PRESS KIT

Howlin' Whale is a harmonica player, composer, and vocalist. Growing up in Massachusetts, her playground was the woods, thick trees and skunk cabbage steeped in swamps called “The Bubbling Bog.” Train tracks and a shooting range provided the soundtrack. Perennial gunfire infused her with mortal rhythms, while trains’ haunting rattles and moans sang of other worlds. Answering their call, she left her small town and traveled, determined to explore the mysteries of life and turn her adventures into music. A fateful encounter with whales set her compass forever seaward, enchanted by the music of dark waters. The bog, the woods, the train, wanderlust, and the sea are Howlin’ Whale’s roots, growing deep in her voice and howling through her harmonica. Howlin’ Whale has been developing the harmonica style she calls “bog,” inspired by the sounds of these wild worlds. Musically, bog harmonica comes from the heart of the blues, the beat of reggae, the mind of Hip Hop, and the guts of rock n roll.

Whale made her recording debut on the band Sea At Last’s album Atlas (GYPSYPOP RECORDS), playing harmonica on their song “On My Time.” Together, they composed “Castle,” which Chris Douridas premiered on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. Next, Whale hosted the underground house concert series Made In Laurel Canyon, performing with Sea At Last as the house band. Howlin’ Whale released her debut single “Run” on GYPSYPOP RECORDS, co-produced with renowned Kush Audio wizard Gregory Scott aka UBK. Howlin' Whale’s debut EP Many Lives was released in 2019 with GYPSYPOP RECORDS. 2019 also marked the launch of her live band with musicians Fire Mist, Taylor Quinn, Kavika G, M.Cat Spoony, and Tyler Hammond.

A lifelong student of music and its history, Howlin’ Whale celebrates the power of music to uplift people even as we endure great pain. Blues, reggae, Hip Hop, and Gypsy music are among the world's most profound testaments to this power of music, and they are Whale's venerated and beloved inspirations. Howlin’ Whale’s bog harmonica style is a dive into uncharted waters for the instrument, exploring its resonant reach and sonic textures to new depths. A woman of many lives, Howlin' Whale's rich voice, intense love affair with harmonica, and gripping tales of adventure feed her music with equal parts ferocity, integrity, and joy.

“MANY LIVES“ Music Video

“RAT“ Music Video

PRESS

“If 2020 is the beginning of pop music’s future, artists like Howlin’ Whale are perhaps the best indicators as to what alternative fans can anticipate in the decade to come.” - Too Much Love Magazine

“She’s got an ‘it’ factor that reminds me of Patti Smith melded with a contemporary edginess that I haven’t been able to shake since hearing this track for the first time.” @ Music Existence

“Rat” opens with the haunting wail of Whale’s harmonica attended by a rumbling bass line and blues-inflected guitars. A down and dirty rhythm, grinding and pulsing with visceral impetus, infuses the tune with choleric energy.” - Randall Radic @ Medium.com

“Rat is a spiritual call for assistance against the treacherous forces attacking a community. It’s an incantation making use of reggae rhythms, wailing guitars, and an ominous groove. The harmonica takes on an animalistic feel in the hands of Howlin’ Whale, and she demands answers to the question, “What do you do when you sniff a rat in our midst?” - Lisa Hafey @ Essentially Pop

“Howlin’ Whale and her band, made up of Fire Mist (guitar), Kavika G (guitar), M.Cat Spoony (bass), and Tyler Hammond (drums), offer a totally sui generis sound, a sound revolving around Howlin’ Whale’s psychedelic harmonica, a style of playing she refers to as “bog.” With roots deeply embedded in the blues, reggae, Hip Hop, and rock and roll, bog harmonica effervesces, boils, gurgles, and “howls like a whale.” It’s a raw, gutsy sound, organic and deliciously distinctive.” - Scope Mag

“Whale’s snarling, grimacing voice hits with harsh impact, full of palpable dark resolves and wicked tonal flavors. Her potent rapping flow, fueled by auras of lethal colors and skintight textures, seethes with venomous pushing dynamism, as blistering guitar licks inject charring sonic accents.” - VENTS Magazine

“Today’s performance in Rockdale welcomes a pair of guest musicians to the stage with Sea at Last. The new album... also features a harmonica player who will be at tonight’s performance. 'She’s incredible,' Elena [Tory Elena of Sea At Last] said.” - Temple Daily Telegram