For English singer-songwriter Beth Lowen, the name LION feels fitting. Her music is gritty and thunderous; the kind of bone-rattling explosion that leaves you no choice but to sit up and take notice.
With crunching, blues-driven instrumentation and raspy vocals reminiscent of Janis Joplin, Lowen’s music is an unapologetic kick to the teeth that’ll undoubtedly leave you asking for more.
Relentless and reckless; London-based singer-songwriter LION is the kind of artist that leaves you no choice but to sit up and pay attention.
Although she grew up in a UK town called Ringwood and currently lives in London, it was here in Australia that Lowen cut her teeth as an emerging musician.
After spending an extended period of time travelling in Europe, the artist followed her heart to our beautiful shores… and she stayed here for two years.
Living on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Lowen would play gigs almost every night, often performing up to three-hour-long sets. Though eventually she decided London was the best place for her to pursue a career in music.
Now, fully embracing her new moniker, LION belts out raw and unapologetic rock n’ roll that’s brimming with infectious pop hooks.
“It’s a big statement, it’s pretty extreme,” Lowen says in regards to the new name. “But I was looking at people like Lorde, and I was like, that’s fucking cool. And then I was like, fuck it. So now it’s Lion.”
With only a small string of singles under her belt, LION already presents a fully-formed sound and accompanying visual element.
On the video for Self Control, she struts through streets and hallways as booming guitars soundtrack her careless dancing. The whole thing is pretty difficult to look away from.
“I hope people feel something,” Lowen says of her music. “Like I do when I’m playing it. Take what you want from it, but feel. I want to make boys cry.”
Her most recent single Oh No is bursting at the seams with infectious energy and vitriolic vocal delivery. These qualities seem ever-present in LION’s music.
These are still early days for this London-based musician, but judging from what we’ve head so far, we’re in for plenty more wild music courtesy of LION.
