Artist Spotlights: Exploring the Patchwork Genres and Emotions of Pinkshift
The self-made, female-fronted band Pinkshift cultivates a rage-filled sound by combining influences from punk rock, emo, grunge, and early pop-punk music.
Artist Spotlights introduces you to small artists that may not be on your radar yet, but should be. With recently cancelled tours and income loss for small artists, there’s no time like the present to find new talent to support.
Written by Heather Stewart
Photo courtesy of SPIN
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Since the '70s, the faces and sounds of punk rock have changed drastically, and innovative bands like Pinkshift are taking that transformation to the next level. Every member of the Baltimore, Md. ensemble brings a special element to the band’s energy, sound, and message. Pinkshift started in 2018, when two college students, Ashrita Kumar (Vocals) and Paul Vallejom (Guitar) started writing songs together. According to an interview with Brooklyn Vegan, the rest of the band's members, Erich Weinroth (Bass) and Myron Houngbedji (Drums), were found on Tinder and in the Johns Hopkins drum practice room. Today, the fem-fronted band has five impeccably unique, headstrong singles in its discography, and the number of Pinkshift fans continues to rise daily. With rage-filled instrumentals, aggressive lyrics, and a melting pot of musical styles, the DIY rockers have already made a name for themselves in the new punk scene.
Pinkshift’s rising influence is a breeding ground for revolution; the band is female-fronted and entirely consists of people of color, but also boasts a unique and powerful sound. The four singles Pinkshift released this year pack serious musical and lyrical punches. The group’s most popular song, “i’m gonna tell my therapist on you,” chronicles feeling unheard in the healthcare system with the vulnerable lyrics, “The meds aren’t working for me anymore / My head is spiraling, I’m spiraling downwards.” Rage drips from Kumar's every word, reflecting the song's angry punk roots, while the same venomous emotion rings through Vallejom's muddy guitar riffs, Weinroth’s growling bass lines, and Houngbedji’s rattling drums. “I’m gonna tell my therapist on you” is a prime example of how the differing music tastes of Pinkshift's members meld together perfectly. Its catchy lyrics demonstrate the band's pop-punk roots while the track's confessional nature highlights its emo influences.
While Pinkshift’s fast-paced sound has always been produced in a similar, mash-up fashion, the band’s debut single, “Mars,” is a slower track when slated against the band's recent releases. The song demonstrates the multifaceted nature of Pinkshift as a group that can take on heavy-handed instrumentals and blunt subject matter, while also writing more abstract lyrics (“You’ll light a cigarette or two / To watch my lungs turn black and blue / Cherry vodka, sweet red lips / I would sure love a cherry kiss from you”) and performing a more mellow sound. The lilting guitar riffs and introspective lyrics of “Mars” capture Pinkshift's musical blend of grunge, emo, and punk rock heard throughout the band’s discography.
"Toro," another single released this year, holds the amped-up yet familiar raging quality heard in ''i'm gonna tell my therapist on you.” This song's minute and a half duration is driven by riotous, screaming vocals and sporadic drum beats, which showcase the band in an intense, punk-rock persona before the noise fades into a whimsical guitar sequence and slinky bass line.
Pinkshift taps into its rampaging roots once again to channel punk rock angst in “Rainwalk." The track uses chugging guitars and chaotic drum patterns against pointed vocals to portray the aggravating experience of being disregarded by someone in your life. The recurring theme of pent-up resentment appears when Kumar drawls, “Honey please, you can keep your distance / I hope you know that I couldn’t care less.” With lyrical and musical range, Pinkshift will keep listeners on the edge of their seats while waiting for the group’s next genius track. If there’s one thing fans can count on, it’s that they’ll always be able to rage and riot to Pinkshift's music, no matter what direction they're headed.
While punk music is inherently empowering, the reality is that the community is overwhelmingly made of white, cis males. Pinkshift is fearless when it comes to making waves where few people of color and women are able to make their voices heard. While movements such as the ‘90s riot grrrl sensation have uplifted more female perspectives, Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in music have not been given a proper platform. However, the growing popularity of immensely talented bands like Pinkshift could have a massive impact on the status quo.
In an interview with SPIN, Kumar reflected on Pinkshift’s influence on diversity in music, mentioning fans who have reached out to the singer, saying they felt seen, included, and inspired by Pinkshift’s budding presence in the music business. “I think, honestly, if there was any measure of success, that’s success,” Kumar said in regards to inspiring a diverse array of listeners. The punk scene is in desperate need of BIPOC representation, and we could all use a little bit of the empowered rage that Pinkshift’s music provides.
Considering what Pinkshift has created in terms of music and influence in two humble years, the band’s potential is sky-high. The hodgepodge of genres influencing Pinkshift’s impressive sound along with the immense talent oozing from the group's diverse lineup make Pinkshift a pioneer of the modern punk scene. Pinkshift isn’t the first to mash up alternative music genres but is arguably one of the best at doing so.
Accompanied by a quick bedroom mosh sesh or a pair of headphones with the volume cranked to 11, any of Pinkshift's singles will leave listeners ready to embrace their inner turmoil. While the inconveniences of quarantine crushed the hopes of a summer 2020 EP release, Pinkshift fans might have something to look forward to after Weinroth teased possibly upcoming song releases in October on his Twitter. In the meantime, any songs from Pinkshift’s current, well-refined, genre-blending discography will serve as perfect additions to that new riot playlist you’ve been thinking about putting together.