After several big years of growth in their fanbase, their mission and their bond as a collective, Worm Girlz have well and truly emerged from their earthen beginnings and learned to love the limelight. 

With their self-titled debut album arriving on October 31st, the band is looking forward to releasing a collection of tracks that embody the Worm Girlz sound and take on the issues that deserve to be sung about. 

“[We often feel like] we just have to write a song about a particular thing,” the band explains. “So we write a skeleton, and then we bring the worm sound to it – Niko [Bray, drummer] throws nonsense at the wall.”

Naturally, speaking as a band that champions social causes, there are plenty of issues on the Worm Girlz agenda – songs that demand to be sung. 

“Cool Girl is the perfect example – one of those songs that really just flowed out of us. Cool Girl is an anthem about holding your mates responsible and accountable, and not allowing really toxic behavior to become the norm within your community, even though it is sadly common.”

“I feel like our latest song Seventeen sort of touches on really similar topics from a different angle – one that says ‘here are the effects of not holding your mates accountable.’”

Reminiscent of the similarly-titled 29 by Demi Lovato, the song delivers a strong message: don’t date minors, FFS. 

“You've got these 25-year-old musicians pulling underage people, inviting them to shows and getting them in these dangerous spaces,” they explain.

“We're really led to action by what we are witnessing and what we're experiencing in our personal lives, professional lives as well, of course.”

When it came to producing a music video for the baby-faced banger, from the fashion to the facial expressions, the motto of substance over sex came through loud and clear. 

“We're very passionate about sort of the visuals around what we're doing, and we always want to tell a story rather than sacrifice the visual element for something like the male gaze,” they explain. 

“We’ve been covered in goop, slimed up, rolling in dirt, dragged along the ground at 2am – we couldn’t deliver that more serious performance or tone if we're worried about what we're wearing or how we look. 

“I personally know that I often feel the most confident and empowered in my look if I know that someone else thinks I'm the ugliest thing they've ever seen,” they add. “That just means I'm probably doing something right in trying to move away from patriarchal beauty standards.”

The ethos on the Jackie music video was every bit as edgy, drawing on another level of acting panache to create a bewitched feeling. 

“We'd been dropping hints for a year in other music videos, trailing the world of Jackie until it came out. I love when music videos link up in subtle ways, I want to go and find those Easter eggs and really delve into the world. We’re all fan girls at heart, and so to be able to pour our love for fandom into our own project, we're so passionate about that.” 

“Our trust for each other means that we can really switch into that serious side and know that there's no judgment. In our behind-the-scenes videos, we are goofy the whole time, but the second that we've got that direction, we're all on the same page about what we want the audience to feel and what we want to create.” 

This may come as no surprise to OG Worm Girlz fans, but the band still has plenty of tricks up their sleeves for new initiates – starting with their surprise song. 

“It's the title track and the first track on the album, Worm Girlz,” they explain. “We've done it a couple of times live, but only at special headline shows. It’s a little treat for the audience that's been there from the start. 

“Don’t is another one of our silliest songs in the same vein, something we needed to talk about with more of a fun approach. The worms who get it really get into it. We talk about welcoming people into the Worm World, and I feel like it's the perfect way to welcome them in.”

As it turns out, the visual concept of the Worm World is exactly as it sounds: “a bunch of little worms wriggling in the compost. The important thing is the sense of community. We're pretty feminist, and we’re a bit rough around the edges, but really we just care about the people around us, and we want to make sure that the world is a more accessible and inclusive place for everyone.” 

The Worm World has already translated beautifully through events such as Laneway and Bigsound festival, where the band had an amazing opportunity to connect with people in a different city on a substantial stage – people who have become real fans and invaluable members of the community. 

“During one set, we met a group covered head to toe with worms on a string – so naturally we went to meet up with them afterwards and give them some of our own crochet worms that we always will try to hand out at shows. 

“Being able to play those bigger shows and open for other artists is such a reminder that there is a community out there. It’s very validating playing to audiences that have maybe never heard of us before but really get on-board with our mission and values. As people who do just care about people so much, it’s nice to have people who care about that, too. We’re grateful for those who get it – because a lot of people don't, and they don't want to, and that's on them. 

Always inspired by better-known artists who embody the same commitment to fighting the good fight – and it’s just a happy coincidence that a tongue-in-cheek cover of Chappel Roan’s Casual by the very same has recently brought a few new faces into the Worm World. 

“We were doing a photo shoot, being silly, and riffing songs together,” laughs vocalist Lauren Rowe. “I often have the silliest ideas and, bless the band, they’ll just put their trust in me and do it.

“The Chappel Roan post blew up, and even to this day, people will come up to us and be like, “You're the band that are always in Enoggera Dam.”

@wormgirlzz

Wormz = fully committed, buying a boat casual 🪱💗🎣 @tayla lauren. Capturing all of our best moments ❤️ #totalwormdomination #worm #wormgirlz #australianmusic #chappellroan #casual #kneedeep #wormgirlfriend #rockmusic #newmusic

♬ original sound - wormgirlz

It just so happens that the band also spends plenty of time further afield, including a recent set at SXSW Sydney and a handful of tour dates in the pipeline to celebrate the new album.  

Those who manage to snag a ticket can expect plenty of worm puns and wriggling, both of the airborne pinky fingers and of the whole body, if we’re lucky. 

“Some of us have been training,” Rowe quips. “I will sometimes get on the floor at work, but my version of the worm is just sort of limply rolling around – it might not be consistent with what worms actually do, but we're getting there. 

Other things to look forward to include the trademark performance of Worm Girlz, an early track that many fans are yet to hear, epic custom-designed outfits, and an exclusive piece of memorabilia. 

Perhaps most importantly, fans can also expect the same expression of values such as equality and accessibility to apply to the venues hosting headline shows. 

“Beyond dressing up the venue in our style, we like to make sure there are sanitary bins in every single cubicle, and avoid using haze and strobe lighting. We’re also aware that some of our messages can be a bit triggering, so we set up content warnings to make the space as safe as possible.”

The messages, while potentially triggering, are incredibly powerful in a world with a history of sidelining based on gender, agenda, and deviation from the mainstream – and they’re also, most importantly, very simple at the core:

“A big part of what we have to say is just be kind to one another,” they explain. “We try to support the people that need it, and the people that are kind of awful, we feel like they should know as much.

“Our inclusion rider is one way that we hold ourselves accountable to taking action that influences an industry standard for activism and conscious decision-making. Less conscious choices – like building an all-male lineup, for example – feel really inconsiderate, when there are just so many other choices you could make. 

“We are trying to create resources, both for ourselves and so that other bands can see that there's not one set way to do things, especially if that way doesn’t feel ‘right,’” they add.
“We want to be an example of another way that you can do things, and to leave the industry better than we found it – focusing on accessibility, inclusivity, fun. There’s always room for improvement.” 

Worm Girlz’ debut album is out now, with tickets on sale now for their forthcoming launch tour.

Worm Girlz – The Album Tour

November 14th – Lulie Tavern, Melbourne, VIC

November 15th – Blute's Bar, Brisbane, QLD

December 5th – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW