The Last Dinner Party's Abigail Morris who attended £42,500 a year Bedales school is branded 'tone deaf' after saying people 'don't want to hear about the cost-of-living crisis'

• The London-based band won this year’s prestigious Brits Rising Star award 
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British indie rock band The Last Dinner Party have caused a storm online after ‘tone deaf’ comments made by the band’s lead singer resurfaced.

The five-piece band from London recently went straight to number one with their debut album Prelude to Ecstasy, knocking James Arthur off the top spot.

But before the girls put champagne on ice, they face growing backlash online regarding a previous comment about the cost-of-living crisis.

Last month, lead singer Abigail Morris told the Times: ‘People don’t want to hear about the cost of living crisis anymore.’

Many have suggested Abigail, who attended Bedales – a school that can cost £42,500 a year, should steer clear of commenting on a topic about struggling make ends meet.

The Last Dinner Party are facing their first controversy after their comments about the cost-of-living crisis resurfaced online. (L to R) Emily Roberts, Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci and Georgia Davies

The band, whose members also include Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies and Aurora Nishevci, secured 32,800 chart sales with their first album in the first week.

It was the biggest opening week for a chart-topping debut album by a band since 2015, when Years & Years managed 55,000 with their debut LP Communion, according to the Official Charts Company.

Prelude to Ecstasy was also the best seller in UK independent record shops that week, landing at Number one on the Official Record Store Chart, and was the biggest vinyl album of the week too.

With over 14,000 vinyl copies included in its total, it’s the highest sales week for a vinyl album since Oasis’ The Masterplan remaster in November.

However, Morris is now being branded ‘tone deaf’ over her comments about the cost-of-living crisis, which has seen many families struggle to make ends meet as inflation hits people’s pockets.

‘People don’t want to hear about the cost of living crisis anymore,’ Abigail told The Times in January. Adding that instead, people rather listen to their lyrics about sex and relationships.

However after the comment resurfaced on X/Twitter, people criticised her for failing to recognise the experiences of people ‘in the real world’.

One said: ‘I’ve kept my mouth shut for far too long. This has made me sick to my stomach. Supposed to be role models but instead you blow idiot wind of privileged, private school elitists with no idea about the real world.

Lead singer Abigail Morris, pictured, told the Times: ”People don’t want to hear about the cost of living crisis anymore’

‘The people who support you live in a cost of living crisis, so why not support them with your music and use your platform for a worthy cause?’

A second added: ‘I actually really enjoy TLDP’s music but this is such a tone deaf, privileged brat comment especially during a time when venues aren’t able to keep their doors open and independent bands can’t afford to go on tour.’

‘Genuinely stunned that a single sentence could be so snobby and entitled’, said a third.

Another added: ‘The thing about The Last Dinner Party (and the likes of Jungle, Fred again etc.) is that their success is indeed down to their hard work, but their backgrounds of wealth and privilege is precisely what has given them the opportunity to work hard on their music.’

‘The Last Dinner Party really said “stop being poor”,’ said another.

A sixth wrote: ‘Well played to The Last Dinner Party tbh, all over the timeline and headlines today.’

The five-piece band won the prestigious BRITS’s Rising Star Award, following in the footsteps of Adele and Sam Smith

In December 2024, The Last Dinner Band became winners of the prestigious BRITs Rising Star award supported by BBC Radio 1.

The news was revealed by Clara Amfo on her BBC Radio 1 Future Sounds show as the DJ finally announced the winner of the sought after accolade.

The indie rock band were shortlisted alongside Tik Tok sensation Caity Baser and 19-year-old singer Sekou, who was the youngest person to ever be nominated for the rising star award.

The Last Dinner Party will hope to follow in the footsteps of Adele, Ellie Goulding, Jorja Smith, Sam Smith, James Bay and Sam Fender, who all previously received the prestigious award.

Formerly known as the Critics’ Choice award, the category is judged by a group of editors and critics, with the prize awarded at the BRIT ceremony on Saturday, March 2.

The award is open to British artists who, as of October 31 2023, have not yet achieved an Official Album Charts Top 20 placing or achieved more than one Top 20 chart placing in the Official Singles Chart.

Speaking about their win The Last Dinner Party said: ‘We are so proud beyond measure to have won the BRITs Rising Star.

‘It’s an honour to achieve something so iconic so early on in our career and we can only hope to keep making music that connects with all the incredible people who have listened to and supported us so far. Thank you!’

FEMAIL has contacted The Last Dinner Party’s representatives for comment.

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