80s Icon Mari Wilson Releases New Single

by Glenn Sargeant | Apr 16, 2026

Celebrating 45 years of recording and touring 80s pop icon Mari Wilson – the Neasden Queen of Soul and one of British music’s most enduring and versatile artists returns with her joyful new single Good News, out now.

It is the first taste of her brand-new album Girl About Town, due 4 September 2026 – her first new album of original material in over 10 years.

Good News is a retro-inspired feel-good pop song steeped in the warmth of 60s soul; richly melodic, warmly arranged, and carrying a message the world needs right now.

Mari Wilson: “The idea for this came from watching the documentary Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story. It’s about Kate’s husband’s long-term complications of Covid and how she couldn’t visit him at the hospital for a very long time, and the challenges of being a full-time carer when he came home. That idea, coupled with all the terrible things happening in the world, made me think of how we are just not getting any good news and we all need it, especially right now. Musically I wanted it to have a bit of a Beach Boys vibe.”

Good News is the opening statement of a record that promises to be a genuine return to form. Girl About Town is the album Mari’s long-standing fans have been waiting for; a captivating collection of self-penned songs which reflect the diverse musical influences that have shaped her life and career. Its infectious blend of retro soul and irresistible pop hooks should also introduce her to a whole new generation of listeners. “I had such a wonderful time writing and recording this album, and I’m really proud of it,” says Mari. “From the very beginning, I wanted to have a good time, and I think that shines through – it’s very much ‘me’. My fans have been eagerly waiting for new music, and I think it’s been worth the wait. I’m really excited to be releasing new music at this stage in my life.”

BIO:

Mari Wilson first exploded onto the British pop scene in the early 1980s with her skyscraper beehive, a fully choreographed twelve-piece band The Wilsations and a string of irresistible hit singles. Signed and celebrated, she notched up six chart hits including the classics ‘Just What I’ve Always Wanted’ and ‘Cry Me A River’, both taken from her debut album ‘Showpeople’. In the mid-eighties, after extensive touring across the UK, Europe and the United States, Mari made a bold and deliberate artistic turn. Reducing the band, stripping back the spectacle, she immersed herself in jazz, going on to perform regularly at Ronnie Scott’s and the South Bank, whilst sharing stages with legends like BB King and Ray Charles. “This is what really gave me my vocal chops,” she says. The result was a singer transformed: technically deeper, emotionally richer, and impossible to categorise.

That vocal authority has since carried her through an extraordinary and wide-ranging career; acclaimed jazz-pop albums, sold-out musical theatre runs (including playing Dusty Springfield in ‘Dusty The Musical’ and appearing alongside Boy George in ‘Taboo’), a Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Original Song, a beloved annual Christmas show at Islington Assembly Hall, and a 2023 Cherry Red anthology celebrating her iconic 80s catalogue. She has opened for Level 42, guested with Marc Almond and Heaven 17’s British Electric Foundation, and performed her BBC hit version of ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’ for the globally successful series ‘Coupling’.

Now, with Good News and the forthcoming album Girl About Town, Mari Wilson steps back into the spotlight, bringing with her four decades of craft, charisma, and an undiminished ability to make people feel good.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Measure PR

Mari Wilson’s new single ‘Good News’ is out now.

Listen Here: https://slinky.to/GoodNewsSingle

Her new album ‘Girl About Town’ will be released on Friday 4th September 2026.

For more information visit her official website: https://www.mariwilson.co.uk/

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