Yes, Fetty Wap and his melodic, raspy voice may have been the breakout star of summer 2k15, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t musicians waiting to steal his spot this fall. And with ladies taking over the UK airwaves and the Madrid lo fi rock scene, it’s clear that girl power didn’t end with the breakup of the Spice Girls. So in honor of all the ladies laying down sweet tracks right now, we’ve rounded up our favorite all-girl acts on the cusp.
Nicole Dollanganger, the dreamy Grimes protégé
It’s hard to believe that Nicole Dollanganger’s dreamy, childlike voice came out of the hardcore scene of Toronto. But the Ontario-based singer explains to i-D, “I’ve really been inspired by what goes into that style of music vocally. The genre taught me to appreciate performance over perfection, which is something I take to heart with all of my music.” Even though she has a cult following on Tumblr and seven self-released recordings on her Bandcamp, Nicole has yet to release any music with a record label. The doll-fanatic and Grimes protégé is currently working with a band that consists of her two best friends. But she is also “anxious and excited to get back into a studio and work on [her next solo] record.”
Hinds, the chillest Spanish girl group
Lo-fi band Hinds is bringing laidback Cali vibes to Madrid with its playful, garage pop tunes. The Spanish four-piece – consisting of guitarists Carlotta Cosials and Ana Gracia Perrote, bassist Ade Martin, and drummer Amber Grimbergen – has released a number of energetic and contagiously happy singles over the past two years. Considering the band hasn’t released a complete album yet – although there’s rumored to be one dropping late October – Hinds has received a lot of buzz for their giddy singles “Bamboo” and “Chili Town.” Even gap-toothed rocker Mac Demarco is a fan of the girls’ no-shits-given attitude and beachy vibes.
Pixx, the airy teenage pop prodigy
Hannah Rodgers – who goes by the alias Pixx when laying down her dreamy shoegazing tracks – is the newest addition to 4AD’s already impressive roster. (The illustrious label is already home to i-D faves Grimes and Ariel Pink.) The UK native is following in the footsteps of fellow Brit school grads like King Krule and Tala, and has signed with a record label before her 20th birthday. Pixx told i-D that she loves the honesty that artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell put into their music, and tries to channel the same simple vibes in her own. “I believe that a song should sound beautiful and captivating in its simplest form. I adore moulding the sound of a song I have composed in my bedroom on an acoustic guitar into something else in the studio, but I will always remember where that song came from, and how it originally sounded.” Her debut EP, Fall In, will drop August 28 and is an introduction to the enigmatic, playful sound that she has found in the last couple of years.
UNiiQU3, the too lit to quit New Jersey DJ
If UNiiQU3 is attempting to create the perfect booty shaking track, she has done it – many times over. The DJ extraordinaire, who got her start DJing in 2009 at the age of 19, has taken the club scene by storm. In one year, the self-described Jersey Club Kween went from playing small college shows to headlining New York’s Afropunk festival. She even toured Europe, an experience she found incredibly inspiring. “I got to visit places I dreamed of going to, because of something I love to do. I got to meet so many amazing people and connect with my fans over there too,” she says. Coming from a remix backgroud – her Skepta and Chris Brown remixes are killer – she spent the past year learning how to produce original content: “I want to show the world how creative I am and that you shouldn’t limit yourself to just one thing.” With a summer that was full of insane Rye Rye and Brenmar collaborations, UNiiQU3 is sure to be dropping some danceable hits this fall.
Childbirth, the punk band singing about feminine hygiene
The Seattle-based punk trio made up of guitarist Julia Shapiro, bass player Bree McKenna, and drummer Stacy Peck was born out of the Seattle DIY scene. The three girls are also members of Seattle bands Pony Time, Chastity Belt and Tacocat. “The current Seattle music scene is the best that it has ever been – it’s flooded with a lot of cool women playing in amazing bands,” the trio tells i-D. Childbirth’s sound is influenced by their other bands as well as the early 2000s American DIY movement. The band has some serious riot grrl vibes, and their single “I Only F*cked You As a Joke” received a lot of acclaim. Their followup album Women’s Rights, set to release in early October, will be filled with feminist songs and killer lyrics about being a modern woman.
Credits
Text Hana Beach
Photography Dan Kendall