Bitch and Crys Matthews

Bitch is a longstanding queer music icon. In 2022, she released Bitchcraft, her 9th studio album, on the legendary indie label Kill Rock Stars. The album puts her signature electric violin and lyrical smarts front and center over huge beats and deep synths. Bitch coined the genre "Poet Pop". Bitchcraft was voted #1 on the top 10 end of the year list of Yahoo Entertainment's albums of the year.

To tour Bitchcraft, Bitch wrote a one woman show and debuted it at a residency in Los Angeles, which led to a national tour of over 60 cities and a sold out show at Joe's Pub in NYC. Bitchcraft caught the ears of Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco, who both took her on tour. Joey Soloway (Transparent) directed the music video for 'Easy Target'.

"There's no stopping her now," the LA Weekly said, after she premiered the show in Los Angeles for the album release.

Bitch played a role in the new Audible podcast of Alison Bechdel's 'Dykes To Watch Out For', directed by Leigh Silverman, and helped co-write a song for it with Faith Soloway.

Bitch first achieved notoriety as one half of the queer folk duo Bitch and Animal. The band toured with Ani DiFranco and released two albums on her label Righteous Babe Records. In the mid 2000s, Bitch went solo and shared stages with the Indigo Girls, acted in John Cameron Mitchell's film Shortbus, co-wrote a song with Margaret Cho, produced two albums of her elder folk hero Ferron, and licensed some of her songs to the original The L Word.

Bitchcraft, Bitch's first album in 8 years, is one that makes you think and makes you dance. Full of violins, synths, and huge vocals, the record is neon pink and in your face. It's Joni Mitchell set to a clicktrack; it's queer Cyndi Lauper and will hex you with its brilliance. It alos makes you think: about the state of the world, about evil politicians, about what it means to exist as a woman, and how to find joy along the way.

--------------------

A troubadour of truth, Nashville resident Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. An award-winning, prolific lyricist and composer, Matthews blends Americana, folk, blues, bluegrass, and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies punctuated by honest, original lyrics. She is made for these times.

Of Matthews, ASCAP VP & Creative Director Eric Philbrook says, "By wrapping honest emotions around her socially conscious messages and dynamically delivering them with a warm heart and a strong voice, she lifts our spirits just when we need it most in these troubled times." Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation adds, her gift is a "reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides."