Towa Bird epitomizes the cool girl. Born in Hong Kong, raised in London and now based in Los Angeles, Bird was once known solely for her guitar covers on TikTok.
Despite already opening for Renee Rapp’s ‘Snow Hard Feelings’ Tour this past year and playing guitar in Olivia Rodrigo’s Driving Home 2 U film, Bird released her debut album American Hero on June 28 alongside a sold-out tour.
The 13-track album begins with “Intro,” showcasing Bird’s outstanding electric guitar skills. She’s been playing since age 12 and sees the instrument “as something of a second voice.” The track is less than a minute but serves as an ode to her guitar expertise as it seamlessly transitions into the second track “FML.”
Although the alt-rock space seems to be oversaturated in the age of social media, Bird provides a completely novel introduction with her debut. The tracks vary in topics ranging from flirtatious interactions to anxious relationships, but all feature the quintessential electric guitar that makes alt-rock music.
The sixth track on the album “B.I.L.L.S.” cleverly addresses the double entendre of the American Dream. The first verse goes: “Land of the free/If you can afford it/Joke is on me/Being broke is boring.” It feels like the defining punk-pop tracks of the 2000s with lyrics that speak to a greater issue but still have an incredible instrumental backtrack. Where albums mostly fall into lulls halfway through, Bird somehow manages to draw listeners in more.
“Last Dance,” the ninth track on the album, takes a different rhythmic approach than the other songs. The guitar compliments Bird’s voice quite well as the sense of urgency builds in the chorus. The song seems to start as a soft love-type ballad, but it quickly builds into the alt-rock pining sound Bird masters on the earlier parts of the album.
The project continues into the more “traditional” alt-rock sound; it’s easy to picture yourself in a group dancing to Bird’s music at some dive bar or a massive venue. Tracks “Boomerang” and “May Flower” stand out on the latter half of the album as it leads into the final song.
The thirteenth and final track titled “A Party” serves as a beautifully heartbreaking acoustic number. In the post-chorus Bird sings: “No I’m not the one/But I know you needed someone.” Her fine-tuned alto voice serves as the perfect closer to her debut album.
It’s impressive and exciting to witness Towa Bird’s career unfold in real time. American Hero is an unstoppable force; there is not a single track that should be skipped or glossed over slightly, both from a lyrical and instrumental standpoint. Towa Bird is bound for stardom.
For more information about her tour and album, look here: https://www.towabirdofficial.com