Happy Women’s History Month, ya’ll! Are you looking for a way to celebrate that isn’t just meme-sharing and insta-posts? We got you. The first annual “We Got the Beat – Women in Music Summit'' is debuting at the legendary (and female-owned) Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY at the end of the month (March 25th-27th). This immersive weekend will unite creatives and music lovers alike to commemorate the often overlooked contributions made by women in the music industry. The epic event boasts three days of concerts,...

A conversation with director Celeste Bell about her new doc celebrating her mom, Poly Styrene Poly Styrene, born Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, was a punk icon and the rare person of color to gain visibility in the early days of the British punk movement. In Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, the inspiring, heartrending, and engrossing film about her life that began streaming and doing regional screenings in February, we also discover she was something of a prodigy. Film codirector Celeste Bell, who also happens to be...

  Florence and the Machine’s new single and music video “King” just dropped and so did my jaw. The visually stunning and powerful video was directed by photographer/director Autumn de Wilde, who directed 2020’s Emma. It begins in a seemingly abandoned room, filled with empty bookshelves and large windows, and an angry and tearful man in focus. As the camera moves in, we witness a haunting groan coming from a floating Florence Welch–donning a rose colored cloak and looking like pure witchy royalty. A thick bass line...

BUST is thrilled to exclusively premiere NYC’s own Kendra Morris’ new music video for her song “Circle Eights.” Fresh off her new album Nine Lives, “Circle Eights” serves smooth melancholic harmonies with a moody bass line, and features Morris’ powerful lead vocals that are reminiscent of the early ‘70s records she was raised on. Morris often credits her parent's well-stocked vinyl collection for exposing her to music that shaped everything she loves. The collection varied from old reggae to old soul, some Jimi Hendrix, a little...

FPA Princess Wiko (37d03d) If you’ve been sleeping on Minneapolis-based artists, this is your wake-up call to start obsessing over the area’s myriad of genre-defying musicians, like FPA. Frances Priya Anczarski’s concept narrative album, Princess Wiko, tells the story of a medieval princess discovering her true self after forsaking her heart. This daydreamy ennui is relayed throughout the album with soulful melodies and gentle piano chords, but contrasted with driving electronic beats as on “Untitled,” and with powerful spoken-word interludes like those on “Blumenau.” “Last to Bloom” is the...

Queer artists have always been powerful and emotive additions to our playlists as they sing about everything from bashing heteronormativity, discovering their sexualities through a first kiss or sexual encounter, or getting their hearts broken. Within the queer music scene, their contributions are many; artists such as Hayley Kiyoko and Girl in Red have introduced a new generation to sapphic pop in recent years, while artists such as Bitch have been catering to queer audiences for decades. Throughout time, we credit these artists for the...

As a lover of both queer musicians and female rockers and badass music makers, Bitch is a name and face I’ve seen since my #babydyke days, strolling used record stores after school. So when I was told she had new music coming, featuring them, was a no-brainer. “I’ve changed my pronouns to she and they, just the other day,” Bitch declares excitedly, almost as soon as they enter our Zoom room. Sporting a warm and inviting smile, the artist known as Bitch has on a...

This is a Valentine’s Day PSA for the adventurous group of Galentines, the ‘we have been together forevers’ and even just platonic bffs looking for a night out that also happens to be on Valentine’s Day. Regardless of your relationship status, the 7th annual Valentine’s Village of Love Planned Parenthood Benefit is the ultimate celebration of love for everyone. With live music, cocktails, dancing, and rock’n’roll, the event includes 24 women from your favorite NYC bands; each singing one of their favorite love songs accompanied by...

Amelia Meath of the two-time Grammy nominated Electronic-Dance music duo Sylvan Esso, speaks to BUST about Free Love, the concept and their latest album, the necessity of live performance in today’s times, and why Durham North Carolina is the perfect place to come home to after a round of touring.  BUST: Congrats on your second grammy nomination. Your latest album is entitled Free Love. How did you two settle on that title? Amelia Meath: We called it Free Love for so many different reasons, mostly because we knew...

After the band’s breakthrough performance in Amy Poehler’s movie Moxie earlier this year, L.A. quartet the Linda Lindas went viral with their song “Racist, Sexist Boy,” and inked a deal with Epitaph. Here, the group opens up about silliness, sexism, and silver linings.  Even though the youngest member of L.A. band the Linda Lindas won’t be able to order a daiquiri for another decade (members’ ages range from 11 to 17), they’ve already shared the stage with legends like Karen O, Alice Bag, riot grrrl royalty Bikini...