Rose Gray<\/a> has spoken to NME<\/em> about working on some \u201cwild\u201d new music, as well as her love of Wolf Alice<\/a>, and unwavering appreciation for her LGBTQ+ fans.<\/p>\n The recent NME<\/em> Cover star<\/a> caught up with us backstage at the Trans Mission show in London at Wembley Arena on Wednesday (March 11), where she appeared on the bill alongside Wolf Alice, Beth Ditto<\/a>, Adam Lambert<\/a>, Beverley Knight<\/a>, Sugababes<\/a>, Olly Alexander<\/a>, HAAi<\/a>, Jasmine.4.T<\/a>, Kae Tempest<\/a>, Kate Nash<\/a>, MNEK<\/a>, Romy<\/a>, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dubbed \u201cA Night of Solidarity For A Lifetime Of Change\u201d, the one-off concert<\/a> was organised by Olly Alexander and Mighty Hoopla<\/a>\u2019s Glyn Fussell as a \u201cstatement that trans people are loved, valued, and celebrated, and that the entertainment industry stands proudly with them\u201d.<\/p>\n Guest speakers included Sir Ian McKellen<\/a>, Jordan Stephens<\/a>, Munroe Bergdorf, Nicola Coughlan, Russell Tovey, Tia Kofi, Zack Polanski and more, and profits raised were split evenly between the Good Law Project<\/a> and the transgender charity Not A Phase<\/a>.<\/p>\n Towards the end of the night, Gray took to the stage to break out two songs \u2013 \u2018April\u2019 from her 2025 debut album \u2018Louder, Please<\/a>\u2019, and a brand new, currently unreleased single called \u2018Straight From The Club To Your Heart\u2019.<\/p>\n Before then, she caught up with us backstage and revealed that she wanted to be a part of the Trans Mission line-up because of her deep connection with fans from the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n \u201cI have played a few Mighty Hoopla events with Glyn and they\u2019re always my favourite shows, my favourite crowds, and my favourite community. I love playing to LGBTQ [crowds], they are my people. They\u2019re my friends,\u201d she said, adding that she \u201cdefinitely wants to be involved in more events like this\u201d in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel really blessed and lucky to have a voice and to be able to speak out [at events like these],\u201d she continued. \u201cA lot of the music I write is for my friends and about my friendship group. Not all of them are writers or musicians, but I almost feel like I\u2019m being their voice a little bit [in my music].\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about which acts on the line-up she was looking forward to seeing perform, Gray named Imogen Heap<\/a> and Olly Alexander as two big sources of inspiration for her, and added that she was also a fan of Wolf Alice and their latest album, \u2018The Clearing<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve listened to their music for years, but the last record really hit a chord with me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt really felt like it captured the pop artist questioning whether to move to LA or to stay in London, and the late \u201820s confusion. I loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about what she has planned after the Trans Mission gig, Gray shared that she is gearing up for her upcoming UK headline tour (find tickets here<\/a>), and also writing some new music that sees her lean into \u201cwild\u201d new avenues.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m bringing out a new single, which I\u2019m actually debuting tonight,\u201d she said, referring to \u2018Straight From The Club To Your Heart\u2019. \u201cI\u2019m still a bit nervous playing new stuff [because] it feels like I\u2019m about to open my diary in front of thousands of people.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about what fans can expect from the new material, the singer added: \u201cI\u2019m not departing my \u2018Louder, Please\u2019 world. It\u2019s still electronic, it\u2019s still pop, and it\u2019s still very anthemic. But I am definitely transitioning into a different world. I have some guitars, which is wild for me, and I\u2019m still in the thick of making the new record.\u201d<\/p>\n Last January, \u2018Louder, Please\u2019 was given a four-star review from NME<\/em><\/a> and praised as incorporating an \u201cenigmatic cutting edge into her upbeat dance-pop sound\u201d. It was also named as one of NME<\/em>\u2019s best albums of 2025<\/a>, and saw Gray shortlisted for the 2026 BRITs<\/a> Critics\u2019 Choice shortlist. The latter was later awarded to Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon.<\/a><\/p>\n As well as Gray, other performances on the night came from Rahim Redcar<\/a>, who performed Christine And The Queens<\/a>\u2019 tracks \u2018Full Of Life\u2019 and \u2018Deep Holes\u2019, Kate Nash<\/a> who played fan-favourite \u2018Foundations\u2019, and Wolf Alice who showed up after their win at the BRITs<\/a> to break out acoustic versions of \u2018Leaning Against the Wall\u2019 and \u2018Don\u2019t Delete the Kisses\u2019.<\/p>\n Olly Alexander ran through some Years & Years<\/a> songs too, and was introduced to the stage by Sir Ian McKellen<\/a>, who also recited Shakespeare\u2019s The Strangers\u2019 Case<\/em> speech from Thomas More to the crowd \u2013 having also done so on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The xx<\/a>\u2019s Romy<\/a> also played a brief DJ set with HAAi, and Jasmine.4.T<\/a> brought out Jacob Alon<\/a> as a special guest. Find out more about what went down at the show here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n
![\"Rose](\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rose-gray@2000x1270.jpg\")