Warpaint: DIY Festival Headliner

Warpaint will make their debut on the Craft Lake City stage after a seven-year recording hiatus, jamming out with songs from their most recent release, Radiate Like This. Catch their performance on Friday, August 11 at the DIY Festival alongside other national headlining acts, and read more about Warpaint’s recent inspirations in SLUG Senior Staff Writer Mary Culbertson’s interview with bassist and vocalist Jenny Lee Lindberg.

Warpaint, the four-piece girl band from Los Angeles, is quickly approaching their 20th anniversary and has acquired a large international following, grabbing the attention of art rock girlies all around the globe. In 2022, they released their first album in over seven years, Radiate Like This, and consequently embarked on a tour that includes this year’s DIY Festival. In an interview with SLUG, Lindberg speaks about their album, the upcoming show and some other cheeky Easter eggs.

SLUG: How would you describe the shift in your sound over the years from the first EP to your latest album, Radiate Like This? Warpaint: When we started our band, we had a huge amount of time to discover our sound and really sit with what we wanted to do. Maybe too much time. As the years have passed, it seems we have less time to do that. However, [we do have] more time spent playing and getting stronger and tighter as a band. I think the music we have made over the years has been inspired by circumstance and that is forever changing. Everything is, really.
SLUG: We understand Radiate Like This is a mixture of brand-new songs and some that had been written and set aside in the past. What’s the inspiration behind the songs collectively and also the title of the album?
Warpaint: This record is actually mostly new songs. The process was frustrating—making a record during the pandemic was very challenging. [The title] Radiate Like This was suggested by [guitarist] Emily Kokal, and it felt very representative of where we were. Just trying to find the light … anywhere!
SLUG: We’re excited about the single, “Champion.” Can you explain why you chose it to be the first single and opening track of the album?
Warpaint: It was the most upbeat [on the album], and our label wanted something like that to be our first release after so long. I love that song! One of my faves.
SLUG: Thinking back to some of your shows in the past, can you highlight a few experiences you and the band had that are especially notable?
Warpaint: The one that goes down in history for me is Bonnaroo 2014. I had just gotten back from Mexico and I got really sick, so I had to wear a diaper and I literally shit my pants on stage. True story. Thank God for diapers.
SLUG: We’re excited to have you at the DIY Festival in Utah! Have you performed in Salt Lake before? What are you manifesting for this summer show?
Warpaint: We played at Urban Lounge in 2014. I love Salt Lake; it’s my home away from home. [I] can’t wait to groove, hopefully with a view of the Wasatch mountains.
SLUG: What’s your dynamic with each other on stage? What emotions do you go through during a show?
Warpaint: We like to laugh, connect and jam. But most importantly, HAVE A GOOD TIME!
SLUG: What’s next for Warpaint in 2024 and beyond?
Warpaint: We are working on new music but doing it at our own pace and trying to get back to why we even started a band in the first place.

Warpaint’s work is sonically audacious, and their promos and music videos are wild, alluring and slightly odd, giving off nonchalant, punk-rock vibes. Radiate Like This emulates this radical style while bringing a mature new sound for long-time listeners to sink into. Check out @warpaint on Instagram for music and touring updates, and be sure to catch them at the DIY Fest!

Read more on the latest band interviews: 
What It Means to be ‘Tenderpunk’: An Interview with Illuminati Hotties 
Apocalyptic Sound: An Interview with Clan of Xymox’s Ronny Moorings