Asha Jefferies - “Brand New Bitch"

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…The Beths, Faye Webster, Caroline Rose

Warm indie rock, anthemic pop, and alt-country influences weave their way into the early singles from Asha Jefferies’ upcoming full-length debut Ego Ride, sharp songwriting making these new tracks really pop. Jefferies smartly turns the guitars up and adds some psych-pop flavor to what could otherwise fall into a sweet, power-pop lane. It gives her music needed density and makes little indie pop songs sound downright massive. Heading to Austin from Brisbane, Australia, Jefferies may be about to release her first LP, but her EP and single catalog goes back to 2016. It makes sense for as mature these songs sound, tightly wound, hook focused, and still comfortable in its vibe and energy. Heading backwards through Jefferies releases shows more focus on acoustic, singer-songwriter material, so its nice to see an artist that has already evolved into something both better and new. (Kevin McStravick)