From lighting up the stage at Laneway Festival Sydney alongside the likes of Faye Webster and Angie McMahon to peaking at #1 in 4ZZZ's most played songs, Meanjin garage quintet Worm Girlz have truly started 2024 with a bang.
With a string of raucously fierce releases already under their belt, Worm Girlz now reveal a more tender side to the band with new single, 'Not My Body' - a confessional search for self-love amidst battles with body image and the journey to feeling comfortable in your own skin.
We had a chat with the band about all things Meanjin/Brisbane.
Congratulations on your new release! ‘Not My Body’ has resonated with many listeners through its raw and heartfelt nature. What was the songwriting process like for this track?
Jade: Scary! Something we love to do in Worm Girlz is write about our lives and things that we want to see change in the world and that can be really empowering but it can also be really hard because you are deep diving into a topic or emotion that is so personal. ‘Not My Body’ was written over many tears as Lauren and I shared our personal experiences of not feeling at home in our bodies.
You have a night off to go and see live music in Brisbane. Which music venue are you going to first?
Niko: The Bearded Lady! The sound on and off the stage is always on point and the vibez are unmatched!
Bella: The Bearded Lady always has a special place in my heart. But if I’m going out to the Valley, I really enjoy Black Bear Lodge!
The question that divides Brisbane… Northside or Southside?
Jade: Northside but to be honest the traffic is bad on both sides.
Who are some of your favourite local bands, musicians or players at the moment?Niko: Mt Nadir, Ixaras, Red Hill, Platonic Sex, Drippy, Neish, Nujrah, Red Le Clerc
Jade: What Niko said! Also Full Flower Moon Band and Gregory!
Has Brisbane’s music scene influenced your sound and style?
Lauren: Absolutely! Enjoying the local scene and frequenting live music in the Valley is a way we’ve all bonded as a band and a lot of the local rock coming out of Brisbane has some truly beautiful songwriting.
You have a day off to explore Brisbane, what’s on the itinerary?
Jade: In summer, it’s definitely Enoggera Dam. Otherwise I love investigating new brunch spots!
Bella: I really love going on an electric scooter along the Brisbane river and finding new coffee spots!
Angie: I’ve been meaning to do a museum/GOMA day for ages!
Do you have any go-to restaurants, bars or cafe’s?
Lauren: For cafe’s, Sips O’Clock in South Brisbane, Topdog Gourmet in Albion, and Let Minnow in Clayfield are our go-to’s!
Angie: if we’re getting lunch, I’m always going for Sushi Edo in Newmarket; but my favourite brunch spot at the moment is D-Sol in Ferny Hills
What do you hope to see in the future for Brisbane’s music community?
Jade: Safer gig environments and more diverse line ups. We are so lucky in Brisbane to have a wonderful and thriving music scene but there is always more we can be doing to make sure our shows are safe and diverse. I hope to see more bands and venues enforcing balanced lineups and taking the time and care to make shows more accessible and safe.
If you could play a show with two local acts, who would they be and why?
Jade: Bella Amor because they literally have one of the best shows I have seen recently! High energy and incredible songwriting.
Bella: Full Flower Moon Band. I saw them open for Nothing But Thieves in 2023, and since then, I have been completely obsessed and have wanted to share a stage with them!
From photographers to visual artists, videographers or booking agents, do you have any Brisbane creatives that you’d like to give a shout-out to?
Lauren: Every Worm Girlz release has been produced by Lucas Montgomery whose influence compliments our sound perfectly. Lucas works so hard to ensure that everything is sounding exactly how we’d like and makes us feel very comfortable when we’re nervous studio wormz. We have also worked on numerous projects with Tayla Lauren for press photography, Tom Vue for videography & Darcy Goss for live photography and speak so highly of all of their work!! Special shout-out to Max Wenke and Phoebe Faye who are two creatives we hope to work with in the future!
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