Boyish is an indie rock duo that exceeds what it means to be musicians in an industry that is not always about embracing individuality.
Formed by India Shore and Claire Altendahl in 2016, the two met while attending the Berklee College of Music. Shore needed a guitarist for an audition tape and Altendahl volunteered for the opportunity, allowing them both to realize their musical compatibility.
They first started making music under the name The Blue, when they wrote and produced their debut project Carnation in 2018. The New Yorker described their first collaboration as “looking uncertainty straight in the eye in songs that are confident in their musicality even when tackling themes of angst and doubt.” The album was even nominated for Alt-Country Album of the Year at the Independent Music Awards.
The two graduated in in 2019 and didn’t hesitate to jump into adulthood. Resultantly, the duo changed their name to Boyish. Soon, they released their second album Garden Spider the following year, which Atwood Magazine said was “an immersive ten-track indulgence of introspection and inner angst channeled through a colorful, raw indie-rock lens.”
Their sophomore success gained over 4 million streams, with their title track “F--- YOU HEATHER” being featured on editorial Spotify playlists such as Fresh Finds of 2020 and Undercurrents.
The duo went on to drop another EP called We’re all gonna die, but here’s my contribution in 2021. The project was streamed over 2 million times and received much praise from major music publications like Nylon, NPR and Ones To Watch.
Because of the depth and reflectiveness of their work as queer musicians, Boyish was honored with the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award presented by the Music Forward Foundation. They also became the first band to join the Bandsintown Big Break Class of 2021.
Following these accomplishments, the band was able to open for artists such as Spill Tab, Ella Jane and Gully Boys across the country. They also played two shows for Hippo Campus and performed at this year’s South by Southwest festival. Boyish played alongside bands MUNA, Japanese Breakfast and Claud.
This year, Boyish has released two singles, “Smithereens” and “Congratulations,” from their upcoming EP My Friend Mica. Both singles have already been noticed by Spotify again, adding them to playlists such as “New Music Friday,” “Lorem,” and “All New Indie,” and were featured in Billboard, Under The Radar and Alternative Press.
The EP is set to release next month as the duo gets ready to hit the road as direct support for Remo-Drive’s summer tour. Boyish will also make an appearance at Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party.
Yet, most importantly, the band is releasing another new song from My Friend Mica this Friday called, “I Think I Hate It Here.” The single was made with the help of Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer John Greenham and mixer Brandon Shoop. Both have worked for artists such as Billie Eilish, girl in red and GAYLE.
Boyish seems like they’ve already achieved so much for a band only being on the scene for four years, but they still continue to go above and beyond in their musical craft and widespread abilities to touch the hearts of new listeners. If you’re in dire need of a band that isn’t afraid to step over boundaries, this duo is the ultimate choice.
