Q&A: Annie Dukes Smashes the Silence on Women’s Healthcare Struggles in “Mother’s China”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT A FINE CHINA SET – pristine, delicate, reserved for special occasions yet rarely touched. A relic of tradition, a symbol of expectation. It sits behind glass, admired but fragile, its worth determined by how well it remains unscathed. Jacksonville’s femme-fronted rock band Annie Dukes channel this imagery in their searing new single, “Mother’s China”—a song that shatters the illusion of perfection and exposes the cracks in the foundation of women’s healthcare and reproductive rights.
“Mother’s China” is Annie Dukes’ first release of the year, and it arrives with a fury that’s impossible to ignore. Known for their explosive fusion of 70s rock soundscapes and 90s grunge grit, the band takes their sound to new heights, layering three-part harmonies over a bed of heavy riffs and relentless rhythms. But beneath the fire and distortion lies something even more urgent—a raw, unfiltered rage against the societal pressures placed on women and the lack of autonomy they are given over their own bodies.
“The inspo for the song is definitely personal,” the band shares. “Even before Roe v. Wade and all that, the absolute lack of knowledge and help when it comes to women’s healthcare has always been frustrating. The lyrics came together focusing on that, but then it expanded into a bigger idea—just being so fed up with the expectations placed on women while being legally restricted from making decisions about our own health. It’s a hopeless feeling of anger.”
That frustration transforms into fire in “Mother’s China.” With ferocious guitar work, searing vocals, and driving percussion, Annie Dukes takes aim at the structures that have long dictated what women can and cannot do with their own bodies. The title itself is a layered metaphor—a reference to both the delicate yet restrictive roles women are expected to play and the way those expectations are passed down, like an heirloom, from generation to generation.
Yet, just like those fragile dishes, the reality is much different. Cracks form under pressure, and when enough weight is applied, they shatter. “Mother’s China” is the sound of that breaking point—the moment when something beautiful turns into something sharp and uncontainable.
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what inspires your artistic style and sound?
CASSIDY: I think that all of us, individually, as artists have different inspirations that all come together and melt into one thing that has become our sound, which is super cool.
EMMA: All of our songs basically are a collaboration, whether somebody's bringing in lyrics or a guitar riff or something, so our sound has really grown into what it is today. We don't really go into writing a song with an intent of it sounding like a genre. It's just a big collaboration with us.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
EMMA: We always want to create a safe and inclusive space. A lot of the things that we write about are topics that aren't so easy to talk about, so we just want to create an environment where, when people listen to our music, they can relate to it and feel that it's almost their story as well.
LUNA: Annie Dukes is part of Jacksonville, Florida’s DIY and punk scenes, and for any readers who aren’t familiar with its music scene, how has its scene and community inspired or impacted your sound?
CASSIDY: We have a great music community that's super supportive. I think there is a lot of DIY music in the scene, and Jacksonville is one of the biggest cities land-wise, and there is just so much talent here. Every day of the week there is some sort of music going on, so we're super grateful that we have support from the community, and we try to give back to it as much as we can as well.
LUNA: You have released one of your first songs of the year “Mother’s China” and I love how deeply it resonates with your female listeners. What is the inspiration behind the song and what themes and emotions do you explore?
EMMA: The inspo for the song is definitely personal, and just knowing other people's stories around women's health care and how frustrating it can be, even before Roe v. Wade and all that, just the absolute lack of knowledge and help there is for women's healthcare. I think that the lyrics just came together, like focusing on that, but then it went into a bigger idea of just being so frustrated with the societal pressures that are put on women and the expectations of that all while being held under these legal laws and regulations on our own health and wellness. I think it's just a hopeless feeling of anger.
LUNA: Can you walk us through the creative process for “Mother’s China?” How did the song evolve from the initial idea to the final version?
EMMA: We wrote the music to it first, which was cool. Usually it starts with an idea, so we started with the music, and I sat with it for a while. I always really loved the name “Mother’s China.” China sets were always a big deal in my family, and it was something that I just never gave a shit about, and I never understood why it was so important. It's this breakable, tangible thing that can just be taken away in two seconds, but it's been important for generations. It connected to me about a china set being a symbol of everything that we write about in the song.
LUNA: How does “Mother’s China” fit into the broader narrative of your music and the messages you aim to share as a band?
CASSIDY: I think that we always like to have some sort of important message. Annie Dukes are always evolving with their sound and the message that we put out. I think this is just another stepping stone into our journey and shows our growth as humans and as artists.
LUNA: How do you hope listeners—especially women—resonate with “Mother’s China?” What do you want them to take away from it?
EMMA: Solidarity and knowing that they're not alone. If they want to put the song on repeat and be angry about it and just rock out with us, then that would be awesome.
LUNA: What inspires you to push boundaries within your sound? Are there any specific experiences, artists, or moments that have encouraged you to explore new musical territories?
EMMA: We have a ton of different inspirations. I think some bands out right now are super inspiring, like Mannequin Pussy. I'm obsessed with them right now. We're inspired by so many people, even Chappell Roan coming out and doing her thing in the pop world, just to see females owning it right now in the music industry is so inspiring. It gives stepping stones for other women in music to just be like, ‘we can do it too.’
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would love to share with Luna?
CASSIDY: I think that we are super happy with where we are and excited to see where the New Year takes us. We always have goals and those change every year, and I think that we're just excited to get out there with this new material that we have and share it with the world and see where that takes us.
