“When we first went to the United States with a banjo and double bass, we were terrified about how we’d be received,” admits Marcus. “But ‘country’ is a very broad label. We went to this bluegrass festival in Telluride [in 2012], and they just welcomed us with open arms.”
At home in the UK, the Mumfords have faced a lot of backbiting about their privileged, private school upbringings, reflecting national unease about the place of class in the arts. But in an era when many of the world’s biggest stars (Coldplay, Radiohead, the Strokes, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey) come from relatively privileged backgrounds, Mumford & Sons are hardly outliers. As Winston Marshall previously told The Telegraph, “People don’t care about how much money bands have. Either the music is good or it’s not good. It’s that simple.”
In America, their background was irrelevant. “I remember cracking some beers with Robert Plant that night in Telluride,” says Ben. “He maybe taught us a thing or two about being open-minded, because he makes all kinds of music, he’s just so free and so cool. Rock is not British or American. Cultures weave back and forth and cross-pollinate.”
Prizefighter shifts Mumford & Sons into a broader, stranger space, both more epic and more intimate. It was produced by Aaron Dessner of indie rock band the National, an old ally of the Mumfords who has become a trusted collaborator of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. “He’s a very sensitive force in the room,” says Ted. “He really looks after you and helps you explore things, serving your creativity, not bulldozing in to put his fingerprints over everything.”
“Prizefighter feels like an emblematic word,” says Marcus. “There’s been a tension in the band for a few years that we’re sort of releasing on the record in ways that feel cathartic. We’ve had to fight for the band, fight for our relationships inside the band and outside the band. We’ve achieved things few artists ever get to achieve, but we’re still in the fight, driven and ambitious for more.”
“I never want to take such a long break again,” he continues. “We just love it too much, we’ve got too much to do. We’re back now for good.”
Mumford and Sons tour the UK from 29 November; Prizefighter is released on February 13 2026 via Island Records
