Alt-rock band Birthday Girl are young in every sense of the word. The trio are made up of 16-year-old singer-songwriter Mabel Canty, 17-year-old bassist Isabella MacKaye, and 18-year-old drummer Tess Kontarinis, all of whom only started performing live together in the summer of 2023. Although they’re new to the scene, the band are quickly gaining attention from venues and audiences. Along with releasing a self-titled debut album in July, they’ve performed at the Black Cat (for the historic venue’s 30th anniversary), Rhizome, and Fort Reno Summer Concerts for adoring crowds who danced—and cried—along to their music. The band also recently opened for Snail Mail at DC9’s 20th anniversary celebration in February. There, they were meant to represent the future of DC9 and the local music scene. “At all our shows we’ve received so much love and respect, even though we’re so young,” MacKaye tells City Paper. “It’s hard to believe so many people love our music.”
“It’s kind of insane,” Canty adds.
And Birthday Girl still have more planned for this spring and summer. For the first part of March, the band are opening for D.C. music icon singer-songwriter Mary Timony on her East Coast tour (they stop at the Black Cat on March 14). In May, they’ll perform at Comet Ping Pong, and on June 7 they’ll open for indie legends Guided By Voices at a sold-out show at the Atlantis. They intend to book more shows and hope to record what might be either an EP or sophomore album later this year. “At our upcoming shows, expect us to be charming yet unpolished,” MacKaye says.
“And expect a lot of feeling behind what we’re playing,” Kontarinis adds. “We seem to make a lot of people cry.”
There’s a reason why people tend to cry at Birthday Girl performances. The songs that Canty writes for the band focus on adolescent experiences and what it’s like to view the world as a teen. Canty describes her lyrics as simple yet versatile, with lines that directly tap into a specific emotion. For example, on “Stains,” Canty sings, “I don’t like you anymore/ You stain too easily on the bathroom floor,” showing the songwriter’s ability to craft relatable lyrics for all ages. “I like putting things in layman’s terms,” she says. “It’s such a teenage perspective.”
For all their youthfulness, Birthday Girl have D.C. coursing through their veins. Both Canty’s father and MacKaye’s uncle were members of Fugazi, one of the city’s most important punk bands (MacKaye’s father was a member of the Faith and the Warmers). The two friends have been attending local concerts ever since they were children. And though Kontarinis didn’t go to many shows when she was younger and doesn’t have any family members who were prominent in the local music scene, she did hang out at places like Fort Reno growing up and felt a full-circle moment when she got to play there last summer.
Still, Birthday Girl aren’t too concerned with legacy or fame. Writing songs and performing live are how the three of them express themselves. The band are excited about the prospects of performing in other cities and getting their music to a wider audience. “I feel like people actually relate to our songs,” Kontarinis says. “That sense of connection between us and the people listening is special.”
“It’s so cool and beautiful,” Canty adds. “I could play shows in D.C. and never get sick of it.”
Birthday Girl open for Mary Timony at 7:30 p.m. on March 14 at the Black Cat. blackcatdc.com. $20–$22.