Starbenders

Starbenders are an American rock band from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. The group was formed in 2013 when lead singer and guitarist Kimi Shelter contacted her former bandmate Aaron Lecesne about doing a new project. After adding guitarist Kriss Tokaji and drummer Emily Moon, Starbenders were subsequently signed to former Lady Gaga music director/guitarist Nico Constantine’s label, Institution Records. With Constantine serving as their producer, the band has released three EPs, one full-length, one 7-inch, and six singles on Institution Records and two singles and two full-lengths on Sumerian Records.

Background

Starbenders released their self-titled debut EP, mixed b
Jeff Bakos
in 2014 to positive reception with the lead-off single ''Touch'' and quickly followed with the singles ''Brake'', ''Paper Beats Rock'', and ''Powder'' in 2015 while touring the United States extensively. The band spent the remainder of 2015 recording 2016's full-length ''Heavy Petting'', which was released by Institution Records. The record was engineered by Matt Goldman a
Glow-In-The-Dark Studios
and Jeff Bakos at Studio B, and mixed by Mark Needham (Fleetwood Mac, The Killers, Stevie Nicks) an
Will Brierre
( Sick Puppies, Imagine Dragons).

The band led with the single ''Blood'' and released a music video for the track, followed by videos for ''Paper Beats Rock,'' ''Powder'', and ''Time Stops'', which won "Best Music Video" at the 201
Oregon Film Awards

Starbenders continued to be active through 2017, touring and releasing the singles ''Far From Heaven'' and ''So High'', (again mixed by Needham). In late 2017 the band began work on their new EP ''JULIAN'' and released the title track ''Julian'' as a single in advance of the EP's official release in January 2018.

Starbenders toured extensively in 2018 in support of JULIAN, notably touring alongside Charlotte Kemp Muhl's UNI, Rosegarden Funeral Party on the Children Of The Night tour, and Alice in Chains in support of the grunge icons' new record '' Rainier Fog''.

In 2018 Starbenders signed a distribution deal with Japanese labe
B.I.J Records
for Japanese releases. In April 2019, the band released the EP ''Japanese Rooms'' and embarked on an extensive tour of Japan to support the EP. Despite only being available in physical copies in Japan, the EP was named LA Weekly's "Album Of The Week."

In May 2019, it was announced that Starbenders had signed to Sumerian Records, and the band's first single and video on the label, "London," was released to positive reception. The band then embarked on a US tour with labelmates Palaye Royale. Starbenders continued to tour through 2019, supporting Jamie Bower's band Counterfeit on a North American tour and releasing the single "Holy Mother" in September.

Starbenders began 2020 with a US tour with Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop. On February 14, they released their debut full-length on Sumerian Records, ''Love Potions'', produced by longtime producer Nico Constantine. Reflecting on the thirteen months it took the band to record the album, Kimi Shelter revealed, "We really just put our all into it. We wanted to come in old-school with it, and make sure that we were really honouring the ghosts of rock'n'roll past. It was frustrating, but the process really made us. It was both parts: beauty and pain." They collaborated with Remington Leith from Palaye Royale on Depeche Mode cover ''Precious''.

''Love Potions'' was later re-released as a digital version with 7 additional bonus tracks, including the bonus track from the Japanese version ''True Love'', an acoustic version of ''Bitches be witches'' and a remix of ''Push'' (both have already been released with the singles before).

In April 2021 they digitally released an acoustic version of ''Time Stops'' and a coupling track together with ''The Mavens'' and Lilith Czar as singles for the soundtrack of American musical drama television series Paradise City. In August 2021 they released the digital single ''No one listened''.

After that they intensely toured several countries. Their tour included a headliner US tour with 22 dates across the country and a their third tour in Japan in 2022 which was originally planned for 2021, but postponed to 2022. They were joined on the 10 dates in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya by Japanese artists such as 88Kasyo Junrei, SPARK!!SOUND!!SHOW!! and THE BOHEMIANS. In August 2022 they announced they would be the opening act for Palaye Royale's North American leg of their ''Fever Dream'' tour consisting of 25 dates. Later they announced they would make their European debut as opening act for the ''Fever Dream'' tour alongside with English rock band Yonaka on 34 dates. This was followed by a Summer tour across the US together with The Haunt, several festival dates and a UK tour in October 2023.

Prior to the release of their third full length album ''Take back the night'' on September 22nd 2023, they released ''Seven white horses'', ''If you need it'', ''Blood moon'', ''The Game'' and ''Sex'' as singles in 2022 and 2023. The 13 track album also included a cover of Alice Cooper's ''Poison''. ''The Game'' reached #33 of the Rock Charts on Rock Radio.

On February 6, 2024, they announced on social media that drummer Emily Moon would leave them after being with them since 2017. A replacement has not yet been named. They also announced a US tour with Nita Strauss and Diamante.

Charitable causes

Starbenders regularly advocates various charitable causes through music and performances. Charities and non-profits worked with include Children Of The Night, Girls Rock Camp, Open Door Inc, Lost N Found Youth, and My Sister's House.

Members

Current Members

*Kimi Shelter – lead vocals, guitar (2013-present)
*Aaron Lecesne – bass (2013-present)
*Kriss Tokaji – guitar (2016-present)

Former Members

*Kyle Gordon – guitar (2013-2016)
*Katie Herron – drums (2013-2017)
*Emily Moon – drums (2017-2024)

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Heavy Petting'' (2016)
*''Love Potions'' (2020)
*''Take Back the Night'' (2023)

EPs

* ''Starbenders'' (2014)
* ''Julian'' (2018)
*''Japanese Rooms'' (2019)

7-inch

* "Powder" (2015)

Singles

References

{{Reflist

Rock music groups from Georgia (U.S. state)
Musical groups from Atlanta
Female-fronted musical groups
Mixed-gender bands