Welcome to another edition of our monthly music newsletter feature, where we highlight a local artist and upcoming shows from DMV acts. As summer winds down, we caught up with a local band that spent their summer touring cross-country and are now back in the DMV in time for their soon-to-be-released album.
🎙️ Spotlight: Prinze George
Self-Described Sound:
Nostalgic Synth Pop
Background:
Prinze George’s roots are in their name. Childhood friends Naomi Alquist and Kenny Grimm would jam out as kids together after school in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Grimm eventually went to Berklee College of Music to study music business, while teaching himself production via YouTube. After graduating, he knew he wanted to start a band.
On a Christmas break home from college, Almquist began to write music with Grimm and they never looked back. Eleven years later, they are a successful indie-pop duo with chart hits in both the indie and EDM scenes. With Almquist’s old-school timeless timbre and Grimm’s use of synthesizers, the now-married couple is known for catchy dance tracks. Throughout their career, they’ve lived in New York and LA but have returned to their hometown for the foreseeable future to create music where it all started.
Their latest album, out this fall, leans more into Almquist’s voice and vision. It is a more somber wandering tone compared to their normal upbeat tracks. During our interview, Almquist hinted they would return to more joyful light-hearted music soon.
Prinze George. (Courtesy of Joilyn Jackson)
Get To Know the Artists:
You’ve noted on socials that all your clothes were thrifted this tour. How do you think your visual style influences your sound?
Naomi Almquist: When starting out, we were a SoundCloud band with no socials. We went viral after our second song and had to figure out our visual brand on the fly, so we used to wear a lot of white. Bright, pretty, simple, and ethereal energy. Our new style happened more naturally. The new album dives into themes of being a woman in this bizarre dystopian world. We tied that into the visual world by me wearing skirts and dresses. A lot of the silhouettes are from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and some are my mom’s old dresses. There are real stories in these clothes.
Kenny Grimm: Connecting sonically to different time periods and connecting with these old clothes, from our family works well together.
Favorite song to perform this past tour?
NA: “Smackdown,” which is our second single off of our new album, is bringing in new people. It's very Brat. It's got a kind of masculine party, I don't care, depression, energy to it, which has been resonating with more straight guys and bros.
You are proud to live in the DMV. Why did you return from NYC and LA?
NA: Several reasons. We were in New York for a couple years, but something would always happen that would make us come home for a bit. Then, we moved to LA a month before the lockdown. After COVID-19, we realized we needed to live somewhere where our quality of life is higher, which a lot of people are doing now. You can live now wherever your creative community or family is. We felt very isolated in LA, the East Coast is more my vibe, more my speed.
KG: We met a lot of really great people in LA but we wanted to come back and return to our roots and double down on what we do well and share that.
What opportunities do you think you’re missing out by living in Maryland? Do you think artists can stay in their hometowns and still garner international success?
NA: You are always going to have to take trips, but I don’t think you need to live in New York or Los Angeles to have a burgeoning, successful music career. Our first manager though was in Minneapolis and flew to New York to meet us, so even 11 years ago it was already evident that online was where you can really show people who you are and what you’re doing.
KG: The coolest thing now is either option works. Back in the day, you had to go to New York or LA, but now you can build yourself and what you’re doing wherever you are.
Where do you go to gain inspiration?
NA: I love writing in parks and we don’t do it enough, but I love writing outside. I like green and touching grass. That was one of the reasons LA was tough for me.
Favorite local venue?
NA: They are not here anymore. We loved Rock & Roll Hotel.
KG: Songbyrd is great, too.
What’s your go-to place to dine in the District?
KG: Timber Pizza in Petworth, The District Fishwife in Union Market.
NA: Vola’s Dockside Grill in Alexandria. Motorcat in Takoma. Mosaico by Arepa Zone in La Cosecha. La Diplomate is the restaurant we always go to celebrate something.
Local artists shoutout?
NA: There’s an exciting country pop artist who is on his way up. His name is Luke Borchelt.
KG: We love Bartees Strange, too.
Which artists influence you the most?
NA: Right now it is all about the girls. It was Brat Summer. I can’t stop listening to [Charli XCX’s] “Brat” album, Chappell Roan, Lana Del Ray, and Clairo. I’m obsessed with Lola Young’s new album, too. We both love Big Thief, Future Islands, and listen to a lot of The Nationals, War on Drugs, and Kings of Leon. I always go back to Peter Bjorn and John because I love their hooks and instrumentation.
KG: I also listen to a ton of metal. Darkest Hour is another local shoutout.
Last song you listened to?
Charli XCX, Billie Eilish: “Guess featuring Bille Eilish”
Follow:
Song to Check Out:
🎟️ Other Upcoming Local Shows To See
- The Mitras, Kinda Evil, Milo In The Doldrums (Indie rock) | Sept. 6 | 8 p.m. | $15 | Pie Shop
- Swataa, Yellow Velvet, Mar Rose (Indie, Funk, Latin) | Sept. 19 | 8 p.m. | $14+ | The Pocket
- Mary Allain, Kind of Christine, Cassidy Marie (Folk, Pop) | Sept. 22 | 8 p.m. | $15+ | The Pocket
- Bad Moves, Ekko Astral (Power Pop) | Sept. 27 | 8 p.m. | $20 | Black Cat
- Teen Mortgage (opening for Death from Above 1979) (Punk Hardcore) | Sept. 28 | 8 p.m. | $32+ | Howard Theatre
BONUS: Brat Rave (Party Girl Anthems) | Sept. 20 | 10 p.m. | $20+ | Soundcheck
🎵 New Local Music Mentions
As part of a split EP collab with fellow local band Pretty Bitter, “I Always Knew” highlights the best of Flowerbomb’s sound with a little synth sonic influence from Pretty Bitter. Think angsty ‘90s high school movie soundtrack.
🎧 Your Monthly Local Playlist
Check out this Spotify playlist we made, featuring Prinze George’s songs and inspirations, plus music by the other local bands above.
