Bar Italia (band)
Bar Italia | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Labels |
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| Members |
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| Website | https://baritaliaa.com |
Bar Italia (stylized in lowercase) are a British indie rock band formed in London in 2020.[1] The band consists of members Nina Cristante (vocals), Sam Fenton (vocals, guitar), and Jezmi Tarik Fehmi (vocals, guitar).[2] Their name is derived from the Soho café Bar Italia.[3]
Biography
The Italian-born Cristante grew up in Rome but moved to London in 2007. Fenton and Fehmi lived in a flat below Cristante in Peckham, where they met. In 2019, they began making music together.[4] The band's sound is often associated with indie sleaze, shoegaze, and lo-fi pop influences.[5]
From 2020 onwards, the band released five albums, three EPs and multiple singles through World Music, the record label founded by London musicians Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland.[6][7]
They were noted as a "new act to watch" by The Face magazine and the number one "rising star to look out for in 2023" by The Times.[2][8] Their 2022 EP CDR was placed at number one on Gorilla vs. Bear's list of the best EPs of 2022,[9] and their track "Miracle Crush" was placed at number 13 on Crack's list of the 25 best songs of 2022.[10]
In March 2023, it was announced they had signed with Matador Records.[11] They released Tracey Denim in May 2023, while their second album of the year, The Twits, released in November and was supported by European and North American tour dates.[12] Both albums received "generally favorable" reviews according to rating aggregator Metacritic,[13][14] with French cultural magazine Les Inrocks placing the two projects collectively at number 10 in their list of the best albums of the year.[15] AllMusic called The Twits a reflection of the group's growth "into an increasingly singular, expressive band",[16] and the record debuted at No. 36 on the UK Albums Chart, the band's highest placement as of 2023.[17]
In October 2025, Bar Italia released their album Some Like It Hot through Matador Records.[18] The record, described as a culmination of the group’s collaborative songwriting, blends rock, folk pop and ballads, and follows their 2023 releases. Ahead of the album, the singles "Cowbella," "Fundraiser," "rooster,"[19] and "omni shambles"[20] were issued, with Fundraiser accompanied by a video featuring actor Matt King.[21] The band began a tour following the release of Some Like It Hot, playing at venues across Europe and North America, including a sold-out release show at The Dome in London.[22]
Other projects
Fehmi and Fenton also make music as a duo under the name Double Virgo, a reference to their shared astrological star sign.[3] Since 2020, they have created a number of indie rock and shoegaze records together, produced by Vegyn and released via his label, PLZ Make It Ruins.[23]
Nina Cristante has created lo-fi pop music under the alias Nina (stylized in all caps), often collaborating with producer and former label mate, Dean Blunt.[24][25][26]
Members
Current members
- Nina Cristante – vocals, percussion, piano, keyboards
- Sam Fenton – vocals, guitar
- Jezmi Tarik Fehmi – guitar, vocals
- Current touring musicians
- Liam Toon – drums (2024–present)
- Mathilde Bataille – bass (2025–present)
Discography
Studio albums
- Quarrel (World Music, 2020)
- Bedhead (World Music, 2021)
- Tracey Denim (Matador, 2023)
- The Twits (Matador, 2023)
- Some Like It Hot (Matador, 2025)
EPs
- Angelica Pilled (World Music, 2020)
- CDR (self-released, 2022)
- The Tw*ts (Matador, 2024)
Singles
| Title | Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Banks" | 2022 | CDR | World Music |
| "Miracle Crush" | World Music | ||
| "Polly Armour" | self-released | ||
| "Nurse!" | 2023 | Tracey Denim | Matador |
| "Punkt!" | Matador | ||
| "Changer" | Matador | ||
| "My Little Tony" | The Twits | Matador | |
| "Jelsy" | Matador | ||
| "World's Greatest Emoter" | Matador | ||
| "Cowbella" | 2025 | Some Like It Hot | Matador |
| "Fundraiser" | Matador |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Libera Awards | Breakthrough Artist | N/A | Nominated | [27] |
References
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (27 October 2023). "'I'd rather be boring than mysterious': Bar Italia on anonymity, originality and disliking Pulp". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ a b "10 rising music acts we think you'll love". The Face. 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b Ewens, Hannah (8 January 2024). "Cover story: Bar Italia – The Rest Is History". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Welcome to Nina Cristante's world". The Face. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (27 October 2023). "'I'd rather be boring than mysterious': Bar Italia on anonymity, originality and disliking Pulp". The Guardian.
- ^ Darville, Jordan (16 November 2022). "Song You Need: Bar Italia spin indie rock gold from ambivalence on "Polly Armour"". The FADER.
- ^ "Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland, formerly Hype Williams, launch new label". Fact. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (20 June 2023). "Best music acts of 2023 — 10 rising stars to listen out for". The Times.
- ^ "Gorilla vs Bear's EPs of 2022". Gorilla vs. Bear. 12 December 2022.
- ^ "Best songs of 2022: Our top 25 tracks". Crack Magazine.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (9 March 2023). "Bar Italia Sign to Matador, Share New Song "Nurse!"". Pitchfork.
- ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (19 September 2023). "Bar Italia Announce New Album The Twits, Share Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Tracey Denim by Bar Italia". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "The Twits by Bar Italia". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Découvrez nos 100 meilleurs albums de 2023 (partie 4/4)". Les Inrocks (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ Phares, Heather. "The Twits". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "BAR ITALIA". Official Charts. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Album Review: Some Like It Hot - Bar Italia". Tastemakers Music Magazine. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "New from bar italia - "rooster"". Matador Records. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "new from bar italia - "omni shambles"". Matador Records. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ Green, Walden (19 August 2025). "Bar Italia Announce Album, Share Video for New Song "Fundraiser"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "Coming October 17: Bar Italia – Some Like It Hot". Matador Records. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "Bar Italia". Beggars Music. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ White, Jessica (20 May 2023). "One to watch: Bar Italia". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Cochrane, Key (31 May 2022). "NINA shares new Dean Blunt produced single, grandiosee". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Dawson, Brit (12 December 2023). "Welcome to Nina Cristante's world". The Face. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Grein, Paul (20 March 2024). "Killer Mike, Mitski, Caroline Polachek Among Top Nominees for 2024 Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 12 April 2024.