If girlhood is a spectrum, then the band “Girl Group” seems to have no issues covering both ends of it. Combining heavy social criticism and anger at the system with the sheer beauty they find in their friendship and lives as a women, they make music that speaks up while still managing to be incredibly catchy.
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The British-Norwegian group consisting of Maria Tollisen, Mia Halvorsen, Katya Birkeland, Lily Christlow and Thea Gundersen became close friends during their time studying at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in the post-COVID era. Amidst countless nights of partying during their first year at university, they would find themselves more often than not ranting about politics and feminism which led to them combining these two aspects of their lives into a shared project called “Girl Group”.
No matter if you choose to be political or not – it is political
Mia Halvorsen
Born out of frustration with men, especially in the music scene, “Girl Group” is their way of speaking up and creating a space for women in music. And this community is now taking shape more than ever with their first international headline tour.
In a small venue in Berlin with about 200 fans, the room turns into a party the moment they come running on stage. They laugh, they dance and they shout the lyrics into each other‘s faces as you would when you’re in the club with your friends. Besides the occasional choreography element, watching them on stage rarely feels like a performance, but rather like you’re witnessing a group of friends genuinely having the time of their lives doing what they’re doing, and you just happened to stumble into the perfect room at the party. And with this much authentic and unapologetic confidence radiating off them, it’s no wonder it takes no time whatsoever for the crowd to join in and match their energy.
But there’s more to “Girl Group” than charismatic stage presence and catchy melodies.
Despite their breakout single “Yay! Saturday” (which earned them high praise and early recognition from none other than Elton John himself) being one of their least political songs, focussing instead on the joys of a dance-filled Saturday night out with your friends, their first EP “Think They’re Looking Let’s Perform” shines brightest when it combines its dancy melodies with sassy but nonetheless quite serious social commentary.
It is, however, their latest EP “Little Sticky Pictures” that truly highlights the band’s bold and upfront songwriting as well as their musical diversity. Taking noticeable influence from artists like Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan or Lily Allen the project still very clearly finds its own sound and identity amidst its musical peers.
Starting with the appropriately named “Rage Song“, Girl Group brings us what is unsurprisingly their angriest song to date, given its themes of immaturity and gaslighting.
I know boys will be boys but you’re a fully grown man
Girl Group on “Rage Song”
The fan-favorite “She Goes” has the project doing a thematic 180-degree turn by going from anger directed at men to talking about the admiration women feel for other women – including some not too subtle sapphic undertones. “Tell Me I’m Pretty“, despite feeling overly confident and sexy on a surface level, also shows a more vulnerable side by craving validation from others. The Song “Super Drug” not only has one of the best outros of any of their songs, but also heavily criticizes the prescription of the pill as supposed “end-all, be-all” miracle cure for all of women‘s problems.
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Besides catchy lyrics and even better vocal performances than on their first project, “Little Sticky Pictures” also shines through its incredibly creative production, which is almost entirely done by Girl Group’s own, Maria Tollisen. The standout track in that regard is the, in my opinion painfully underrated, “Hate The Girls! – Interlude” with its dark and fast-paced instrumental and layered vocals.
Ending the EP on its heaviest song, “Food Shopping” talks about growing older and leaving places and people you love behind. It’s a bittersweet track building up to a heart-wrenching crescendo that leaves us with quite a different sentiment than the rest of the EP, but even more curious about their future projects.
In conclusion, one could say Girl Group have taken it upon themselves to capture the feeling of being a woman, with all its highs and lows, in a bottle and have so far succeeded at that – be that from the limited perspective of a male writer.
Girl Group continue to show that celebrating womanhood and challenging inequality don’t have to be separate acts and that there’s room for both on the dance floor. And everyone of every gender is welcome to join.
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