Spotlight On: MOLLY RANKIN OF ALVVAYS

ABOUT this week’s podcast guest + radio hour featured interview:

This week marks one year of the remarkable album Blue Rev, the third outing by Toronto indie rock band, Alvvays, released to unanimous critical acclaim on October 7th, 2022. Within just a couple of months, the wildly successful collection was named one of the best of the year on every year end list, including NPR, Pitchfork, New York Times, and The Guardian, to name a few - and in most cases was in the top three. As the calendar year flipped to 2023, Alvvays took home the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year for Blue Rev - as they had done with their 2017 album Antisocialites. And later in the year, it was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize, making it the third time in a row that their albums have been shortlisted. On this show, Alvvays has been namechecked several times by interview guests, who talk of the inspiring feeling of watching them perform, both because of the incredible musicianship and fantastic shows, and for the fact that Alvvays is comprised of mostly female and nonbinary members. The band was formed in Nova Scotia, when childhood friends Molly Rankin (who is now the Alvvays frontwoman, songwriter and guitarist) and Kerri Maclellan (who plays keyboards) began playing music together, and then invited Alec O’Hanley to join. In addition to those core three members, the current lineup also includes bassist Abbey Blackwell, and drummer Sheridan Riley. As the band prepares to celebrate their milestone album’s anniversary, including a very limited edition vinyl release, it’s a perfect moment to welcome Molly Rankin as this week’s SHERO in the Spotlight. 

A condensed version of our Molly Rankin interview is featured this week during the SHEROES Radio hour. Here’s what else you’ll hear:

We celebrate some SHERO BIRTHDAYS:

• PJ Harvey 10/9

• Nona Hendryx of Labelle 10/9

• Tanya Tucker 65th 10/10

• MC Lyte 10/11

Listen to the syndicated public radio SHEROES Radio hour, below: