Romy

As Romy, the xx's silken-voiced guitarist Romy Madley Croft makes joyous, proudly queer dance music. With her band, Madley Croft pioneered a hushed hybrid of indie and electronic music that resonated with critics and fans alike: Their 2009 self-titled debut album won the Mercury Prize, and their later chart-topping efforts included 2017's I See You. On her own, Romy wrote songs for Dua Lipa and King Princess, and brought some of that larger-than-life pop euphoria to solo releases like the 2020 single "Lifetime" and 2023's full-length Mid Air, which featured the Grammy nominated single "Strong." Madley Croft began playing guitar when she was 15, not long after she came out as gay. With her friend and future bandmate Oliver Sim, she explored South London's club scene in the late 2000s. She fell in love with dance music's power to unite outsiders, and DJ'ed at several queer clubs. Around this time, Madley Croft, Sim, and Jamie xx formed the xx. The band's moody, intimate sound made the most of her soft vocals and muted guitar technique on 2009's Mercury Prize-winning The xx. Their success continued with 2012's Coexist, which reached number one the U.K. Album Charts. Both Madley Croft and Sim appeared on their bandmate Jamie xx's 2015 solo debut album, In Colour, and the group returned in 2017 with I See You, a more fleshed-out sounding work that, like its predecessor, topped the U.K. charts. During the hiatus that followed I See You, Madley Croft pursued a career as a songwriter to artists ranging from King Princess to Jehnny Beth. She contributed to Dua Lipa's Grammy-winning single "Electricity" and connected with producer Fred Again while working on music for Halsey. As she continued to write songs for others, Madley Croft kept some for herself. Created during the early 2020 lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, her debut single, "Lifetime," took inspiration from Ultra Naté and the other favorites from her early club days, as well as her longing for the communion of the dance floor during the social distancing era. Working with a team of queer, female, and non-binary artists that included Fred Again and engineer Marta Salogni, Madley Croft released "Lifetime" in September 2020. The single reached number 83 on the U.K. Singles Chart, and remixes by Planningtorock, Jayda G, and HAAi followed. In 2022, she and HAAi appeared on Fred Again's single "Lights Out," while Fred Again produced Romy's November single "Strong." The latter song was the first taste of Madley Croft's debut solo album, September 2023's Mid Air. Also featuring the Jamie xx collaboration "Enjoy Your Life" (which peaked at 69 on the U.K. Singles Chart), the album's thoughtful yet danceable explorations of love and identity included contributions from Stuart Price and jazz singer Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Earning widespread acclaim, Mid Air reached number 15 on the U.K. Albums Chart and number eight on the Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart in the U.S. Romy's accolades continued when "Strong" was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Recording Grammy Award. ~ Heather Phares