Sheffield has long been a breeding ground for exciting guitar bands and Matilda Shakes prove they’ve got the firepower to stand tall among the best. The five-piece return with a statement of intent with their brand-new single Light It Up, dropping Friday 26th September, a track that’s as urgent, anthemic, and electrifying as anything you’ll hear this year.
From the very first note, Light It Up barrels forward on driving rhythms that demand your attention. Layered on top are soaring vocals that carry both grit and emotion, pushing the song sky-high with every line.
The guitars on Light It Up are the heartbeat of the track, shifting seamlessly between driving, propulsive riffs that fuel the verses and expansive, ringing lines that lift the chorus into the stratosphere. With tones that balance grit and clarity, they carry a raw urgency while still feeling polished and anthemic. It’s a sound that channels the spirit of classic indie rock but with a modern edge, creating the perfect backdrop for the song’s themes of breaking free and reigniting passion.
This song feels like a rush of raw energy that builds into an anthemic chorus made for unity, release, and defiance. This isn’t just another indie rock single — it’s a rallying cry. A song about clawing back the fire when life dims, about choosing passion over apathy, and refusing to let your spark burn out.
Lyrically, the single wrestles with longing, frustration, and the fight for self-belief, yet musically it channels that emotion into something both vulnerable and empowering. There’s a restless urgency in every chord — fusing the grit of rock ‘n’ roll with a storytelling heart that makes Matilda Shakes one of the most exciting indie voices to emerge from Sheffield’s scene in years.
Speaking on the track, the band share:
“Light It Up is about the moments when everything feels like it’s fading and choosing not to let it die out. It’s about finding that spark again and striking the match no matter how dark it gets.”
The chorus is where Light It Up truly earns its name. Anthemic, fiery, and impossible not to sing along with, it feels purpose-built for festival fields and packed-out venues. The kind of chorus that makes you throw your arms around your mates, lose yourself in the moment, and shout the words like they’re your own. It’s bold, it’s fearless, and it proves this band have that rare knack for writing songs that really connect.
With Light It Up, Matilda Shakes deliver their most urgent and electrifying track yet. It’s fierce, passionate and dripping with swagger, that shows a band on the rise with no intention of slowing down. Sheffield has produced its fair share of world-beaters — and if Light It Up is anything to go by, Matilda Shakes could well be the next name on that list.
Light It Up is released on Friday 26th September and can be pre-saved here.
Light It Up will be getting an early spin on the Rise of The Indie Artists show on Thursday 25th September. Listen here.
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