Emerging singer/songwriter Towa Bird premieres her debut single “Wild Heart” — an exhilarating and emotionally raw piece of alt-pop spotlighting the incendiary guitar work that has earned her attention over the past few years. “Wild Heart” brings the Hong Kong-born artist’s powerful musicianship to a tender reflection on love and independence.
The first offering from Towa’s forthcoming debut album, “Wild Heart” features production from Thomas Powers of New Zealand-bred indie-pop band The Naked and Famous (her main collaborator on the LP). As Towa points out, “Wild Heart” makes for a fitting introduction to the album’s combustible sound and unguarded introspection. “It’s energetic and bold, but also incredibly vulnerable and soul-baring — more of that to come,” says Towa, a half-Filipino, half-English artist who spent much of her childhood in Thailand and London.
“The song is about personal growth within my romantic relationships and addresses my past self and actions I’ve taken. I’m personified as a reckless cowboy who meets a girl, gets caught in her grip, and — to his surprise — becomes completely devoted to her. It illustrates the person that I once was and the person I’ve grown into not nearly perfect, but definitely not as much of an asshole.”
Towa Bird
Along with showcasing her ingenuity as a guitarist, “Wild Heart” reveals the radiant imagination and strong-minded vision that landed the 24-year-old musician on Dazed’s definitive list of creatives shaping youth culture. To that end, the hypnotically catchy track unfolds in lyrics both confessional (“I love you Ell the death/You’re a bullet in my chest”) and irresistibly clever (“I’m Indiana jones/You're my last crusade”), each delivered in Towa’s understated yet immediately captivating vocals.
Now based in Los Angeles, Towa 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 JeJ, and Prince among her longEme inspirations, Towa dropped out of school a`er two years to pursue her love of music and got her start producing and co-writing for other arEsts, in addition to posEng 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. Due out later this year, Towa’s debut album offers up an intimate exploration of queerness, identity, and the complexities of love.
Cover Photo Credit: Towa Bird
