Recent Take This To Heart signees the Sonder Bombs are premiering their debut album Modern Female Rockstar exclusively with AP.

Modern Female Rockstar combines tropical ukulele chords with pop-punk elements to create the Sonder Bomb’s own one-of-a-kind sound. Frontwoman Willow Hawks says the album is about not compromising yourself to fit into an image.

That message accurately represents the Sonder Bombs’ unwillingness to change their creative sound to fit into a specific genre.

“Modern Female Rockstar is an album dedicated to the idea that we do not need to compromise ourselves in order to fit into someone else’s image or to be a good person,” Hawks says.

The Sonder Bombs don’t just stop at creative expression. Other topics addressed in their debut album include sexism and mental illness. Hawks stresses the importance of these issues on the album while explaining the reason she paired such topics with a poppy tune.

“I think the album as a whole has some really serious themes and messages about mental illness, sexism and sexual assault,” she says. “And although it is a serious album, when folks hear these songs and take in these ideas, we just want you to have fun!”

The messages on the album are important, but heavy. Hawks realizes how overwhelming these concepts can be. That’s why she wants listeners to absorb the important content the album carries, but definitely not to a point where it’s overwhelming.

“We want you to pay attention to the topics we’re addressing, but don’t get caught up in the heaviness of it all.”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong. We want you to pay attention to the topics we’re addressing, but don’t get caught up in the heaviness of it all,” she says.

Modern Female Rockstar features brave singles such as “Title,” which address sexism in the music industry. However, it also includes “Pot & Kettle,” a track that takes a more interpersonal approach and is one of Hawks’ favorites on the album.

“[‘Pot & Kettle’] just fell together so naturally, and we all really got to show off our influences individually,” she says. “We are freaking pumped to show off the album version to the folks that know the song from our live set. It’s a blast to play live, and I think that energy really gets showcased in the recording.”

Even with the overarching social themes of Modern Female Rockstar, Hawks describes the album as a chart of her own journey. Ultimately, her transformation into a person unafraid to stand up for herself fuels the uncompromising courage of the album.

“It’s written sort of as a timeline from the point in my life where I stopped letting other people dictate how I was going to live my life, and onward as I work to find some peace of mind for myself,” she says.

Hawks lays her journey out for fans to listen and hear. All while hoping that it can influence them as much as it has her.

“We all have baggage and pain that we carry with us, and it’s our hope that with Modern Female Rockstar, we can help people feel less stranded.”

“We all have baggage and pain that we carry with us, and it’s our hope that with Modern Female Rockstar, we can help people feel less stranded,” Hawks says. “That’s what music has always done for us.”

Modern Female Rockstar is out tomorrow via Take This To Heart (preorder here), but you can check it out now below. You can also catch the Sonder Bombs on tour this month.

Dates:

10/12 – Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop*

10/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Hot House

10/26 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Brewery

10/27 – Holyoke, MA @ Ted House

10/28 – Amityville, NY @ Amityville Music Hall

* with Signals Midwest

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is help to be found. Please consider these online resources:

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-8255 (or text GO to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line)

The Trevor Project – 1-866-488-7386

RAAIN – 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)