Queer love anthems that fight against stereotypes

It’s safe to say that Towa Bird is having a moment. The British-Filipino sensation – who first picked up the guitar at age 12 – went viral during lockdown with her theatrical riffing on songs by WILLOW and Supertramp; more recently, she’s been thrust into the tabloid spotlight thanks to her well-publicized relationship with Reneé Rapp, for whom Bird is currently playing guitar on tour.

While TikTok has caused subcultures to become more insular and algorithmically distilled than ever before, Bird has found her people through TikTok. Backed by Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, a string of singles has left fans hungry for more. Bird’s debut album, American Hero, leans toward catchy pop and garage rock mixed with an anecdotal edge, and has a sheen that is undeniably quintessentially American.

The highlights are familiar, but often similar and are crowned with a clever phrase: “I am Indiana Jones, you are my last crusade” Bird sings the powerful “Wild Heart.” Meanwhile, the sharp-tongued anti-capitalist anthem “BILLS” rivals “The Man.”

Bird is able to thrive in the slower moments, however. “This Isn’t Me” mixes dreamy guitars with moody distortion, before album closer “A Party” pulls back with gentle acoustics and muted vocals. Together, these songs glide along without much momentum; at times, you wonder where the raw influence of their guitar heroes Jimi Hendrix and Prince has gone.

Bird grew up in Thailand, Hong Kong and London. It was only when she moved to Los Angeles that she felt “very” like an immigrant, as she had previously felt towards NMEWhile the slick production of “American Hero” conjures a sound that matches its satirical title, the songs proudly reject the archetype of the big, white “Captain America” – and instead celebrate the diversity of queer love.

“On the tongue / Sweet and sour / In the back of my car / In the shower”, lists Bird on the fan favorite “Drain Me,” an upbeat ode to lesbian sex that offers an alternative to songs written from a male perspective. The punchy opener “FML” combines the giddy desire for long-distance love with the awkward excitement of banging hard, while quipping a Jennifer’s body look at it again with a knowing wink.

As an “androgynous queer” Filipina, Bird questions the meaning of being American for a generation growing up without the rigid constraints of a stereotype. With “American Hero,” she willingly embodies a symbol of queer visibility for her own young fans; as Bird recently told NME her music: “To the outside world, it represents much, much more.”

details

• Release date: June 28th
• Record label: Polydor