Anyone searching for a new artist who will transport you into a world of bubblegum grunge and unapologetic realness should meet Alex Barnes, better known to her listeners as Girl Wilde. After releasing her first single in Oct. 2018, Girl Wilde has asserted herself as an anti-genre artist with inspiration from the pop-punk, grunge sounds of Alanis Morissette and Paramore.

With “Bad Side,” the Los Angeles-based songstress delivered a punchy sass anthem that exposes the destructive nature of concealing our “Bad Side” from new acquaintances. The 1:56 long track draws listeners in with the electrifying sounds of a guitar and drums, as Girl Wilde’s tantalizingly honest lyrics carry them through this unapologetic anthem. This song fully acknowledges that everyone hides a “Bad Side,” yet Girl Wilde has no intention of letting that stop her from the empowering fun of this relationship. She shamelessly asks in the opening line, “You told me you were into roller coasters…So what’s the problem, do you wanna stop?”

Girl Wilde continues with the empowering theme of confident vulnerability in “Nervous Breakdown,” her high-energy second single. Released in Nov. 2018, this track is the artist’s most-streamed song on Spotify, with over 195,000 plays so far. Despite the taboo nature of a “Nervous Breakdown,” Girl Wilde is emboldened by the vulnerability of the situation. The conversational tone of the lyrics entice the listener with blunt realness. By the time the first chorus hits, raging with the sounds of an amplified guitar, the audience is ripe for a “Nervous Breakdown.” Girl Wilde proudly invites her listeners to join in and unleash their raw emotions in this anthem-worthy track.

In fall 2018, Girl Wilde cultivated a platform for her bubblegum grunge sound, and she continues to unveil her shamelessly vulnerable and somewhat quirky side in her 2019 work. In Jan. 2019, her third and latest single, “Fake Louis,” was released. This track is a blunt self-examination that leads the artist to her own self-empowered liberation from “LA barbies” and “boys who just want [her] body” with the accompaniment of a 90’s grunge- inspired guitar. Girl Wilde also performed at The Gibson Showroom in Los Angeles in January, where her electric sass was on full display.

As Barnes works on her first ever EP in 2019, we can ensure that more electric, bubblegum grunge anthems will come your way from this artist to watch.