Best known as the co-founder of the dynamic Austin trio Keeper, Street Peach is now making her captivating solo debut with her latest project, “Monarch”. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic mix of sources—including choral music, evocative poetry, and themes exploring the intricate intersection of nature and human connection—Street Peach brings a unique and mesmerising vocal style to her new venture.

For “Monarch”, she collaborates with acclaimed producer Willie Green, renowned for his work with Wiz Khalifa, Donnie McClurkin, The Roots, and Fielded. The result is a rich and expansive debut that highlights the very best of Street Peach’s artistry. Throughout the project, her talent for crafting intricate lyrics, powerful vocals, and glistening melodies is unmistakable. On standout track “Heavy”, robust, punchy drums meld perfectly with shimmering synths and infectious guitar riffs. Meanwhile, the deeply introspective “34” encapsulates the essence of finding inner peace, blending raw storytelling with a hauntingly reflective narrative.

Speaking on the title, Street Peach explains, “It’s kind of a nod to different life experiences, and migrating through them. It’s about hope, growth, reclamation of power, falling in love, falling out of it, while holding onto myself. It’s about finding yourself in a place of deep love and gratitude for yourself. Which is why Monarch felt so fitting. The way they migrate through life, they’re regarded as having the most highly evolved migration pattern of any known insect.”

Listen to the album…

We joined up with Street Peach to talk through diving into self-love for the project, her dynamic creative process and how she entered the spotlight.

Read the interview…

Hey Street Peach! Congratulations on “Monarch” – what kind of narratives and themes are you aiming to convey to your listeners with this new project?

Thank you! I think the idea of Monarch was a rebirth of sorts, for me, in a lot of different ways. Getting back into making music again a decade older, I’m writing from a different place, as well as releasing and performing from a different place- that place being more grounded and surer of myself as a person and an artist. The content of the songs themselves is intimate and vulnerable. Whether they’re about a real-life experience or not, they all draw from universal feelings we process when entering different relational dynamics. I think the overarching theme is finding and holding onto self-love no matter what you may be traversing in the current moment. That and maybe a study on just the messiness and beaty of being human. some of these songs are about processing betrayal, some are about being in awe of love, some are about embracing my age and everything I’ve been through and finding grace for myself.

Could you give us some insight into your creative process?

My creative process takes a few different forms, I make sure I carve out time to read and write every day, preferably right when I wake up. I’m most sensitive in the mornings. For a long time, I would just record my lyrical ideas to a click track, but in the past year or so for some reason, I’ve felt more creative when sitting down at a keyboard and creating skeletons of the melody that way. I try to stay open to whatever my creativity needs are at the time, and just be in a state of flow, never putting too much pressure on whether that day’s work will turn into something or not. First and foremost, I do it for myself and to process my own feelings, and then if it sticks in my head, or if I am really liking it, I know it’s worth sharing.

Could you share your musical journey to-date?

Sure! I grew up singing in church, school choir, and a little musical theatre. I didn’t think much of it, until I was in college and pre-med. I realized I wanted to pursue something creative instead, I had always been an athlete and coming from a small town in Texas, I just didn’t ever think being a musician was a possibility. After that I started making connections with vocalists in Austin while at UT, which eventually led me to doing backing vocals for a few people. Eventually that evolved into the group Keeper, which was fairly successful for a few years (we had songs on broad city, played a few music festivals like ACL.) That group broke up about twelve years ago now and broke my heart to be honest. I didn’t know my creative process outside of writing with those two girls and it took me a long time to find my way back, and realize music is and always will be my first love. I had to come around to the realization that it doesn’t matter if I’m successful or not, it’s just something I have to do for myself. During lockdown, I started writing again because I had enough downtime to tap into my creative process and find it again after so many years. That’s when I heard a song on Fielded’s album that Willie Green produced and messaged him on ig. I asked if I could send him all these acapella stems I was sitting on. He produced one for me, and I was floored. There’s nothing better than getting a mix in your inbox! After that I’d send him a few of my favourites every week or so, and he’d produce around my vocals. After a year or so we had a batch of songs to choose from. I never really had intentions of putting out music or performing again, but I also think art is made to be shared, once it’s created, you owe it to the art to share it and let others use it how they need to.