Scene Queen reigns supreme: "It feels like I really can do whatever I want"

With ‘Hot Singles In Your Area’, SCENE QUEEN proves that staying true to yourself and embracing your sexuality is the ultimate form of empowerment, no matter what the haters say. Check out the latest cover story for our New Music Friday playlist edit, PLAY.

Words: Ali Shutler.

"You can tell it's a cathartic record because of how many of the songs end with feral screaming," grins Scene Queen. Across her two 'Bimbocore' EPs, Hannah Collins has used Scene Queen like a weapon to shake up the old, tired rules of rock. Her debut album 'Hot Singles In Your Area' is both an origin story, a renewed attack and a hint at what comes next.

"I wanted to explain why Scene Queen was necessary, from the general misogyny I experienced as a teenager just existing in this space to the harassment I've got in my day-to-day as a woman," she explains. "When I was younger, I felt like it wasn't safe for me to be in this scene, and I never wanted anyone to ever feel that uncomfortable."

With gloriously vicious songs like '18+', 'BDSM' and 'Pink Push-Up Bra', 'Hot Singles In Your Area' rages against sexism and predatory behaviour, while Wargasm collab 'Girls Gone Wild' sees Hannah and Milkie Way "talking about how every time we do something raunchy, we're slut shamed. If men do it, they're rock stars. It feels like the perfect combination of our two bands," she adds, finding joy in shared fury. 

There's more to this project than chainsaw anger, though. "As I was writing this album, I was coming into my sexuality and trying to figure that out," Hannah explains, with the record littered with horny dating songs. "It's kind of perfect because there's all this queer joy, but it also has the typical queer experience of exploring new territories and feeling incredibly awkward," she continues.