# Whitelands

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{{Use British English|date=September 2024}}
{{short description|Shoegaze band from London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Whitelands
| image             = Whitelands.jpg
| caption           = Whitelands at Islington Assembly Hall in April 2025
| landscape         = yes
| origin            = London, England
| genre             = [Shoegaze](/source/Shoegaze), [dream pop](/source/dream_pop), [alternative rock](/source/alternative_rock)
| years_active      = {{start date|2016}}–2026
| label             = [Sonic Cathedral](/source/Sonic_Cathedral)
| past_members      = *Etienne Quartey-Papafio
*Michael Adelaja
*Vanessa Govinden
*Jagun Meseorisa
}}

'''Whitelands''' was a [shoegaze](/source/shoegaze) band from [London](/source/London), England. Originally formed as a solo recording project by Etienne Quartey-Papafio, the current lineup is also made up of Michael Adelaja, Vanessa Govinden, and Jagun Meseorisa. The band was signed to the record label [Sonic Cathedral](/source/Sonic_Cathedral) before they announced their disbanding on April 28 2026.

== History ==
Formed in 2017 originally as a solo recording project by Etienne Quartey-Papafio (vocals and guitar), it is now a full band completed by Michael Adelaja (guitar), Vanessa Govinden (bass), and Jagun Meseorisa (drums). 

Their first full band live performance was at [First Timers](/source/First_Timers_(festival)) 2017, at [DIY Space for London](/source/DIY_Space_for_London).<ref name="GIHE">{{cite web|url=https://getinherears.com/2024/10/07/live-slowdive-deary-whitelands-earth-theatre-hackney-07-10-24/|title=LIVE: Slowdive, Deary & Whitelands – Earth Theatre, Hackney (04.10.24)|website=Get In Her Ears|first=Kate|last=Crudgington|date=7 October 2024|accessdate=8 October 2024}}</ref>

Their first full-length album ''Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day'' was released on [Sonic Cathedral](/source/Sonic_Cathedral) in February 2024.<ref name="Line">{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/whitelands-night-bound-eyes-are-blind-to-the-day-bring-shoegaze-to-future|title=Whitelands "Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day"|date=21 February 2024|first=Chris|last=Todd|accessdate=12 September 2024|website=[Line of Best Fit](/source/Line_of_Best_Fit)}}</ref><ref name="Skinny">{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/whitelands-night-bound-eyes-are-blind-to-the-day|title=Whitelands – Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day|date=19 February 2024|first=Laurie|last=Presswood|accessdate=12 September 2024|website=[The Skinny](/source/The_Skinny_(magazine))}}</ref><ref name="NMEReview">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/whitelands-band-debut-album-review-radar-3589524|title=Whitelands – 'Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day' review: London shoegazers' debut comes alive in the details|first=Huw|last=Baines|date=20 February 2024|website=[NME](/source/NME)|accessdate=12 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="Clash">{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/whitelands-announce-debut-lp-night-bound-eyes-are-blind-to-the-day/|title=Whitelands Announce Debut LP 'Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day'|date=10 January 2024|first=Robin|last=Murray|website=[Clash](/source/Clash_(magazine))|accessdate=12 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="Stereogum">{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2247457/whitelands-tell-me-about-it/music/|title=Whitelands – "Tell Me About It"|date=10 January 2024|website=[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)|first=Danielle|last=Chelosky|accessdate=12 September 2024}}</ref> In June 2024, ''[NME](/source/NME)'' called it one of the best debut albums of the year so far.<ref name="NME24">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/best-debut-albums-of-2024-so-far-radar-3768653|title=The 10 best debut albums of 2024… so far!|website=[NME](/source/NME)|date=26 June 2024|accessdate=12 September 2024}}</ref> In November 2024, [Rough Trade](/source/Rough_Trade_(shops)) listed the album as number 64 on their top 100 albums of 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Albums of the Year 2024 |url=https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/collection/albums-of-the-year-2024?ref=blog.roughtrade.com |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Rough Trade |language=en}}</ref>

On 18 June 2025, the band released the single "Heat of the Summer".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2312262/whitelands-heat-of-the-summer/music/|website=[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)|title=Whitelands – "Heat Of The Summer"|first=Danielle|last=Chelosky|date=18 June 2025|access-date=2 October 2025}}</ref> On 30 September, the band released a further single titled "Glance" and announced that their next album ''Sunlight Echoes'' would be released on 30 January 2026. A music video was made for the song featuring [David Jonsson](/source/David_Jonsson) and [Honor Swinton Byrne](/source/Honor_Swinton_Byrne).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2324758/whitelands-announce-new-album-sunlight-echoes-hear-glance/music/|title=Whitelands Announce New Album Sunlight Echoes: Hear "Glance"|website=[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)|date=30 September 2025|access-date=2 October 2025|first=Margaret|last=Farrell}}</ref> On 20 November, they released a third single from the album, "Songbird (Forever)", also accompanied by a music video.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/whitelands-share-evocative-songbird-forever-video/|title=Whitelands Share Evocative 'Songbird (Forever)' Video|website=[Clash](/source/Clash_(magazine))|first=Robin|last=Murray|date=20 November 2025|access-date=20 November 2025}}</ref>
On April 28 2026 the band announced their disbanding.

==Discography==
*''Old News'' (2018), self-released
*''Whitelands'' (2018), self-released digitally and on cassette on For the Sake of Tapes 
*''compilation'' (2019), Hidden Bay Records
*''Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day'' (2024), [Sonic Cathedral](/source/Sonic_Cathedral)
*''Sunlight Echoes'' (2026), Sonic Cathedral

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Category:British shoegaze musical groups
Category:British dream pop musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 2017
Category:Alternative rock groups from London
Category:2017 establishments in England
Category:Black British rock musicians

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Whitelands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitelands) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitelands?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.