Today, UK band Heavenly shares a new single & video, "Scene Stealing," as well as a Spanish version of the same song, "Roba Escenas." These tracks arrive ahead of the band's first new album in 30 years, Highway To Heavenly, out on Skep Wax worldwide on Feb. 27.
Regarding the video, Heavenly's Rob Pursey said: "It looks innocent to start with, but it gets dark. Like a typical Heavenly song! ‘Scene Stealing’ is about YouTubers, so we needed young actors. Luckily our daughter Ivy persuaded three of her mates to perform alongside her."
To give more context on "Roba Escenas," Amelia Fletcher added "“We played ‘Scene Stealing’ in Chile in 2024 and the promoter Anto loved it and offered to translate it. We have lots of Spanish-speaking friends and fans, so it’s good to have a song that they don’t have to translate!”
TOUR DATES
Feb 25 COVENTRY – Just Dropped In
Feb 26 LONDON – The Lexington
Feb 28 ATHENS – Temple
Mar 5 RAMSGATE – Music Hall
Mar 6 PARIS – Petit Bain
Mar 8 LONDON – The Lexington (matinee, all ages)
Mar 14 OXFORD – The Nest
Mar 18 MANCHESTER – Yes
Mar 19 GLASGOW – Mono
Mar 20 SUNDERLAND – Pop Recs
Mar 21 SHEFFIELD – Sidney & Matilda
Mar 26 BRIGHTON – Hope & Ruin
Apr 4 CARDIFF – Wales Goes Pop
Apr 16 WASHINGTON DC – Black Cat
Apr 17 PHILADELPHIA – Johnny Brenda’s
Apr 18 NEW YORK – Bowery Ballroom
Apr 19 BOSTON – The Sinclair
Apr 21 TORONTO – The Great Hall
Apr 23 CHICAGO – Empty Bottle
Apr 24 CHICAGO - Beat Kitchen (early / all ages)
May 7 VALENCIA – Loco Club
May 8 MADRID – Sala Galileo Galilei
May 10 SAN SEBASTIAN – Sala Dabadaba
Jun 21 SAN DIEGO – Casbah
Jun 22 LOS ANGELES – Regent Theater
Jun 24 SAN FRANCISCO – Great American Music Hall
Jun 26 PORTLAND – Aladdin Theater
Jun 27 SEATTLE – The Crocodile
Jun 28 VANCOUVER – Hollywood Theatre
***
Heavenly are seen as the originators of a whole genre of music – known to some as ‘jangle’, others as ‘twee’ and to the band themselves as ‘indiepop.' As fiercely independent as any punk band, but as sweetly melodic as any chart-topping act, Heavenly combine sharp-edged politics with shamelessly joyful pop music.
Highway To Heavenly shares this recipe with the band’s first four albums, all of which were released in the 1990s at a time when sensitive indie types in the UK were sheltering from the prevailing macho-rock storm under the Sarah Records umbrella, and when women in the US were starting to find their Riot Grrrl voices in the small town of Olympia, where labels like K and Kill Rock Stars were designing a new creative space.
Heavenly were on Sarah Records in the UK and on K in the US - and maybe this is a useful shorthand for understanding the band’s ability to meld the attitude of American Riot Grrrl bands with the pop charms of the English indie scene. In terms of style, Heavenly presented an androgynous look – short hair and pinafores for Amelia and Cathy - while Peter Rob and Mathew determinedly avoided the theatrics of male rock.
Heavenly did not want to fit in with the hyper-gendered corporate music scene of the 1990s, and the band have stayed determinedly independent ever since (this new album is released on Rob and Amelia’s Skep Wax label). The new songs are full of anger, of grief, of empathy, of love, and set themselves in opposition to the resurgence of the cold ‘masculine energy’ that is making the world a miserable, aggressive place today.
Heavenly have recently enjoyed a huge resurgence of interest from a younger generation of fans, who have cottoned on to Heavenly’s music, but also embraced the band’s inclusive version of feminism. 'Portland Town' is a joyful celebration of a place where diversity is welcomed. 'Press Return' is a demolition of those men who think technology and wealth make them winners rather than sad losers. 'Excuse Me' is an outburst of punk energy, as effervescent as a song on the first Undertones album, gleefully celebrating a teenage romance with the nerdiest boy in school. A Different Beat tells the entire story of a doomed relationship, its heroine falling for and then escaping from an oppressive man, before heading for the metaphorical disco of freedom.
Heavenly have clearly been to a disco or two lately: opening track 'Scene Stealing' feels like a distant cousin of Blondie’s ‘Heart Of Glass’ and tells the story of self-obsessed YouTube influencers who don’t know how to treat women with respect. By contrast, album closer 'That Last Day' may be most poignant song about bereavement you will hear all year, certainly the only one you’ll want to sing along to. It’s all pop here, but Highway To Heavenly has a huge range of tones and moods.
The band comprises original members Amelia Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff, Cathy Rogers and Rob Pursey, who are now joined on drums by Ian Button. (An important element of the Heavenly story was the loss of Mathew Fletcher, who took his own life just before the fourth album was released. It took Amelia, Peter, Cathy and Rob a long time to get over the loss; maybe it took even longer to find a drummer as good as Ian.)
The new Heavenly have played a number of sell-out shows in the past couple of years, where older fans have mingled with new devotees. The band are looking forward to their slow-motion international tour in the first half of 2026, with dates in the UK, the US, Canada, France, Greece and Spain.
Highway To Heavenly was recorded at Rumbaba (Deptford, London) and at The Sunday School (Kent). It was produced by Toby Burroughs.
Heavenly are:
Amelia Fletcher – vocals, guitar, Cathy Rogers – vocals, keyboard, Ian Button – drums, Peter Momtchiloff – guitar, Rob Pursey – bass.
Heavenly
Highway To Heavenly
(Skep Wax)
Street date: Feb. 27, 2026
Track List:
SIDE A
01. Scene Stealing 3.51
02. Portland Town 3.12
03. Press Return 4.03
04. Skep Wax 3.00
05. Deflicted 3.57
06. Excuse Me 2.36
SIDE B
07. A Different Beat 4.59
08. Good Times 3.29
09. The Neverseen 4.06
10. She Is The One 4.01
11. That Last Day 3.20
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