In the city of jazz, Swinging Astrid is one band pushing the envelope in the New Orleans music scene with poetic lyricism combined with an indie rock beat.

The band didn’t form overnight, however. Since its formation about two years ago, the band has undergone multiple line-up changes. But this time, with this group, members say it feels different.

“It’s really sick to just play with people that are as talented and passionate as they are kind and determined,” Jess Araten, the band’s guitarist, said. 

Lead singer, songwriter, and Loyola popular and commercial music senior Madeline Usher and bass guitarist Clover met through a poster at Zot’s coffee shop and have been through multiple eras of the band together. Despite having to find new band members, they said they have stuck together waiting for the right group to come together. 

“It’s given me more trust in the saying good things take time,” Usher said.

Eventually, Usher saw Jess Araten, their guitarist, perform and asked her to join. Usher said after two drummers that didn’t stick, Rob Florence was the only person she trusted to join to fill the position. Then, Swinging Astrid was formed and their group found their safe space between one another in just the few months they’ve been together.

“I think being able to build trust in a musical environment can sometimes be really difficult but has come really, really easily with this particular group in a way that I don’t doubt and don’t question if they fully believe the music,” Araten said. 

Lyrically, the band focuses on sharing their experiences through their music. Usher writes their lyrics and said having that trust within their bandmates makes her feel comfortable giving her songs to them.

“This band means, like, everything to me,” Usher said. “I feel so solid and so safe to be able to share these really intimate parts of myself and how I see the world.”

Their lyrics focus on issues they all relate to in some way. They key in on issues like depression, growing up queer, and living life as a neurodivergent person. 

But this trust and ability to share her lyrics the way she feels comfortable with wasn’t always the case for Usher in the past. 

“I felt like I was forcing myself to sound like somebody else or fit like other people I was playing with,” she said. 

And now, Usher said she is finally able to make music she wants. 

“This is the purest form of music I think I’ve created this far,” she said. “I have just been writing what feels good for me, and then we flesh it out all together and I’m like okay, this is what I’ve supposed to have been doing this entire time.”

Even if they don’t all write the lyrics, helping to create the music and get the art out there helps the other band members to share their feelings. 

“This band is an awesome vehicle of expression,” Clover said. “I find it hard to put my feelings into words sometimes. And so, I feel really grateful to be able to still express how I’m feeling musically.”

Just as they hope their music has had an impact on their audience, they have had an impact on the band as well, not just when producing but performing as well.

“All of them have had a strong effect on us and we definitely do connect with them,” Florence said. “Getting to add ourselves to those songs is just really special. And then getting to perform them (the songs) on stage, it’s just cathartic.” 

With their music, Usher said she hopes to provide the audience with something she feels she didn’t have most of her life.

“I want to be able to provide  comfort and be a voice for people who don’t feel like they have one, or feel like theirs isn’t valued,” she said. “Because for a really, really long time, I felt like mine wasn’t.”

Although young, the band is pushing to get their name out to the masses. Early next year, they plan to have enough money to record some lyrics. They’ve also mentioned possible merch and more shows to come so that they can continue to share their work and create a community to express their emotions.

But these goals aren’t something they feel the need to rush. Although they said they are excited, the band agreed that living in this moment feels good.

“This fucking feels good while it’s happening,” Araten said. “And I really do think that it’s going to go where we want to take it. Like, it makes me feel like there isn’t a timeline that we need to be on for that to happen.”