Akira Galaxy was a great find during the Bottlerock Napa Valley Music Festival, as her captivating set was ethereal and entertaining. The Seattle native released her debut EP, ‘What’s Inside You’ earlier this year and showcases her unique sonics that are inspired by the likes of Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack and Elizabeth Frasier amongst others. The five-track project delves into themes of love, yearning, and disappointment. Akira Galaxy shared, “I moved to LA as a teen to start my endeavor as a musician, but it wasn’t until I hit the pause button and went back to Seattle at 20 that I discovered my musical and lyrical voice. I remember intending to go back for 2 weeks and ending up staying for 7 months. I like to think it was a perfect combination of things—the guitar, my childhood bedroom, and the state of the world. A fire was ignited beneath me, birthing the first song off of the EP, ‘What’s Inside You.'” One of the standout tracks, “Virtual Eyes” features Akira Galaxy’s resonant, husky vocals set against dream-pop sonics and is inspired by a mid-pandemic, remote love affair, as she stated is about “falling in love while the world stood still” before “going back to real life and realizing that the moment was built on a fantasy.” Her cover of “Teardrop” by Massive Attack stays true to the original and her voice fits organically to the song’s tender and eerie sonics. Born Akira Galaxy Ament, the 23-year-old singer/songwriter performed in many high school bands in Seattle, having been steeped in eclectic music by her family since she was a toddler. In her songwriting and performance, she combines the grit and attitude of the alt-rock of her hometown—where she often retreats to write—with a sleeker, more transatlantic aesthetic.
Akira Galaxy speaks with B-Sides at Bottlerock Napa Valley 2024 about performing at the festival, her musical influences and more.
07.11 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater*
07.12 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall*
07.13 – Columbus, OH – A&R*
07.15 – Nashville, TN – Exit / In*
07.16 – Atlanta, GA – Altar*
07.17 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle*
07.19 – Seattle, WA – Capital Hill Block Party
07.21 – Cambridge, MA – Sonia*
07.23 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom*