Flowers for the Dead - "Killstar"

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Photo by Katie Simonian

We bring you a lot of artists that combine 90's alt and indie rock with a modern pop sensibility, but Flowers for the Dead are quickly becoming a favorite. The Washington D.C. band have a new single out that is the finest bubblegrunge there is to offer. "Killstar" is delightfully fuzzy, and has a perfect grasp on the loud/quiet/loud dynamic. This sounds like it could have been on your favorite forgotten 90's movie soundtrack, with a crunch to the guitars and an undeniable catchiness. Plus, the song has a swirling quality that gets me right in my soul. 2026 isn't over yet, but it's safe to say Flowers for the Dead are becoming one of my favorite musical discoveries of the year.

Jessie Szegรถ (vocals/guitar) says of her band's latest single:

 “I wrote this song about not letting yourself be your biggest enemy and stopping you from doing the things you want to do. It's easy to let fear and anxiety take over and get stuck in your head, especially if you're a shy person like I am. Music has allowed me to come out of my shell a lot since performing with Flowers for the Dead, and I've grown so much because of it. This song is sort of a declaration of not letting my fear of being seen stop me from doing what I love. Playing this song in our live sets has only been further confirmation and a reminder for myself that repeating a sentiment over and over again gives it power, and I've chosen to give power to this.”

You can listen to "Killstar" below. For more on Flowers for the Dead, check out the band on Instagram.


09/26 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd

10/16 - Bologna, IT @ Villa Pini

10/17 - Busto Arsizio, IT @ Circolo Arci Gagarin

10/18 - Geneve, CH @ Urgent Disk Records

10/19 - Troyes, FR @ Off Off Off Festival

10/20 - Lille, FR @ La Bulle Cafe

10/21 - Ghent, BE @ Kinky Star

10/22 - Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar

10/23 - Rotterdam, NL @ Left of the Dial Festival

10/24 - Rotterdam, NL @ Left of the Dial Festival

10/25 - Siegen, DE Beautiful Noise @ Vortex Club

10/26 - Kusel, DE @ Kinett

10/28 - Paris, FR @ TGBB Festival

10/29 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange Basement

10/30 - London, UK @ Shaklewell Arms

10/31 - Dieppe, FR @ La Machine

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