Spotlight On: THAO

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S SHERO IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

As we look ahead for 2022, our first SHEROES interview of the year is a little bit of a rewind to the tail end of 2021 to a conversation I wanted to be sure to share with you before the exciting deluge of new music and SHEROES conversation hits - and believe me, we have a ton to look forward to! I recently sat down with Thao Nguyen to discuss her 2020 fifth album Temple, which she re-released in a deluxe edition at the end of October. Thao was born in Falls Church, Virginia in 1984, as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees; at age 12 she picked up a guitar left behind by her father when her parents separated. That was the start of a journey that would evolve into a now fifteen year career as a singer, songwriter, musician, and the leader of her now former band The Get Down Stay Down. After a few years of playing open mics and shows, Thao’s debut Like Linen was released in 2005 and within a couple of years she was signed by the iconic indie label Kill Rock Stars. Her first collection as Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, We Brave Bee Stings and All arrived in 2008. Her fifth album, Temple, represents an incredibly meaningful moment in her life, as she is for the first time in her career both publicly out, and embracing her Vietnamese heritage. Thao is this week’s SHERO in the Spotlight. 

Our playlist features exclusively new music from 2022 SHEROES albums we are looking forward to, including singles from upcoming January releases from MICHELLE, AURORA, Aoife O’Donovan and Anaïs Mitchell, plus tracks from what’s to come in February.