Merging tuneful indie pop with emotionally honest lyrics, Wallice is a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter who first found success with the 2020 single “Punching Bag.” After signing with Britain’s Dirty Hit label, her music took on a slightly more jagged alt-rock edge with the EPs 90s American Superstar (2022) and Mr. Big Shot (2023). Wallice delivered her debut album, The Jester, in late 2024.

Creative from a young age, Wallice Hana Watanabe first pursued an acting career in her native California before studying jazz vocals at college in New York. By that point, she had already written numerous songs and decided to leave school and make a go of her music career back in Los Angeles. Working with childhood friend and producer Marinelli, Wallice developed a D.I.Y. indie pop sound that pulled from her early influences like Lorde and Lana Del Rey, which she paired with honest, relatable lyrics. Her 2020 single “Punching Bag” connected squarely on the streaming networks, racking up millions of plays.

Follow-up singles like “23” and “Headache” from her 2021 EP Off the Rails hinted at a more aggressive sound. Wallice soon signed with the U.K. label Dirty Hit, which issued “Wisdom Tooth” in late 2021. Her 2022 EP 90s American Superstar had a harder, though no less melodic, edge that leaned into gritty alt-rock. Later that year, she teamed up with British singer/songwriter and Dirty Hit labelmate Oscar Lang on the fuzzy pop single “I’ve Never Been to L.A.,” then released a quieter fingerpicked solo ballad, “Japan.” It was a temporary reprieve; Wallice’s next EP, 2023’s Mr. Big Shot, resumed her alt-pop direction with sparkling melodies and rousing choruses. All of this served as a precursor to her debut album, The Jester. Released by Dirty Hit in November 2024, the 14-song LP combined Wallice’s various styles into a hybrid of energetic synth pop and indie rock. – Biography by Timothy Monger