The Blushes Bring Glitter and Grit to the Alt-Rock Scene
In a moment shaped by rising misogyny, attacks on LGBTQ rights and a deepening War on the Poor, The Blushes are making songs and shows that give people somewhere to put their rage.
The Blushes look sweet until the room starts shaking.
Katy Rose Bullard, Katie Jayne Earl and Lori Jeanette Dorfman are The Blushes, a DIY alt-rock trio from Los Angeles formed out of lifelong friendship, shared Valley roots and a pandemic-era reconnection. The three first met as kids doing musical theater in the San Fernando Valley, later followed separate creative paths, and found their way back to one another in 2021. The band happened fast because, by their telling, it was already waiting for them.
Their sound lives somewhere between 90s riotgrrl and Britpop gloss. On stage, The Blushes lean into bows, frills and overt girliness as a deliberate and aesthetic refusal of the old rock-band bargain that asks women to either toughen up for the boys or become decoration for them. The Blushes are doing neither—their version of alt-rock is loud, feminine, self-possessed and built around the chemistry of three women who have known each other long enough to trust the messier parts of the process.
In the conversation below, The Blushes talk about finding their way back to each other, building a world around the band and why joy, anger and girlhood all belong in the same room.
Hyvemind: Hi everyone! Welcome! Introduce yourselves and let us know who you are.
The Blushes: Hi! We’re The Blushes, a 3 piece DIY band of besties from Los Angeles, CA! The Blushes are: Katy Rose Bullard, Katie Jayne Earl and Lori Jeanette Dorfman!
HM: What’s your origin story/how and when did you meet and come together as a band?
TB: We grew up together doing musical theater in the San Fernando Valley. We each took our own creative paths as young adults and ended up back together when covid launched us back into each other’s lives in 2021.
It was clearly meant to be because The Blushes were born organically as soon as we all reconnected.
HM: Can you talk a little bit about your music style and what you sing about?
TB: When we build our songs, we allow our lyrics and concepts to determine what the song becomes.
HM: What or who are your inspirations?
TB: We have such a wide range of influences and don’t feel like we fit into any one specific genre. We have worked really hard to create a sound that is very much “us”.
That sound has hints of punk, doowop, 90’s grunge, brit pop. you name it. But we strive to sound uniquely “blush” everytime.
HM: Do you have any favorite lyrics from your own songs? Why do they stand out to you and what are they?
TB: The Bridge of War On The Poor always has been and always will be incredibly relevant, meaningful and powerful to us.
“I pledge allegiance to fight against American Imperialism and the disease of Capitalism
I pledge allegiance to protect every woman's right to govern her own body
I pledge allegiance to protect black and brown bodies from state sanctioned terrorism
I pledge allegiance to protect indigenous rights
And to let everyone know, that here in Los Angeles
WE'RE ON TONGVA LAND!”
HM: What’s your process for writing lyrics? How do your inner emotional state(s) drive the creation process?
TB: Every song is born differently and we try to honor each song’s unique path and needs.
HM: Talk a little bit about your views on art being essential to resistance. How do you feel about this idea and how does it show up in your songs?
TB: In the modern digital age, we are regularly inundated with heavy, terrible news, often times against our will. This can lead to revolutionary fatigue and a feeling of despair.
Art serves as a reminder to ourselves, and our audience, that our anger can exist alongside our joy, and that both joy in itself, and the act of bringing people together, are acts of rebellion.
When people come to a Blushes show, we hold space for their anger at the world, we allow it to combust in a safe space together and hope that everyone leaves feeling more hopeful than they did when they arrived.
HM: Tell us about your visual portrayals and how you work with femininity and the importance that plays in your aesthetics and other aspects of your work.
AB: We intentionally choose looks that embrace our femininity and girliness in an effort to reclaim, empower and celebrate girlhood. We don’t strive to assimilate to the masculine energy of the modern rock scene, and we are proud to not be “one of the guys”.
HM: What feels important to you right now as artists and as community members?
TB: Misogyny has reached critical levels. Women’s rights are being threatened across this country and we refuse to sit by silently while it happens.
HM: What’s next for you? (dreams or plans!)
TB: We are going to keep releasing music and we want to play bigger stages. Any great booking agents looking for an all-girl band? Pretty sure festivals need more women ;)
