Towa Bird is the new ‘hero’ of American rock music

After finding a following on TikTok in 2020 with her viral guitar covers, which caught the attention of notable artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish, Towa Bird has been developing her own distinct sound. In the years since, she has signed with Interscope Records, released an EP, and toured with Reneé Rap across North America and Europe. But now, Towa is embarking on her toughest journey yet: the release of her debut LP, American Hero.

Born in Hong Kong to both Filipino and English parents, Towa spent much of her childhood floating between countries. Though an avid guitar player throughout her adolescence, it wasn’t until the age of 18 that Towa began to pursue her music career more seriously. Enrolling at Goldsmiths University in London to study Popular Music, Towa was torn between her desire to embrace her music career with open arms and her parent’s worry about her financial stability. “Trying to explain to my parents why I wanted to drop out was a pretty difficult conversation. They didn’t love it at first,” Towa remembers.

Thankfully, things quickly took off and, after the release of her debut EP Wild Heart in 2023, Towa is now getting ready to drop her debut album American Hero on June 28. A true “journal” of her experiences leading up to the record’s creation, American Hero details everything from heartbreak to capitalism. Brought together by guitar riffs and lyrics that would be well-suited to the soundtrack of an early 00s romcom, Towa expertly channels the best parts of Y2K nostalgia. “I’d say its guitar-driven, lesbian, alternative pop,” she says. Below, Towa details the process behind the making of American Hero, her musical inspirations and her love of fire signs.

You’re releasing your debut album on June 28. How are you feeling about that? Is it nerve-racking to release your first record? 

Towa Bird: I’m very anxious, but also very excited. During the two weeks to a month leading up to the release of a project, I can be so difficult to be around. I’m so hard to contact, I’m staying up late, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. I would say that I’m in that phase of life right now, but I think that’s normal and shows that I care.  

Would you say the guitar is your focal instrument? How does it influence each of your tracks? 

Towa Bird: I wouldn’t say it’s the main part, but it’s a crucial part. I would say that my voice and my lyrics are just as important as the guitar. I like to think of them as the lead instruments in my music, and they can’t exist without each other. I grew up listening to classic rock and records where the guitarist was just as important as the lead singer, and I like to place the same sort of value on both in my projects. But yeah, the guitar is my baby, it was my first instrument and why I’m so into music in general.

Are there any guitarists in particular that inspired you growing up? 

Towa Bird Yeah, so many. I love Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Prince. They’re the trifecta. I grew up listening to Pink Floyd and the Strokes. I love bands like The White Stripes, where guitar riffs are central to a song. With “Seven Nation Army”, people hear the guitar riff, and they know exactly what the song is. I think it’s one of my life goals, to create iconic riffs like that. 

Were those guitarists some of your earliest memories of music?  

Towa Bird: Yeah, my dad raised me on a pretty strict diet of classic rock. He was a big influence on my music taste. My sister also majorly influenced me. I think every teen growing up in the early 00s or 10s can agree that everyone had a scene phase with heavy makeup, scarves and a side part. She helped me discover things like punk-pop, artists like My Chemical Romance and Avril Lavigne. I would say that my music is a cocktail of all of those influences. Saying that, I’m the first creative in my family who has pursued music as a career, so I didn’t have a blueprint to look up to in that way.

Going back to American Hero, what were some inspirations behind the album? 

Towa Bird: I think the overarching feeling surrounds the experience I had moving from the UK to the US. There are songs about distance, heartbreak and songs about falling in love. There are also some angry songs, like “Deep Cut” and “B.I.L.L.S” which are slightly more aggressive, they bring out some more of that punk energy. There are also some tender moments of vulnerability, some of the slower songs like “A Party” and “Mayflower” are tender and sweet and show the parts of myself that I haven’t told many people.

Is there a particular song you prefer to make? 

Towa Bird: I’ll always love to make an uptempo movie song. It makes me happy to write a song with energy. A lot of this album is quite uptempo, I would say for the most part because I wanted people to feel enticed to come and watch the live shows. I just want people to have fun, have a little dance and be able to connect.

A lot of the album is very anthem-heavy. Is there a particular song or anthem that you feel represents your life? 

Towa Bird: I grew up playing sports and going to sports events with my parents, so I’ll bring back “Seven Nation Army” again. I love music that you would hear in a stadium. I know this is kind of a terrible answer, but “Sweet Caroline” is also coming to mind. 

What’s your star sign and are you a typical one of that star sign? 

Towa Bird: I’m an Aries. I think most people are surprised when they meet me and hear that I’m an Aries because I’m quite chill and mellow as a person and I’ve only ever raised my voice in my adult life a handful of times. I think the Aries comes out a bit more on stage, I save the energy, angst, hedonism and arrogance for when I’m performing in front of people. 

Are you into astrology? Do you know your big three?

Towa Bird: I’m gay, so I have to take an interest in it. In terms of my big three, I’m a Taurus rising and a Virgo moon. I’m a double earth, so that’s more who I am to my close friends and my inner circles.

“I save the energy, angst, hedonism and arrogance for when I’m performing in front of people” – Towa Bird

Is there a particular sign that you are drawn to?

Towa Bird: I like other fire signs, so Leos and Sagittariuses – but also if I meet someone and I fuck with them then that’s that. 

What would be your nightmare blunt rotation? 

Towa Bird: Ellen, Rishi Sunak and TFL. 

Any mode of TFL transport in particular?

Towa Bird: The central line.

I think that will resonate with a lot of readers.

Towa Bird: ...Especially at 5:30pm.

What music are you listening to right now? 

Towa Bird: I like Remi Wolf, she’s in her new album cycle right now so I’m listening to everything she makes all the time because I think she’s great. I have been listening to the new Billie Eilish album because I think she’s also great. I love all the girlies. I was also listening to Led Zeppelin’s third album on my way home today so I’m kind of all over the place. 

Is there a particular music scene or decade you wish you could have been part of? 

Towa Bird: I would have loved to be part of the 60s and 70s New Rock era, but I probably would have been hate-crimed back then so I don’t want to go back there. Another scene is 00s New York City, like Meet Me in the Bathroom era. 

And finally, what’s your love language? 

Towa Bird: I like physical touch. I’m a very touchy person with everyone in my life. I also love quality time. My take is that gift-giving is really high for everyone including myself, but no one wants to admit that. So you know what? I’m going to go against the grain and say gift-giving.

American Hero is out June 28th