. I trust that what needs to speak to them will naturally unravel—much like how it feels for us when we create the songs. It is spontaneous in its revelations.
I once read a quote that said, “A book read by a thousand people is a thousand different books.” I like to think it’s the same with songs and music—that each listener, with each listen, can hear what the loving field that moves through all of creation is reflecting back to them within their journey.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
Alice: Our passions lie in creating and performing live music, as well as all the artwork that forms part of the world we create within The Butterflywheel. One of the challenges we’ve faced is how to sustain ourselves financially in order to allow the time and energy this work requires—maintaining our commitment and consistency of output, while staying in our integrity and trusting the process and its mystery.
We also deeply enjoy supporting emerging community projects, small festivals, and grassroots venues. It’s through co-creating within our community that more opportunities arise to share our art. However, in order to make sure we’re not facing too many outgoings, we’re always seeking to find the right balance.
A different kind of challenge we overcame last year was when we played two festivals in two different areas on the same day—the second as a headline act on a main stage. Our van broke down on the motorway, and we had to get back on the road quickly to make it in time. Thankfully, we did—and gave a great show.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
Alice: For me, the most rewarding moments have been when someone tells me that the music has helped them reconnect with a part of themselves—that they’ve experienced a sense of healing or felt something profound while listening. We often receive responses like this after playing live; people can really receive it, and it touches their soul.
This always reminds me—and reorients me—to what is truly driving The Butterflywheel. I feel anchored again and renewed in my faith in it. I know we share this as a band, and I’m so grateful that we have this mutual understanding and are on this journey together.
The reward is in the reassurance that, in this life, we are creating a positive impact—and in the power of our intuition and authenticity.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
Alice: I feel like this follows naturally from my last response—to stay anchored in the bigger perspective of what is truly rewarding about co-creating together, sharing it with the world, and recognizing how it positively impacts both us and those we share it with. There’s also the loyalty we hold for the band and for each other.
Our friends and families have always been big champions of what we do. Myrrh’s mother, who passed last year, would often restore our faith in ourselves through the strength of her belief in us. My own mother, who has run a bohemian fringe theatre throughout my life, has instilled in me a deep inspiration and willingness to dedicate my life to the arts and community.
Ryan, since joining the band, has propelled us forward through his own faith in the unique power and magic of what we do. He brings with him a big-picture vision and the foresight to see the vastness of our potential impact and reach.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
Alice: We have just released our debut studio album, Behind the Veil, and we are excited to honor it with launch concerts in both London and the Sussex area. We will also be gigging regularly over the coming months and will be making an appearance at various festivals. As our fans know, we like to put our all into our live performances—artistically and musically—and these shows will be rich in creative energy!
We will also begin recording our next album and will be keeping fans updated with behind-the-scenes content along the way.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
Alice: I feel like people—fellow musicians and artists—are going to be called upon more than ever to listen deeply and to express themselves; to come together and create living networks of creative community; to support each other in doing so and to thrive.
I’ve always been inspired by countercultures, subcultures, and movements of the past, and the ripples they create across time and generations. I’d like to see us as part of a co-created ripple of resonance—one that emanates the power and wisdom of love, compassion, connection, and liberation from its centre. As each individual remembers and comes home to these innate qualities within themselves.
Our song Resonate Home, featured on our latest album, reflects this vision for me.
More live events, in-person connection, and shared experiences are top priorities. We would love to take our live performances globally, so that more people can experience them—and so we can continue having enriching life experiences that inspire more songs and more albums!
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Listen to The Butterfly Wheel’s new album ‘Behind The Veil’ below.
