Miss Velvet’s new album redefines rock and roll by providing a space for motherhood.
Mom rocker Miss Velvet has entered a new era. The musician, who is no stranger to the stage, has toured and performed in over 100 cities across 5 continents. After a long musical journey, a cross-country move from her life in New York to sunny Los Angeles, and the birth of her two children, Miss Velvet has been reborn. The rockstar’s newest album, titled Traveler explores the changes we experience in our lives and all the selves we travel through to become our most badass.
The record, set to be released on November 10th, 2023 “is like if Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac had a baby,” explains Miss Velvet. Her uniquely rock and roll voice lends to the classic rock sound of the album, but introduces a whole new genre of rock music. Miss Velvet represents a group that is not typically related to rock and roll: moms. The mother of two focuses her new album on the experience of womanhood, motherhood, and life after 30– showing women there is no reason they have to be any less rock and roll as they age or have children.
“Motherhood gave me the grounding pillars in the lyrics of the stories I want to tell now,” says Miss Velvet. “My sound is just much more mature. I feel like almost every woman or mom is going through the things I talk about, like redefining sexual expression after having children.”
“Motherhood gave me the grounding pillars in the lyrics of the stories I want to tell now.”
Miss Velvet explains having a sort of obsession with rock musicians and the 1970s era. She was especially inspired by Janis Joplin. “When I first heard Joplin’s voice, it was like nothing I’d ever heard in my life. I specifically remember listening to her perform ‘Summertime’ with tears streaming down my face. Her voice was so raw and guttural. It was at that moment I said I wanted to sing like that,” says Miss Velvet. “I couldn’t stay away from rock and roll. When I was going through a lot of things in my life, like losing my dad very early on, rock and roll became something that felt free. The perfect was in the imperfection of rock music. So now I can always use it as way to be raw and vulnerable”
To Miss Velvet, the level of vulnerability and imperfection of classic rock is what’s missing in today’s mainstream music. “There’s something about not being so precious, that I think makes rock stand the test of time,” she explains.
Traveler is not only about redefining Miss Velvet, but also redefining what rock and roll female energy can be. “Being a traveler is about not being afraid through different perspectives and vibes of yourself,” explains Miss Velvet. “My North Star question while making this record was ‘can I be a traveler of possibilities?’ Why do I have to stay in one direction? I can always change.”
Another guiding principle in Miss Velvet’s search for redefinition has been fashion. Rock music and fashion have always had a symbiotic relationship. After having kids, the low rise leather pants and studded crop tops of Miss Velvet’s past didn’t feel right anymore, but she still wanted to express her rockstar essence through clothes. “I literally went into my closet and just asked myself ‘what is rock and roll and fashion?’” explains Miss Velvet. “I was looking at this Vivienne Westwood suit and had a lightbulb moment. I was going to step into this suit and morph into this new Miss Velvet. I love the androgyny of it and the fact that I don’t have to show any skin, but still feel authentically sexy. Why do I have to pigeonhole myself to the way the males in the industry see female rock? It’s been scary pushing these boundaries, but the female community is seeing it and they are getting it.”
“Why do I have to pigeonhole myself to the way the males in the industry see female rock?”
The rocker is providing a first-of-its-kind rock and roll experience specifically tailored to women and it’s been receiving an outpouring of support across her social media. While some musicians may never take the time to read feedback from fans, Miss Velvet often replies to the women, even spending hours in deep conversations through DMs. “It’s been really interesting and beautiful having so many conversations with these women and some men that say they haven’t heard rock and roll like this. It’s like being on the ground floor of a potential new movement,” she says. She even messaged with a woman who said she had been listening to a clip of “Traveler” every morning, only to find out it was helping her fight a battle with breast cancer. “It was a moment that gave me chills. If there was one woman saying that I am sure there are a lot more out there and I would have never known that if I didn’t give her 20 minutes of my time.”
Some may say Miss Velvet was born into the wrong era– that she was meant to be amongst the music and the culture of the 1970s, but I think that would be a shame. Historically, rock and roll has always been a way to make a statement or fight back against the state of the world.
If there was ever a time the world needed rock and roll, it is now. If there was ever a time the world needed more female rockstars, it is now.
All images courtesy of the artist.
