Though having only just recently appeared on the scene, Nottingham-based alternative rock, indie pop three-piece group GIRLBAND! are quickly making a name for themselves, locally and beyond. Those around Nottingham might already be well familiar with the band, who have grown quite a following from steadily gigging in the area for around a year now. Those who aren’t are sure to be soon, thanks to the numerous shows and festivals across Europe that are on the docket for the next few months (including Glastonbury!). The trio have a busy summer ahead of them.
At Read The Room, we have Bella Ramsey to thank for our discovery of GIRLBAND!. No, we’ve never met them (though we’d love to! Hi, Bella!), but after the actor posted a video of the three-piece group to her Instagram story in April of this year, the rest was history. The thumbnail of the shared reel featured who we now know as singer Georgie, drummer Jada and bassist Kay on a rainbow crosswalk, blowing kisses and mid-gesture to the camera, welcoming us in. ‘Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in?’ the text asked. ‘This song is for you’. Consider our interest piqued.
We were immediately taken with the upbeat, formidable queer anthem that is “Not Like The Rest”. Powerful drums and high energy make for a joyful and self-affirming song about not fitting in. It’s a track that you want to blast and dance around your room to, one that brings you back to the dive bars of your early 20s where you spent late night after late night jumping and dancing and sweating out your self-doubt and internalised homophobia (and maybe some alcohol as well). It’s a song that you can’t help but place as the soundtrack to the late-20th Century coming-of-age movie in your head.
With rip-roaring, ambitious callbacks to the late 90s-era of angry riot grrl, GIRLBAND!’s music is aggressive yet introspective, with a high school grass-roots feel that anybody is likely to relate to. The music is young, determined, and packed with pride, calling for a world full of inclusion rather than cynicism - just like the band that performs it.
In honour of Pride Month, co-editor Helena reached out to GIRLBAND! to learn more about the “formidable force for good.” Here’s what singer Georgie had to say:
Helena Emmanuel: Community is often mentioned when folks talk about the Nottingham music scene; the great network of small venues and promoters seemingly a big factor in the collective positivity. What do you love most about the Nottingham music scene? What's been your most memorable local gig so far?
Georgie: I think community is what is best about the Nottingham music scene. Dot To Dot and Hockley Hustle are perfect examples of the wide scale talent. And it’s so broad too - you have grunge, indie, psychedelia, and rap to rock and pop, which is wonderful when you’re at these festivals and stumble across all these artists and bands.
Favourite show has to be Rescue Rooms for us. A sold out headline show that was beyond our imagination. It was a special night for sure, and the room felt full of love and happiness so it just felt like one big party. We could have gone on all night.
HE: As a band, how does the songwriting process look for you? How do songs usually form?
Georgie: So I write the songs on my own mainly with an acoustic or I’ll build them up with a bit of rough production, send them to Jada and Kay, and then we’ll learn them together and have fun with them in rehearsals! I always think songs have to come from some form of truth and honesty otherwise I can’t really sing them with conviction. So all the tunes I’ve written are very personal to me.
HE: Which artists/musicians do you take inspiration from? Is there any artist or band you'd like to work with?
Georgie: We love The Police and Bruce Springsteen! But it’s very broad. The stuff we play in the van on tour really switches up from jazz to rock to 1940s crooner music, which is fun! We would love to support Sam Fender!
HE: What do you hope people feel when listening to your music? What do you want them to take away from it?
Georgie: Definitely an emotional connection from the songs and to feel something in that and within the lyric. And also feel like they belong with that too, especially with songs like “Not Like The Rest” which is all about being queer and not fitting in. But we want people to have fun when they see us and party!
HE: You've got a few brilliant songs out already. What do you have coming up that listeners can look forward to? Is there an album in the works?
Georgie: There’s plenty of songs ready to go and an EP perhaps on the horizon. But yeah, so many songs, so hold tight and we’ll make it worth the wait!
Follow GIRLBAND! on Instagram and YouTube!
Words and interview: Helena Emmanuel (she/they)
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