Ears Wide Open: Tender Misfit

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Tender Misfit (Photo by Richie Lee Davis)

San Fernando Valley-born Ariel Beesley expanded her purview from model to musician beginning in 2017, when she released her first single. More songs and an EP followed, but last year she officially adopted the moniker Tender Misfit.

The songwriter’s orbit has revolved around all things ’80s; her solo singles reflected a strong New Wave influence, full of empowering lyrics and well-directed cheekiness. As Tender Misfit, her palate has expanded incrementally. Never short on moxie, Beesley coats her vocals in a thin veneer of sneer and backs up that attitude with animated, theatrical live shows.

Her first release in July was a cover of Republica’s “Ready to Go.” It was followed by originals “All Dressed Up (With Nowhere to Die)” and, in late September, “All Eyes on Me,” both of which were produced by and co-written with David Katz.

“This song started off as me telling gaslighters to f*ck off,” she says of the latest single, “and ended up being a song about just having fun and knowing you’re that bitch.”

||| Stream: “All Eyes on Me” and “All Dressed Up (With Nowhere to Die)”

||| Live: Tender Misfit plays tonight at Good Times at Davey Wayne’s along with Club Oro and on Nov. 15 at Hotel Ziggy.

||| Previously: As Ariel Beesley — “So Baby,” Quarantunes, “Honey (Lick It Up),” live at Festy Baby, “Palm Springs” videdo, “Palm Springs,” “Slower Than Usual”