After releasing their new EP album under the name American Teenage Prophecy, the indie-rock trio Kid Sistr, which consists of Sabel Englert (guitar/vocals), Becca Webster (drums/vocals) and Sara Keden (bass/vocals), gained more and more audiences through their heartfelt music. The Noize Magazine got a great opportunity to chat with the new rising star of this era about their new album and the way they put queer representation at the forefront of their work.
Kid Sistr made a debut in the music world since 2020. Prior to that, the band originally formed as a garage band with only Sara and Becca who grew up together in the Connecticut suburbs. Until Sara left for music school in Florida and met Sabel who later became another band member.
“I left to go to music school in Florida where I met Sabel. She’s from outside of New York City, so when she wanted to play a hometown show, I suggested Becca to play drums. The first show was crazy because Sabel got bronchitis and couldn’t sing, but the energy was so amazing we immediately knew it was special. This was in 2017.” Sara told The Noize Magazine about the moment they realised that Kid Sistr was something more than just a casual project.
“It was just a feeling, we just locked together in a really special way.”
The Noize Magazine: What were your earliest musical influences, and were there any particular artists who inspired you to form an all-female band?
Sara: I became obsessed with The Runaways in my early teens. I just thought they were so badass and I couldn’t believe they were my age when they were real life rock stars. I was obsessed with Cherry Bomb, I sang it at a concert; I was doing the moans in the bridge, and I thought I was so edgy. So of course I wanted to start an all girl band.
Sabel: when I was younger I was obsessed with all the cool girls. Avril Lavigne, Hayley Williams, etc. In middle school I dragged my mom to sears so I could buy a shirt from Avril’s clothing line. It had a tie printed on it and I wore it every day. I also blasted through every song on guitar hero expert mode and would download the songs from the game to my iPod. Some favorites were Bombtrack by Rage Against The Machine, Barracuda by Heart, and One by Metallica even though that was the only song I couldn’t beat.
Becca: I grew up listening to and playing a bunch of punk and classic rock, ie Led Zeppelin, The Police, Green Day, The Beatles. I was so obsessed with the idea of being in a band but I really didn’t know of many girl bands. But the people that I always gravitated towards playing with (Sara lol) were always women because I felt so comfortable in those settings!! So I think it was a natural progression for me to end up in a ripping girl band.
TNM: This EP seems to dive deep into the complexities of American youth culture. What specific experiences triggered this theme?
Sara: All of us have known each other since we were teenagers, so sometimes when we are around each other our teenage selves come back out. I’m able to recall a memory from my adolescence and Becca or Sabel will literally have been there. We’re able to draw on that stuff together.
TNM: Can you walk us through the production process? How did the recording sessions for this EP differ from your previous work?
Sara: It differed in that we spent far more time on it than we had previously. Our producer Suzy Shinn really pushed us to make demo after demo until the song was right.
Becca: another strategy Suzy pushed us to try was getting into a rehearsal space and playing the arrangements live. It really helped us capture the trio sound in our production! I feel like we were able to build parts that felt authentic and translated well live by jamming and building off each other in the room.
Sabel: we really learned to question ourselves and our writing. We changed songs so many times that it was basically impossible to get too attached to something or to take any edits personally. We also learned to advocate and fight for ideas that we really believed in as well.
TNM: “American Teenage Prophecy” sounds cinematic. Were there any films or visual aesthetics that inspired the sound of this album?
Kid Sistr: Yes! The Runaways biopic, Dazed and Confused, Labyrinth.
TNM: If Kid Sistr could write the queer coming-of-age movie soundtrack, what themes would have to be in it? And which filmmaker is going to film this movie?
Kid Sistr: The ending would have to be happy because queer people don’t get enough happy endings. Diablo Cody will make it. She did Juno and Jennifer’s Body. She’s that girl.
TNM: As the music industry continues to change with AI and social media, how do you plan to keep your music human and authentic?
Kid Sistr: By not having a computer write it. The process of making art can’t be skipped. It’s the whole point.
TNM: What does music history overlook about queer stories, and how are you trying to correct that through your music?
Becca: I feel like a lot of massive artists were so queer coded without actually acknowledging their queerness, or the way queerness impacted their art. I’m thinking about the visuals/styling of artists like David Bowie, Prince, the Rolling Stones. I think that a lot of what people loved and admired about these artists was how free they were in terms of gender expression and creativity!
TNM: In the current situation where the world is taking a right turn and the LGBTQIAN+ community is facing fear and danger worldwide, your music is a source of encouragement for many queer listeners. Is there anything you would like to say to them?
Sara: I truly believe that queerness is an incredible blessing to this world. I think queerness gives us a new lens through which to experience life. If you are queer and scared, I love you so much and any little way that you can find to be yourself is enough.
Becca: I agree with Sara!!! I think we are so lucky to be queer. I feel like it is a gateway to breaking out of super rigid ways of thinking and living!! That is something that a lot of people never access. There’s so much freedom in queerness. The world is literally our oyster lol
TNM: What message would you like to share with your Thai fans and new listeners who might be discovering Kid Sistr for the first time?
Sara: We are so excited to connect with our Thai fans. I am Filipina on my mom’s side and my Asian heritage is so important to me. I was really emotional on the set of the Boys in Skirts music video because we had so much queer Asian representation in our cast. When I was growing up, an older family member told me: ‘There are no gay Asians.’ Then on the set of Boys in Skirts I was like, ‘There are!! There are!!’ And I felt so proud. That’s what the band is really about to me. Being yourself, being free, living life to the fullest. We hope that comes across to our new listeners.
