Santa Librada Debuts Album

Baltimore-based rock quartet Santa LIbrada released their self-titled debut album March 8, 2018, to coincide with International Women's Day. Recorded and produced by veteran engineer Frank "The Punisher" Marchand, Santa Librada's powerful songs hit on issues of sexuality, surveillance, and body autonomy from a queer, trans, and female perspective.

The album, with cover art by Seattle-based artist Nikol King, will be released on 180 gram vinyl in the summer of 2018.

https://santalibrada.bandcamp.com to hear album. Suggested tracks: Something To Say, Unfit Mutters, Child Bride

Santa Librada is a hard rock quartet from Baltimore, Maryland. Formed in 2016, The band consists of Rahne Alexander on vocals, Kelsi Loos on guitar, Colleen Pelser on bass and Sharon Santos on drums.

Santa Librada takes its name from the patron saint of Las Tablas, the region in Panama where Kelsi served in the Peace Corps. Legend has it that Librada prayed to become unattractive to escape an arranged marriage. She grew a beard, the marriage was called off, and her furious father crucified her. As a result her fame as a saint rose in the 14th century, until she was decanonized in 1969.

Santa Librada's powerful songs speak to feminist, trans, and queer themes but also address love, sex, and the surveillance state. The lead single, "Something To Say," is an urgent call to silence trolls. A music video for this track will be released mid-2018. "Unfit Mutters," one of the first songs the band wrote together, is a direct response to gaslighting, and "Child Bride" traces survival in the aftermath of religious childhood sexual abuse.

Rahne is a longtime fixture of the Baltimore arts scene who has played in The Degenerettes, 50'?, Guided by Wire, and Flaming Creatures. Colleen is a veteran of Vestal Vermin, Secret Crush Society, and The Sprouts. Sharon previously drummed with Ladybeard Johnson in Washington, D.C. and Crünt in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kelsi sang and played guitar in Killjoy Circuit and played bass in Heavenly Nobodies and Hybrid Baby.

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