Punk artist and bassist Vivienne Wilder makes her mark in 2025 with new single “Sex Machine”. The sharp punk anthem is a biting takedown of an ex’s inflated self-image and charm, with Vivienne’s ironic voice mocking his self-importance and exaggerated allure.
Reflecting on the track, Vivienne shares, “Sex Machine’ is about the frustration and disgust I felt toward the power a really confident guy I knew seemed to have. Looking back, what hurt the most was being made to feel stupid just because I was inexperienced and kind. The song is about calling that out and poking fun at his delusions of grandeur as a way of breaking free from the mind games.”
The sarcasm is sharp, cathartic, and a bit coy, layered over a gnarly bass line and heavy groove. It feels like stepping back from infatuation, seeing the cracks, and dismantling the romantic facade while questioning the point of it all.
Vivienne Wilder is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter and bassist whose music channels raw vulnerability, defiant resilience, and fleeting beauty through an alt-rock lens. Classically trained but forged in the neon glow of dive bars and restless touring circuits, her songs fuse confessional lyricism with a sharp-edged emotional intensity, delivered through a voice that swings effortlessly between haunting fragility and blistering ferocity.
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Vivienne grew up in an obsessively musical household—her father a classical bassist, her mother a singer. She began violin lessons at age three, piano at four, and later followed her father’s path to upright and electric bass. By the time she was a teenager, she was performing professionally in string quartets, and had become a sought-after player in jazz ensembles and alongside local singer-songwriters. She won a full-time chair in the Regina Symphony Orchestra and became a member of the National Youth Orchestra before heading east to complete a Bachelors’ Degree in classical performance on bass at the University of Toronto.
After graduating, Vivienne transitioned into life as a freelance bassist, touring extensively across North America. A brief stint living in Austin, Texas from 2011-2012 encouraged her to focus on songwriting, and after returning to Toronto, she released her debut eponymous folk EP in 2012. Five years later came Waking Up The Dinosaurs (2017), a rock album recorded with her five-piece band The Vice Presidents, who enjoyed a longtime residency at Toronto’s beloved TRANZAC venue.
Her follow-up EP, postromantic (2020), released by Fallen Tree Records, showcased her ability to balance stark vulnerability with lush arrangements. In 2022, her second full-length album, I Don’t Believe, was recorded mostly live, offering a raw, unfiltered chapter in her discography. Its standout single, “Ricky,” led to an invitation to perform on The Trailer Park Boys’ podcast, solidifying her growing reputation for sharp songwriting and magnetic presence.
“Sex Machine” is out today on all streaming platforms now.
