Recommended tracks: “Dirty Habits,” “Dog,” “69BPM,” “Victoria,”
Artist You May Like: Reneé Rapp, MUNA, Nxdia, boygenius
What does it really mean to be a gentleman?
Long after the release of her debut album American Hero, Filipina-British artist Towa Bird returns with what feels like her queer magnum opus album. Bird’s new album Gentleman blurs the line between gender expression and societal norms, breaking the word into two vast worlds: “gentle” and “man.” Towa states in an interview with Cosmopolitan Magazine:
“A gentleman, to me, is more feminine. The word itself is ‘gentle’ and ‘man.’ And that’s what I’m trying to embody in this album: to really be expressive of my androgyny and to be expressive of the way that I style myself and the way that I walk through the world as an androgynous-looking individual.”
Pre-released single “Dirty Habits” is an energizing prelude to Bird’s confident nature. A song written after expressing frustrations with the normalization of kids within LA living off of their parents’ money, this intro to the album (alongside “Gentleman“) ignites a new world of capabilities for the singer; no longer will she diminish her glory for the likes of others.
“Dog,” a sexy queer fantasy, brings about a sense of pride within the framework of the album. Accompanied by a masterful music video featuring Katy O’Brian, “Dog” explores the joy of queer sex. In the same interview with Cosmopolitan Magazine, Bird shares the importance of discussing queer sex in today’s day and age:
“We are raised in such a sex-oppressed society, especially around queer sex….Even though people see that topic and say, ‘Oh, that’s low-hanging fruit,’ I’m like, ‘Not really! I don’t think so…’ I love doing that because it’s really fun to be part of this generation who are openly talking and writing about queer sex. It’s so cool.”
“69BPM,” the slow-tempo sister song to “Dog,” is a continuation of the theme of queer love. The thing that makes it feel so different than some of Towa’s previous works is not only the structure of the song itself, but the stylistic creation behind it: she challenges herself to try out new vocal tactics and new emotional delivery.
Speaking of emotional delivery, the album’s final song “Victoria” is a nod to Bird’s birth name. It serves as a mirror between the younger and current versions of the artist in which the older version of Bird will “never be enough” for the younger version of her who’s looking towards who she’ll end up becoming in the future: “When the green in my eyes turns to grey / Not so simple anymore like before / I got bigger and so did my name / Not so little now that I’m in the thick of it / Devoted crowds, funny how clearly I’m more than enough for the world / And even my girl / And I’ll find my worth / But never Victoria.”
Gentleman is a masterful album embracing the successful artist she’s become, embodying her queer, androgynous, POC identity with more confidence and assurance. It ensures that no matter where she goes, there will be plenty of others who look to Towa as inspiration to break the mold of societal pressures and expectations.
Keep up with Towa Bird: Instagram // TikTok // X // Spotify // Facebook // Youtube // Website
