Ears Wide Open: Towa Bird

Kevin Bronson on September 21st, 2023

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Towa Bird’s resumé is like a world tour itself. The 24-year-old is a Filipino-British singer-songwriter and guitarist who grew up in Thailand, Hong Kong and London and is now based in L.A., where she’s working with New Zealand-bred songwriters on her debut album, “American Hero,” due next year.

Her guitar heroics, which display a grasp of artists from the Pantheon (she cites Jimi Hendrix, Joan Jett and Prince as inspirations), earned her a social media following during the pandemic. She can shred (here she is, for instance, channeling Hendrix’s cover of Dylan). For the record, she describes her musical pursuits as “if ’70s classic rock and ’90s Britpop had a baby, and the baby was queer, Asian and a woman.”

“This Isn’t Me” is the latest of Bird’s three singles — “an imposter syndrome banger,” she says.

She elaborates: “Last year, I went to an event where I was exposed to excessive wealth and luxury. This was a first for me. Everyone there seemed to know each other and I knew no one. There were celebrities, carpets, catwalks and paparazzi. It was a paradox, I was so amazed that I was given this opportunity, but felt so entirely alone throughout.” A day after returning to L.A., the song spilled out.

“This Isn’t Me” followed the release earlier this year of “Wild Heart” and “Boomerang,” songs that found Bird co-writing with the likes of Thom Powers and Alia Xayalith (The Naked and Famous) and Natalie Anguili (Luna Shadows).

Bird’s album will be released via Interscope, and she’s currently supporting labelmate Reneé Rapp on tour (including an L.A. date next week).

||| Watch: The videos for “This Isn’t Me,” “Wild Heart” and “Boomerang”