Q&A: Sister Punk Duo Girl Tones Make Explosive Debut with “Fade Away”
RAUCOUSLY MAKING THEIR DEBUT ONE TO REMEMBER – sister punk duo Girl Tones have released their first single “Fade Away.” Girl Tones, comprised of Kenzie and Laila, does not enter the music scene quietly. Ditching their classical training, the siblings have unleashed something far more raw and primal – a sound that feels both urgent and unrestrained.
Produced by Brad Shultz and recorded at Nashville’s famed Battle Tapes Studio, “Fade Away” is a gritty, high-energy offering fortified by fuzzy walls of guitar and a creeping synth line. The track oscillates dynamically between massive sonic landscapes and moments of stripped-down palm-muted parts, creating a tension that straddles the line between punk and blues rock. This is no polished debut; it’s an unapologetic, distorted blast of fury that establishes Girl Tones as a force to be reckoned with.
Guitarist and vocalist Kenzie explains the emotional weight behind the track, stating, “‘Fade Away’ is about being vulnerable and slowly getting burned over and over again by someone you love, to the point you have to move on with your life. You’re hurt, you’re angry, you’re owed an apology.” It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply, expressed with an urgency that feels like both a confession and a battle cry.
Currently, Girl Tones are taking their raw, unfiltered energy on the road as they support Cage The Elephant on their Neon Pill Tour. With upcoming shows in Nashville and the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the duo is making their mark on a sea of ravenous fans, proving that they have no intention of fading away anytime soon.
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?
KENZIE: What inspires our sound is a culmination of lots of things; from our classical background to bluegrass, to jazz, into Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
KENZIE: I think the atmosphere we are creating is whatever the listener wants, whatever the listener needs in the song, whatever they find in the song, is the emotional connection we have with them.
LUNA: Are there particular moods or themes you find yourself gravitating towards when writing and performing? How do you channel these into your music?
LAILA: I feel like a lot of the songs have to do with a disappointment in people, like people who you not necessarily have high expectations for, but that you have built a good friendship or relationship with, and they disappoint you. As far as the live shows go, we try to have fun, keep it high energy, and have a good time because that's the best way to go about it. The live shows are supposed to be engaging to people and have a good energy to them.
LUNA: You just released your debut single “Fade Away” and a huge congratulations is in order! How did you celebrate the release and how has the reactions been from fans and loved ones?
KENZIE: Thank you. Everyone seems to like it. Everyone that's told me they like it anyways, unless they're lying. I'd say our celebration was a couple days ago, after our show in New York, we got to spend the day with a friend and my husband just walking around, going on a shopping spree. That was a good celebration.
LUNA: I would love to hear anything you would like to share on the inspirations and creative processes behind “Fade Away.”
KENZIE: For the guitar riff, I wanted to write something different than what I usually write. I was trying to get out of my head about writing something for guitar. I went back into a bluegrass state where I was trying to write like an A, A, B, B formula, and that's where that riff comes in. Then we built the song from there. Then I would say, when we were in the studio, Brad really helped shape the song with us, and added a third part that wasn't even in the original song.
LUNA: “Fade Away” marks the beginning of an exciting new era for Girl Tones. What can listeners expect from this era in your music journey? Are there any new sounds or themes you’re eager to explore?
LAILA: We're definitely looking to release more stuff and still following that theme. The album explores other themes, it's not all about disappointment in people, but there's a lot of high energy. You can expect to see different moods expressed and different tones of songs. We're going to have some slower songs on there and different dynamics.
KENZIE: I think the album is really cool because it is all over the place, and I feel like there's something for everyone to enjoy. There's a ballad, there's some more acoustic type things, there's heavy songs. I feel like it definitely all works together. You think maybe it wouldn't, but us as people, that's who we are, that's the type of music we write, So of course, it works together. It's just a super fun album that I can't wait for people to finally hear.
LUNA: You are currently supporting Cage The Elephant on their Neon Pill tour. What has the touring experience been like and what have been some of your favorite memories from the run so far?
KENZIE: It's been so fun. The first time was super scary, but after that first time, it's like ripping off the band aid. It's just been a blast ever since. I know we both can't wait to go play at Red Rocks next week. That is going to be a very cool experience for us.
LUNA: Do you have any pre-show or post-show rituals to help ensure you play your best set?
KENZIE: We've been blasting Charli XCX’s Brat album, so that has been our ritual this go round. It changes whatever the song is. It’s been a brat summer. There’s so many great bangers on there. It’s perfect for getting your energy up.
LUNA: What is your favorite song to play live and why is it your favorite?
KENZIE: I really like playing “Again” because it's our first song we play, and it just comes in hot with that guitar riff. It’s so powerful. It's fun to see people's reactions.
LAILA: My favorite one is “Again,” because we start with a punch, a really punchy, fun, drum rhythm to play on it. It's really fun and a little bit off kilter. It's just a really good one to get the energy going, because it's such a high paced, punchy song. I feel like the crowd resonates with it and then it helps us, helps me at least, get hyped up and get the energy flowing.
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?
KENZIE: Right now is a very exciting time in our career. It's finally, like a culmination of all of our hard work, we're finally reaping the benefits of going to play these awesome shows. We have a new single out. We are hoping to have another single out this year, and then next year we will have the album out, so all very exciting stuff, and we just can't wait to see what everyone thinks about it.
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