RISING SOUTH-AFRICAN SINGER & SONGWRITER WILL LINLEY RELEASES NEW TRACK “UP AT NIGHT”

Rising 22-year-old South-African singer-songwriter Will Linley shares a brand new single entitled “Up At Night” out now via Island Records. The song is the 3rd track off of his anxiously awaited full-length debut album, Don’t Cry Because It’s Over, set to release on September 5th. 

Will elaborates, “I wrote ‘Up At Night’ with Jackson Foote, Colin Foote, and Alex Borel.  This song is pure joy — it’s for dancing around your bedroom or screaming in the car. I knew from the moment we wrote it that it was meant to be a single, not just another album track.”

Don’t Cry Because It’s Over captures the whole arc of first love – from its hopeful beginnings to its quiet endings. Blending introspective storytelling with polished pop production, the album moves through themes of connection, heartbreak, nostalgia, and growth. Influenced by the emotional realism of classic romantic comedies, the project offers a globally minded take on modern relationships. Across 12 tracks, Linley combines heartfelt lyricism with vibrant melodies, creating a debut that’s both personal and universally relatable.

Will notably wrote and recorded the album during sessions in Los Angeles. He teamed up with trusted collaborators and executive producers David Balshaw and Bubele Booi (The Imports) to bring this body of work to life. For as much as they drew inspiration from favorites such as Coldplay, One Direction, and 5 Seconds of Summer, they also leaned on classic rom-coms, including Notting Hill, About Time, No Strings Attached, Friends with Benefits, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. By doing so, Will tells a story that’s big screen-ready, teeming with drama, joy, heartbreak, and all the feels.

Previously released, he set the stage for the album with “Cinematic,” which has already amassed over 1 million streams, and last month’s “First Love.” 

Will made a splash in 2024 with his US headlining “Magic Tour.“ In the midst of the tour, he also took the stage at Lollapalooza. He’s most known for his Magic EP – a collection of “sad-pop” songs, where he masterfully blends raw, emotional lyrics with cheery, dance-y beats. The EP features previously released singles, including “Maybe,” “Gracie,””Tough (The Girls Song),” and most notably, “Last Call.”