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Lambrini Girls have rapidly carved out a reputation as one of the most vital and volatile live acts in the UK. Fresh off the back of their breakout debut album 'Who Let The Dogs Out' and a relentless touring schedule that now spans everything from Coachella to Primavera, the Brighton pair return with new single 'Cult Of Celebrity' ahead of a busy summer. It's a track that takes their already uncompromising worldview and pushes it somewhere even darker and more surreal.
That same sense of absurdity-meets-aggression defines 'Cult Of Celebrity', a track that takes aim squarely at fame and the machinery that sustains it. "The concept of the song is about the trope of celebrities selling their soul to the devil, but by stripping away the metaphor and making it literal," Phoebe Lunny explains. "The song basically explains that celebrities and the elite actually have done more than just sold their soul. They eat babies. They are the devil incarnate."
There's a deliberate lack of subtlety here; Lambrini Girls have never been interested in polite critique. Instead, 'Cult Of Celebrity' takes the long-standing mythologies around fame and strips them down into something grotesquely literal, reflecting a world where, as Phoebe sees it, the line between satire and reality is becoming increasingly blurred.
Referencing Antonio Gramsci's famous line - "now is the time of monsters" - the band position their new track firmly within a moment of political and cultural instability. "The quote refers to the decay of old political systems and the birth of new ones," Phoebe says. "Capitalism is failing, look at our unchecked corporate power, authoritarianism. The monsters want to take us all down with them. When things feel uncertain, people cling to extremes, and that's often where the most damaging ideas take hold."
"Both," Phoebe says, when asked whether celebrity culture creates monsters or simply disguises them. "Celebrity culture is so good at softening or repackaging power. People can be incredibly influential or harmful, but still feel relatable or untouchable because of how they're presented. Dangerous shit." It's a blunt assessment, but one that feels entirely in keeping with a band whose whole identity is built around cutting through façades.
Of course, Lambrini Girls are not operating outside of the systems they critique. If anything, their rapid rise has only made those contradictions more apparent. "We're existing and benefiting in the same capitalist system which we are critiquing," Phoebe admits. "Feels a bit hypocritical sometimes, but if you want to reach people, you have to operate in those structures to some extent." It's an awareness that adds another layer to their work - not just critique from the outside, but agitation from within.
If there's a single takeaway they want listeners to leave with after hearing 'Cult Of Celebrity', it's not exactly comforting. "That celebrity culture is a smokescreen for something way darker and inhuman. Celebrities are not your friends; you should be scared shitless of them."
"Celebrities are not your friends; you should be scared shitless of them"
— Phoebe Lunny, Lambrini Girls
As for what comes next, Lambrini Girls remain characteristically evasive. "Allegedly. Speak to our lawyer," Phoebe says when asked if more new material is on the way. What is certain, however, is that the band will be spending much of the year on the road, bringing their confrontational energy to festival stages across the globe, including a highly anticipated appearance at Dot To Dot this May. Joining a sprawling line-up that continues the festival's long-standing commitment to championing new and emerging talent, Lambrini Girls will play across the Bristol and Nottingham editions during the Bank Holiday weekend, alongside artists like FCUKERS, NewDad, Ratboys and Mandy, Indiana.
For the band, live shows remain central to everything they do, and, unsurprisingly, they're not planning to play it safe. "Prepare to be shocked and disappointed," Phoebe says of the upcoming run, hinting at new material making its way into the set. When it comes to the places they're most excited to return to, the answer is as chaotic as ever: "Super excited to be back at Primavera this year, Sziget and your mum's house."
Dot To Dot, in particular, feels like a natural fit for a band like Lambrini Girls - it's a festival built on discovery, where future headliners often cut their teeth in smaller rooms before exploding. Asked who else people should catch on the line-up, Phoebe points towards "Mandy Indiana, Goodbye and Silver Gore," while also reflecting on the thrill of stumbling across something unexpected in a festival setting. "Saw a band called Frenzy at an Australian festival recently. My god, they were fucking nuts."
Sustaining that level of intensity across a packed summer schedule might seem like a challenge, but Lambrini Girls approach it with the same irreverence they bring to everything else. "Our self-care routine includes rubbing ourselves in Dubai Chocolate before every show," Phoebe says. It's advice that may or may not be medically endorsed.
And for anyone planning to catch them for the first time over the coming months, consider yourself warned. "[They should] cover their eyes if they don't want to see raw bussy being dropped on stage."
Before wrapping up, there's one final message Phoebe is keen to make clear: "Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Trans lives matter. Vote for Zac Polanski." It's a reminder that Lambrini Girls are determined not just to reflect the world as it is, but to shout about it at full volume.
Lambrini Girls' single 'Cult of Celebrity' is out now. Dot to Dot will take place on 23rd and 24th May; visit dottodotfestival.co.uk for more information.
