It wasn’t that long ago that Kenzie and Laila Crowe lived through a tornado. As the sky turned a putrid shade and sirens went off, the sisters quickly grabbed their cats, Poe (named for Edgar Allan) and Cherry (likely named for their love of all things retro) and headed into the basement of the family home in western Kentucky, where the two siblings and their parents huddled together and hoped for the best. Having survived, they decided to write a song about it.
“That moment was so anxiety driven. It was scary, and the chaos of it all really inspired the song,” shared Kenzie, the bubbly singer and guitarist who, alongside drummer/backup vocalist Laila, make up the buzzy garage rock duo Girl Tones. On January 16, they released the new single ahead of some North American tour dates opening up for Dexter and the Moonrocks and Peter McPoland. It’s called “Volcano,” because they thought that title sounded cooler than “tornado,”. And anyway, the song, which ebbs and flows between a characteristically punchy chorus and downtrodden refrains, is about more than natural disasters.
“It’s about going back and forth doing something when you’re under so much pressure,” Laila explained, “and just accepting that you can make something beautiful out of chaos if you don’t let it control you.”
Reading through the lines, there is a strong sense she’s dishing out a metaphor for their own music career. “Volcano” is just the latest bulldozer of a track from Girl Tones that has made them realize “we’re not in Kentucky anymore.”
In just a few years, the Crowes (who could very well be related to music journo Cameron Crowe ashis dad’s side also hails from the state) have been catapulted into a very bright limelight, especially after being vetted by Cage The Elephant’s Brad Shultz. He’s helped Girl Tones produce a no-skips collection of raw rock singles like “Blame,” “Again,” and “Leave The City,” and signed them as the first artist on his label Parallel Vision. Shultz too, is a strong home state connection, giving credence to the state’s popular slogan, “Kentucky is for lovers” (lovers of music at least).
“Back when we were a teeny tiny band, we were playing all around Bowling Green, which is where Brad is from. Basically, word got around to him about us, and he messaged us on Instagram and was like, we should record something,” Kenzie recalled. “Laila and I were like, oh my God, Cage The Elephant just messaged us! Like, what is happening?”
After tours with Cage and Silversun Pickups, where Girl Tones displayed their ferocious two-woman power on the stage, it led to their major festival debut at Lollapalooza in 2025. This year is looking bright, too. A full-length is on the way, Amazon just picked the duo for their annual “Artists to Watch” list, and in the coming months they’re taking aim at SXSW, Bonnaroo, BottleRock, Treefort, and Outside Days. Oh, and the nonstop comparisons to The White Stripes keep coming, too. Not that they mind.
“We love The White Stripes. That’s an inspiration of ours, so of course it’s going to come out that way,” admitted Kenzie. In fact, without Jack White, Kenzie and Laila might be playing music in the symphony orchestra. Growing up, the sisters were classically trained on cello and piano, respectively, and still count some of their favorite musicians as Bach, Beethoven, and “Fantasy Dance” composer Robert Schumann, who gave them the scoop on creating good melodies.
But, as teenagers do, Kenzie and Laila became bored with the rigamarole of practicing, and as the Detroit rockers’ music started to be played around the house, everything changed. “Our dad introduced us to The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, all of Jack White’s stuff. And it really inspired me to pick up guitar on my own. It was this whole new world … his stuff is so unique, it blew our minds,” Kenzie recalled. She added there have been some interactions with White, but “just as fans.”
The sprawling family home , which Kenzie and Laila still live adjacent to on a secluded half-acre plot an hour from Nashville in makeshift apartments their parents built, was always filled with music. Also in regular rotation was James Brown, Michael Jackson, Talking Heads, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Alanis Morissette (their mom Carol’s favorite), as well as beats and fills from their dad Kevin’s drum kit. Kevin Crowe has also been working as a semi-pro musician for 30 years. “Back in the day, he’d play on old Broadway in Nashville. He was in cover bands and honky tonks, and he’s played with artists like Will Hoge,” Kenzie explained, concluding, “It was never even a question if we would do music. It’s always been involved in our lives since day one.”
So, when the sisters decided to dip out of college as things started to take off with Girl Tones, they avoided a lot of the normal lectures. “It was just something that had to be done because [the band] was more time-sensitive. And we figured if we don’t jump on this and start taking all the opportunities we can, it’s going to stunt our growth,” said Laila. “It just felt ridiculous to not pursue it fully with all our weight behind it.”
Still, the decision was difficult as both enjoyed their programs: Laila in fashion design and Kenzie in photojournalism and graphic design. But it was not all for naught; they bring those respective takeaways into the band with their staunch DIY approach. “I learned how to edit things, and I feel like we’re able to have a clearer vision to tell photographers and videographers, this is how we want it done,” said Kenzie. She also shares that some of her original artworks will be available at shows on their tour, running now through March 14.
“I’ve also been working on a first full dress for stage wear and photo shoots,” added Laila. “All these pattern brands have started reissuing these really cool vintage patterns. So I’ve been starting to collect those and work on making clothes, because we love vintage fashion a whole lot.” That vibe is pretty consistent across the board, most evident in the ’60s period pieces seen in the retro-themed video for “Blame” shot at Nashville’s famous Dive Motel. “I wish we could bring those looks back,” Kenzie lamented. “I get it, I love wearing sweatpants. I do it all the time, especially traveling. But part of me is, like, maybe we should go back to dressing super fancy all the time.”
There’s a sense that Kenzie and Laila like to be in charge, and they’re the first to admit it. “Laila and I are very much control freaks. We want to control everything ourselves,” said Kenzie, explaining the decision to remain a two-piece. “To us, this is our baby. I do see a future in having extra people on the road with us. But the core of it will always be me and Laila.”
Shultz does pop up onstage at gigs when the timing works out, like at Lollapalooza when both of the acts were on the lineup. And they always make space for him and what he brings forth. “His drive and his ambition is very inspiring. And his passion—he definitely has a really good work ethic,” said Laila. Getting caught in his tailwinds is just the kind of storm they want to be chasing. “You need that pressure. You need to have someone telling you need to keep going,” Kenzie admitted. “It’s the chaos we thrive off of.”
