Guise “Wish”

GUISE, the alias of Jess Guise, sees out 2023 with one of her most heart-breaking, humbling songs to date: “Wish”. The new track precedes a run of UK dates with folk hero Seth Lakeman – full dates of which can be found below.

Out today via Xtra Mile Recordings, “Wish” is Guise’s first release since the emotional rollercoaster that was her debut album ‘Youngest Daughter’ and this standalone single finds her in similarly fine fettle.

Written as a conversation with her late father, it finds Jess reminiscing on the immortal memories they shared together, while wondering what he would have made of the way her life has turned out since. As she explains:

“”Wish” is a conversation with my Dad, who died suddenly when I was 18. It’s my best attempt at expressing the continued pain of losing someone you love, and what it’s been like learning to carry that love around without him still being here to receive it. Music was a shared language for us and this is the closest I can get to feeling like I’m still actually talking to him. He was the wisest person I’ve ever known and navigating the world without his advice has been a hard and relentless challenge, really. I always, always want to know what he’d think, especially about what I write.”

“Wish” will strike a resonant chord with anyone who has experienced the hollow emptiness that comes with such a loss. Paired with spacious pianos, restrained mandolins, and slow-burning strings, together they create a hushed atmosphere that allows Jess’ conversation to speak volumes. Produced and mixed by Lukas Drinkwater, “Wish” was mastered by Frank Turner.

“I was already proud of this song” Jess adds, “but recording it with my dear friend Lukas Drinkwater, who connected to it so personally and brought some completely fresh ideas to the table along with his incredible musicianship, has resulted in something that neither of us expected. It was such a joy to see the song grow in the studio like that, and I think it’s become my favourite thing I’ve made to date. I’m about as sure as I can ever be that my Dad would like this one.”

“Wish” is the first material from Guise since the 2022 studio album ‘Youngest Daughter’. An autobiographical, story-so-far record filled with honest, personal, and self-deprecating songs told with warmth and humour, it was described by Jess as a “wander through the various ways I’ve tried to follow my heart over the years”. An album that put its heart on its sleeve, it featured the pop perfection of previous singles ‘The Boy & The Thief’, ‘Don’t Come Back’ and the Emily Barker-backed tenderness of ‘I Know When You Leave’. The record was praised as “simply beautiful” (PRS for Music), “gorgeous, spine-tingling” (Backseat Mafia), “an album of sublime beauty” (FATEA); drawing warm comparisons to Dar Williams and Stevie Nicks.

Taking her signature confessional folk/pop wonders on the road this Autumn, Guise will be touring the UK as the Special Guest of Seth Lakeman. Dates are as follows:

GUISE – 2023 TOUR DATES

NOVEMBER
22 GLOUCESTER Guildhall
23 STAMFORD Corn Exchange
24 KENDAL Brewery Arts
25 RAMSBURY
26 BANBURY
27 SETTLE Victoria Hall
28 LYTHAM Lowther Hall
29 SUNDERLAND Firestation
30 LEEDS Brudenell

DECEMBER
01 SWANSEA Taliesin
02 SOUTH PETHERTON
03 SOUTH PETHERTON

*w/ Seth Lakeman

-Official bio