Chicago’s Horsegirl, the noisy rock trio of 17-18 year olds Penelope Lowenstein (she/her), Nora Cheng (she/her), and Gigi Reece (they/them), have announced they’ve signed to Matador Records. In conjunction with the signing, the band will perform a free livestream concert on April 12th at 6pm CST via Vans Channel 66. This broadcast is the first time many outside of Chicago will have the chance to see Horsegirl play live.
Raised in Chicago, Lowenstein, Reece and Cheng each started playing music at a young age. Lowenstein and Cheng met through a local music program, where they initially bonded over their similar taste in records. After frequenting local shows together, and Reece joining one night, they quickly became friends who fell in love with discovering music, sending each other songs and videos from now defunct DIY bands and scenes. There was an immediate collective vision developing that would inform what would soon become Horsegirl. The idea of playing together felt very natural and fun, and a further way to explore music they loved together (check their weekly playlist for a glimpse). After a brief time in a Sonic Youth cover band, and one open mic later, Horsegirl was formed. Now together for almost two years, the trio have played contemporary art museums, all ages venues, and house parties.
Horsegirl operate as a true unit, with a young and punk-minded aesthetic. There’s an edginess to their overall lyrics and sound, which feature dreamy guitars and distinct dual vocal melodies by Cheng and Lowenstein, and the propulsive rhythmic drums of Reece. While they’ve only released three songs thus far, they’ve already garnered praise from the likes of Pitchfork, NPR Music, Chicago Tribune, NYLON, Paste, and more, and repeat plays on Sirius XMU and BBC6. The first pressing of their 7”, “Ballroom Dance Scene” b/w “Sea Life Sandwich Boy,” sold out within 24 hours.
For a deeper dive into the collective vibe of Horsegirl, head over to NME for their Radar story.
