THE PRETTY & RECKLESS
Taylor Momsen’s Story + A New Album
Not to state the obvious, but Taylor Momsen is a badass rocker chick.
She’s been the frontwoman of the alt-rock group The Pretty Reckless since its inception in 2009. To get there, she left her childhood acting roles and inhibitions behind.
Momsen started her career in the public eye when she was just a toddler. She started modelling when she was 2 years old. She was cast in her first commercial at age 3.
Her breakthrough into the spotlight came in 2000, when she played Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch. (We knew she was destined for musical greatness then. Who could forget “Where Are You Christmas”?) Next came a few more childrens’ movies. Then came Gossip Girl, in which Momsen played Jenny Humphrey.
Around 2010, Momsen began taking extended hiatuses from Gossip Girl. She later revealed she gave up acting to focus on music full-time. It was around that time, too, that The Pretty Reckless was formed.
Momsen worked with several producers and several bandmates before she found the group that would be The Pretty Reckless. The current lineup came together in the early 2010s, bonded over their shared love of iconic rockers like Nirvana, Oasis and Joan Jett.
The early days of The Pretty Reckless included a few EPs, a lot of shows on the Vans Warped Tour, and a tour as an opener for Evanescence. In other words, it was the quintessential emo band experience. But The Pretty Reckless stood out, with their unique, class rock-informed sound. That’s why they’re still rocking today.
The Pretty Reckless will release their fourth studio album Death By Rock and Roll very soon. The album has already been groundbreaking. The album’s titular track helped The Pretty Reckless become the first female-led group to have five singles top the Mainstream Rock Chart.
The band also got a little help from some modern rockstars when recording the album. Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron was an essential part of creating the record. Rage Against the Machine frontman Tom Morello is also featured on the single “And So It Went,” one of Momsen’s favorite tracks on the album.
“The world has been in such a state of civil unrest. ‘And So It Went’ basically comes from that vision,” Momsen said about the song. “As a songwriter, I feel like I’m not here to preach. I use music to observe and communicate what I see around me.”
Death By Rock and Roll will drop February 21, 2021.
