PREMIERE - Downgirl release debut single/video 'Beauty Queen', reveal cover art by Archibald Prize-winning artist Del Kathryn Barton | theMusic.com.au | Australian music news, gig guide, music reviews

Downgirl create Femme Soul Punk on Gadigal Land, Eora Country - A furious blend of nu-punk and classic 90s grunge sounds - and today they announce their existence to the world. Expect them.

Their debut single 'Beauty Queen' will be released unto the world tomorrow, Friday March 18th. We have the premiere right here!

Beauty Queen establishes the band as a raw and blaring force in the world and the Australian Rock scene. The track was recorded at the beginning of 2022 at Bleus Studios and mastered by Jack the Bear and is an ode to horror movie heroes, like Carrie and Suspiria’s Suzy, who defied the gendered roles of ‘final girls’ and ‘scream queens’.

Vocalist Alex Neville says of the track, "Beauty Queen draws upon these pop culture references in celebration of unconventional femininity and challenges the notion that women can be written as one dimensional characters. Musically inspired by 90s grunge gods and riot grrlz, the track is attacking, gritty, yet reassuring, just like Beauty Queen herself."

Archibald-Prize winning Australian Artist Del Kathryn Barton contributed her piece 'Volcanic Woman' for the cover art of the band's first single. Barton's psychedelic fantasy work subverts portrayals of the reclining nude as often shown from the male gaze and compliments Beauty Queen’s subject matter - women’s bodies aren’t merely objects but subjects. Drummer Skarlett Saramore connected with Barton during the pandemic and chose this piece, her favourite of Barton's, for this Downgirl cover art. One resounding "Fuck yeah" later and the cover art deal was done.

DOWNGIRL was born in the throes of the pandemic, spending its infancy in the cloud with members Skarlett Saramore (drums), Kristen Adams (vocals/lead guitar), Alex Neville (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Lou Harbidge (bass), sharing riffs, words, and beats online. These ideas spawned a diverse body of work, exploring central themes of equality, LGBTQIA+ issues, and mental health.

DOWNGIRL has since been freed from the cloud, taking a detour via the studio, and landing firmly on the stage where they belong, unleashing their loud and unapologetic performance on unsuspecting audiences. Their fusion of sludgy guitars, 90s inspired pop harmonies and straight-up-in-your-face punk, can be heard ringing out throughout pubs in their hometown, Sydney. To this end, they are heading out on tour, starting Friday March 25 in Sydney at Crowbar and Saturday March 26 in Canberra at The Basement, both supporting Fangz, back to Sydney on Wednesday March 30 at Botany View with Johnny Hunter, up to the Blue Mountains on Friday April 1 at Katoomba's Baroque Room with Fangz, Newcastle on Saturday April 2 at Hamilton Station Hotel, Sydney Art School for their Single Launch on Thursday April 7, The Doomed Festival on Friday April 15 at Botany View, Sunday April 17 at the Duke Hotel in Enmore for The Duke Femme Fest, Friday April 29 in Melbourne for the Bonez Queer Party!

DOWNGIRL’s debut single, Beauty Queen, is out tomorrow, Friday March 18 at https://gyro.to/BeautyQueen.