Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Shervin Lainez and Austin Phelps

Watching a live show of New York band Mother Feather feels like you’re engaging in rock & roll performance art. Aside from the obvious visual presentations of front woman Ann Courtney and singer/keyboardist Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Carena – which include stark make-up combined with a bold fashion flair, their performances are wild, energetic and ultimately free. Musically the group, which also features guitarist Chris Foley, bassist Seth Ondracek and drummer Gunnar Olsen, has been dubbed by the press as purveyors of the classic New York City rock sound whilst effortlessly giving it their own modern stamping.

Created in 2009 by Ann Courtney from a sudden vision that she had during a trip outside of NYC one weekend, Mother Feather began releasing a string of EPs before capturing the attention of Metal Blade Records and signing with the label in 2015. Their self-titled debut album was released the following year and embraced with welcoming arms. Packed with fierce and fiery hard rock and sassy pop, the record was a skillful tying of the past and present sounds of rock & roll which severed through any surrounding noise.

With their upcoming second album ‘Constellation Baby’, Mother Feather have teamed-up with Grammy-nominated producer, composer and engineer Joshua Valleau, whose impeccable CV includes working with the likes of Kanye West, Corinne Bailey Rae and Snoop Dogg, as well companies such as as Uber and Maybelline, just to name a few. With their current single ‘Red Hot Metal’ being the first taste of what’s to come, you can probably assume that Mother Feather are ready to turn up the fire yet again, which is going to be an exciting time for music.

Ann, prior to this project you had your band Ann Courtney & The Late Bloomers, which also included Elizabeth. Although musically and visually there are definite contrasts between the two, how did being in that band prep you for the current project?

Ann Courtney – ACLB was my first band. It was the initial leap that gave me the confidence to think of myself as a songwriter and a bandleader.

Having lived in various cities as a kid including Singapore, Manila and Pakistan, not to mention living in NYC for a lengthy time now, has that global experience helped to shape your musical palette?

Ann Courtney – As an American kid living overseas, I was hungry for western pop culture. When we were able to get our hands on albums, magazines, movies— when someone visited the States or the UK and brought back CDs or a stack of “sassy” magazines, for example— they were passed around at school, thoroughly obsessed over and studied. (This is pre-internet, of course.) I went to some incredible international schools where learning about the host culture was incorporated into every aspect of the curriculum. When I came to NYC for the first time at 17, I’d never felt more home anywhere in my life.

You’ve mentioned in previous interviews that you were actually quite hard on yourself before having a vision of forming Mother Feather. How did starting the band help you to transform that energy into something positive?

Ann Courtney – I set the parameters of the band so that it would actually just be impossible to ever phone it in. I knew that in order to perform these songs, I’d have to work hard, physically and mentally. There is actually just far too much work to be done to waste any time or energy beating yourself up. You just have to try to keep getting better and stay agile. I set it up like that on purpose. It’s a way of holding myself accountable.

You worked with producer Joshua Valleau on your new album Constellation Baby. What was that experience like?

Ann Courtney – Josh is a brilliant, natural producer and he is doing what he should be, making records. I completely trusted him to serve the music and the unique chemistry of Mother Feather. Beyond that, he is simply a true fan of the band and cared very much about getting it right, which was abundantly clear at every stage of production.

How would you describe your own personal growth between the recording of your debut album Mother Feather and Constellation Baby?

Ann Courtney – There’s this Nina Simone quote: “I have to constantly re-identify myself to myself, reactivate my own standards, my own convictions about what I’m doing any why.” That really sums up the past year and a half for me. I found myself in a position where I needed to use my voice, and I did— even when it was excruciating. Emotionally and musically, I am trusting my gut more.

Of course with the election of Donald Trump, the American political arena has been a circus. How has the current political landscape affected you personally and artistically?

Ann Courtney – The only upside I can see coming from this mess is that people are realizing they can’t take their democracy for granted, and that they have to participate— even though sometimes I just want to pack it in and move to a desert island. I have to fight the impulse within myself to want to crawl under a rock. The political landscape has my feelings about humanity swinging wildly between hopeful optimism and utter misanthropy.

You have been continuously praised for your energetic live shows. Having seen footage of your performances, you appear to be in a place and state of freedom. Is the stage also a platform of complete liberation for you?

Ann Courtney – Yes. I want a Mother Feather show to feel like a liberated and safe space for everyone.

Finally, there has been a running theme with Mother Feather which is having the ability to be who you want to be. What advice would you give to those who may feel caged in by certain societal constraints?

Ann Courtney – Break out! Rise to meet your Mother Feather. Sometimes you gotta risk your neck, and then do it again.

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