Queen of Texas is an audacious title for a debut album, especially from a little-known teen songwriter from small-town West Texas. Yet it’s not all hot air: Solya has a decent shot at becoming indie-pop royalty.
The singer, who kicks off her U.S. tour Feb. 27 at Club Dada, specializes in surreal, retro-leaning ballads at the intersection of Lana Del Rey and Julee Cruise. She grew up listening to her parents’ David Bowie and Neil Young albums, and at times, Queen of Texas recalls those acts’ tuneful gloom.
“I want people to feel empowered … when they’re listening to sad songs,” she said in an interview with the Luna Collective. “This whole record is my way of moving on from what has hurt me.”
Produced near Austin by Danny Reisch (Local Natives, White Denim), Queen of Texas is heavy on tunes about toxic dynamics, including “19,” not to be confused with the shoulda-been-a-hit of the same name by the Old 97’s. The video for “19” and other new Solya songs are out on YouTube. Queen of Texas comes out March 6.
Details
With opening act Tele Novella, 8 p.m., Feb. 27, Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., Dallas. $28, dadadallas.com.
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