Photos by Shannon Guest – Towa Bird is a British-Filipino singer-songwriter and guitarist who has quickly established herself as one of modern rock’s most electrifying new voices. Born in Hong Kong and raised across Thailand and London, she picked up the electric guitar at age 12, drawing early inspiration from classic rock legends like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. After making a name for herself posting inventive guitar covers and solos on TikTok, her raw talent caught industry attention, leading to a major record deal with Interscope and a featured role playing guitar in Olivia Rodrigo’s Disney+ documentary Driving Home 2 U.
Her sound seamlessly blends blistering rock riffage, pop hooks, and unapologetic, queer-forward lyricism. Bird first broke into the mainstream spotlight with her 2023 debut single “Wild Heart,” followed by high-profile opening tour slots for artists like Reneé Rapp and Billie Eilish. In June 2024, she released her acclaimed debut album, American Hero, a 13-track punch of alternative rock that subverted traditional rock tropes while tackling themes of identity, love, and vulnerability.
Driven by her signature guitar work and a distinct subversion of gender and genre, Towa Bird continues to carve out a vital space for queer women of color in rock music. Building on the success of her debut, she expanded her discography with her sophomore album, Gentleman, cementing her reputation as an innovative live performer and a defining figure for a new generation of guitar heroes.
