Towa Bird Releases New Single 'Rat Race'
Beginning November 2, Bird will join Billie Eilish as direct support on seven nights of the “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR.”
By: Josh Sharpe Sep. 27, 2024
Ahead of her sold-out October 1 headline show at NYC’s Music Hall of Williamsburg and a series of support dates opening for Billie Eilish, alt-rock/pop artist Towa Bird releases her new single, “Rat Race,” via Interscope Records.
Fueled by Bird’s urgent guitar and rapid-fire vocal delivery, the track bristles with punk-pop fervor. “Bang bang and I’m off to the races,” she sings, finding both humor and frustration in the realization that chasing her dreams can feel a lot like “chasing my tail.” She wrote the song with Tyler Cole (WILLOW, Weezer) and Mattias Tellez (girl in red, Gracie Abrams). “Rat Race” is the first new music from Bird since the summer release of her acclaimed debut album, American Hero.
“‘Rat Race’ is about the feeling of being trapped in a cycle where your progress never seems to lead to full satisfaction,” explains Towa Bird. “You work tirelessly, pushing toward what seems like the finish line. But as you approach it, it moves slightly out of reach, keeping you perpetually in the race. There’s always more to achieve, more to do. This relentless machine doesn’t pause for you to look up and enjoy your victories. It offers just enough to keep you hooked, only to snatch it away, leaving you craving more.”
Bird, however, is determined to celebrate the victories – which have been plentiful in 2024. American Hero, her debut album, won critical acclaim from, among others, Billboard, Vanity Fair, DAZED, and Glamour. In a four-star review, Rolling Stone observed, “Towa Bird is the rock & roll firecracker we need right now.” Vogue hailed her as “Gen Z’s Joan Jett.” PAPER declared, “Towa Bird Is Your New Hero.” Listen to American Hero HERE.
Already known for her exhilarating live performances, 2024 has brought a series of sold-out headline shows – which wraps up with her October 1 show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY, performances at All Things Go in New York and Maryland this weekend. Beginning November 2, Bird will join Billie Eilish as direct support on seven nights of the “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR.” See below for Bird’s itinerary.
“I’m deeply appreciative of every opportunity that comes my way and don't mean to come across as ungrateful,” says Bird. “But also it can be isolating if not discussed. Amid the highs, the lows can feel particularly harsh. No matter how much you accomplish, it will never be enough. We are all in the Rat Race.”
Towa Bird – Tour Dates
9/28 - All Things Go NYC, Forest Hills Stadium - Forest Hills, NY^
9/29 - All Things Go Music Festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD^
10/1 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY#
11/02- State Farm Arena - Atlanta, GA*
11/03 - State Farm Arena - Atlanta, GA*
11/06 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN*
11/08- Heritage Bank Center- Cincinnati, OH*
11/10 - Xcel Energy Center - Saint Paul, MN*
11/11 - Xcel Energy Center - Saint Paul, MN*
12/16 - Kia Forum - Los Angeles, CA*
^ festival performance
# headline show
*direct support for Billie Eilish
ABOUT TOWA BIRD
A half-Filipino, half-English artist who spent much of her childhood in Thailand and London, Towa Bird first started playing guitar at the age of twelve, honing her technique by strumming along to The Kinks, The Who, and other bands she discovered through her father’s record collection. After forming her first band at age 14, she cut her teeth playing dive bars and street festivals in Hong Kong, then went on to study at Goldsmiths, University of London. Naming Jimi Hendrix, Joan Jett, and Prince among her longtime inspirations, Towa dropped out of school after two years to pursue her love of music and got her start producing and co-writing for other artists, in addition to posting videos that found her soloing over hip-hop, pop, and R&B songs. As her singular guitar style gained attention across the globe — and earned admiration from the likes of Willow Smith and Tyler, the Creator — Towa began sharing original music and soon after inked her deal with Interscope Records. Since making her major-label debut with “Wild Heart,” she’s joined Reneé Rapp on tour in North America and Europe; graced the covers of NME, High Snobiety, Gay Times, The Face, and more. Towa’s debut album American Hero offers up an intimate exploration of queerness, identity, and the complexities of love.
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