Art School Girlfriend Proclaims Upcoming Album ‘Lean In’ for 2026
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Welsh-born music maestro, Art School Girlfriend, otherwise interpreted as Polly Mackey, outlines her future album release. With the intriguing moniker, “Lean In”, this will mark her third album, succeeded by a silent phase of three years. Through the productive fiction, this manifestation is pegged for the early weeks of March 2026. Much to the surprise of her followers, this album was once a spec on the brink of extinction, a creation nearly abandoned.
Polly conceded the thought of bringing her forthcoming tunes to the public, a consideration that lived for a year. Albeit, her love for the music enchantment and the unique cerebral connection it sparked did not escape her. Even absent the intent to distribute her music, Polly maintained a fervent rhythm of studio work, enticed by the process more than the end goal. This shift in mindset immersed her in an unprecedented wave of creativity, fueling a deeper pursuit in her art and plaguing her with unanswered life questions. The optimal solitude of a personalized studio gave life to these deep, thought-provoking melodies.
The album’s unveiling is led with the release of two main songs: “L.Y.A.T.T.” (“Love You All the Time”) housing the resonant strings of Marika Hackman, followed by the enthralling tune, “The Peaks”. The latter presents a film-like atmosphere with its enticing composition.
Polly’s adroitness in combining electronic symphonies could be traced to her early career with the shoegaze team, Deaf Club, a journey that began in the dawning of the 2010s. The transition to a more synth-cushioned approach signaled her entry into a solo career, a venture that would later produce notable expressions like her 2023 album release, “Soft Landing”.
Polly’s journey into Art School Girlfriend brand might seem spontaneous yet it was carefully navigated. After the dissolution of Deaf Club in 2014, Polly executed the backing vocals on The Maccabees fourth and final studio album, “Marks to Prove It”, and played a notable role in their appearance on Later… with Jools Holland.
The metamorphosis to Art School Girlfriend took a formative turn in 2016 with her translocation to Margate. The consequential music collection attracted the attention of engineer, JHJ, which then led to patronage from Paul Epworth, a renowned producer with a record label, Wolf Tone. This journey birthed the production of her debut self-produced EP, “Measures” in 2017. In, no lesser time, Art School Girlfriend would perform her first live show to her anticipating public in September that same year. Various performances and gigs activated the formation of a band by October 2018, comprised of other musicians who would take to the stage under her headship until 2021: guitar-man Jac Roberts from Deaf Club, drummer Josh Heffernan, and keyboards player Louis Swords Milburn.
Other notable appearances and collaborations in Polly’s music narrative include that with The Japanese House, Milo Greene, and Marika Hackman’s return gig in London. Her music journey has enjoyed celebrated growth, evident in her 2019 summer project “Is It Light Where You Are”, a resultant breakup that inspired most of the songs on the album. The personal hurdles on the love front, combined with the pandemic, delayed the album release until September 2021. This was succeeded by a UK headline tour that marked its end in October 2021 at the Village Underground. It wouldn’t be justice to fail to mention Polly’s score in the BFI-supported film, “Shy Radicals” and her appearance alongside Arlo Parks, coupled with her release of her second album “Soft Landing” in 2023. The album, as described, is a seal of her teenage influences from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pixies, and Warpaint, with a careful blend of her present timeline playing music at clubs and festivals. Without a doubt, Polly, as Art School Girlfriend, has carved a niche for herself with her ambient electronic accents.
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