Starting as a teacher band in Shanghai in 2010, Girls Like Mystery built a name for themselves in the local indie scene, playing 35 shows across China before disbanding in 2018.
Years later, Kevin Wright returned to songwriting during COVID, reigniting Girls Like Mystery and opening a new chapter for the band. Now blending indie rock and punk with big choruses and heartfelt storytelling, the band is preparing for a new album in 2027.
Ahead of their new single “Forest Eyes Will Guide You Home” and upcoming release show at The Blackbird, Girls Like Mystery talk about their journey, songwriting, DIY approach, and what lies ahead.
For readers who are discovering Girls Like Mystery for the first time, could you introduce the band and share how it all began?
Girls Like Mystery started back in 2010 as a teacher band. Three of us, Kevin Wright, Mike Arone, and Adam Poole, all worked at an international school in Shanghai, and we just started jamming. We started by playing covers before I introduced some of my originals. At this point, Mike Herd joined the band. I think “Silence” was the first track we played together. I just remember Mike Herd saying how “dynamic” it was.
We went on to play 35 shows in China between 2010–2018. Many of these were at Yuyintang, which really was the heart of the local scene in Shanghai. We released “Distance Changes Everything” in 2013. However, as is often the case, life took us in different directions, and when I (Kevin) left for Singapore in 2018, the band disbanded.
It was only during COVID that I started writing again. I realised I still had songs I wanted to write. Once I’d written a few, it stopped feeling like nostalgia and started feeling like the beginning of something new. Since then, we released an album in 2021, and now we have another one on the way, expected to be released in 2027.
The name “Girls Like Mystery” is quite memorable. What’s the story behind it, and what does it represent?
The name actually comes from The Cribs song Girls Like Mystery. I was a huge fan of The Cribs and actually got to see them in Shanghai. I always thought it would make a great band name and, fifteen years later, people still ask about it, so I guess it was a good choice.
As an independent band from Singapore, what has your DIY journey been like, and what have you learned from doing things on your own?
The album processes have all been very different. I feel with my first album, I wrote songs, I showed the band, and that was the song. With album number two, I was very much myself and Blake Stetson making all the decisions, and those decisions were COVID-style via a video call or WhatsApp message.
This time around, it has been so much more collaborative, and all the members bring so much to the creation of the songs. Putera on drums is just immense, and the way he has taken songs on the drums has really breathed something new into them. Dave Meadows, who joined the band relatively recently, has brought a lot of new ideas and has brought a new vocal sound to our songs. Gary has this ability to lock everything together. He’s one of those bass players who always puts the song first, and I think that’s made these new songs much stronger.
Overall, the DIY journey on this third album has been much slower, but I feel we are creating an album that we are all going to be so proud of.
We also do almost everything ourselves, from organising gigs and social media to artwork, videos, and releasing the music. You realise pretty quickly that being in an independent band isn’t just about writing songs anymore. You’re also your own manager, promoter, and marketing team.
How would you describe the band’s sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Indie, rocky, punky-ish! Big choruses, guitars that sound like guitars, and songs that hopefully stick with people. If you like Jimmy Eat World, The Get Up Kids, The Gaslight Anthem, or Frank Turner, you’ll probably hear bits of those influences in there.
Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your songwriting and performances?
I think The Get Up Kids has to be number 1! But yeah, I would say there are definitely elements of Jimmy Eat World in there and I have tried so hard to get the storytelling nature of Frank Turner in there too. Those three bands have probably shaped my songwriting more than anyone else.
Your songs often carry emotional themes. Where do you usually draw inspiration for your lyrics?
I feel there was a shift in my songwriting when I started to write about my now wife. My song “Found,” for me, is what I think is my best piece of storytelling. The whole first half of the song is about our first date and that deeply emotional, nervous, and awkward first date. Then the second half goes on to our wedding day.
My recent song “Mary,” which is named after my wife, follows a similar theme, talking about our first few dates. But there has been a bit of a change lately, where I have managed to write some songs about my kids without becoming overly sentimental.
Our next release is “Forest Eyes Will Guide You Home,” which is about my kids always having a place to come home to, but more importantly, that I will always be there for them.
Looking back at your releases, which song best represents who Girls Like Mystery is today, and why?
“Another You And Me Song” — This is a track we played at every show in Shanghai and just has so many memories for me. We reimagined it on our second album, and I think it is still one of our best tracks. We actually haven’t played it for a long time, though.
Your album Sitting in a Room Surrounded by Strangers has an intriguing title. What inspired it, and what story does the album tell?
It’s actually a lyric from our song “Found.” It describes the first date with my now-wife—the feeling of sitting in a room on your first date and the awkwardness that comes with it. The full lyric is: “Sitting in a room surrounded by strangers, everyone looks for a conversation to pass time, on worthless subjects.”
How has the band evolved since your earlier releases, both musically and personally?
Blake Stetson has been such an influence on the band. Without Blake, I honestly don’t think there would be a second coming of Girls Like Mystery. He is able to take the rough acoustic demos of songs I make and bring them to the band. He has also changed the sound. From our first album, he has definitely given it much more of a punk rock, or even pop-punk, sound.
Singapore has a growing independent music scene. How has being part of that community influenced your journey?
To be honest, I feel like we’re only just becoming part of it.
Hoping that with these new releases we can play with more local bands. We have shows coming up with WUMU and Hijack Hayley in August and then Faraday in November. All three of them are amazing bands!
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an independent band, and how did you overcome it?
I think for all of us it is that work life / family life balance. Most of us are not only full time in work, we also have families. It is a lot. It is just about not pushing it too much, and working out what are we going to focus on.
2025 was all about being creative and getting the album written and workshopped. Now we are looking at sharing that.
Is there a live performance or concert that remains especially meaningful to the band?
It’s hard as I think Girls Like Mystery has had two lives.
I think for the Shanghai days it must be when we played in Beijing at Temple Bar. It was such an awesome weekend with the band as a group and the venue is awesome too.
For Singapore, we played our first real originals-only show at Primz Bizhub. This was just really enjoyable to play with local bands and share the music that we have been working so hard on.
How do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while reaching new listeners?
We honestly haven’t thought about it too much. We’ve always just made the music we wanted to make and hoped that the right people would find it.
In today’s streaming and social media era, what do you think is the biggest advantage—and the biggest challenge—for independent artists?
The biggest advantage is that anyone can release music to the world. Twenty years ago we couldn’t have done that. The biggest challenge is getting people to actually hear it. There is so much music being released every day that it’s harder than ever to stand out.
If you could collaborate with any artist or band, whether from Singapore or abroad, who would it be and why?
Taylor Swift. Would love to see how she would reimagine some of our songs. Also, my eldest loves her. She obviously writes incredible songs too.
What do you hope listeners take away after hearing a Girls Like Mystery song for the first time?
I hope they get what we try and put in. Honest emotion that is meant to tell a story that people can connect with.
Are there any upcoming releases, tours, or projects that fans can look forward to?
On Friday, 21 August, we’ll release our new single, “Forest Eyes Will Guide You Home.” Then, on Saturday, 29 August, we’ll celebrate with a release show at The Blackbird alongside WUMU and Hijack Hayley.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who want to start their own independent band?
I think just don’t rush a song. Trust the process and take feedback as constructive. I think my early songwriting experience was built around writing a song and then moving on to the next. More recently, we have really worked on getting tracks to where we as a band want them to be.
Finally, what message would you like to share with your supporters in Singapore and with new listeners around the world through City Stories?
Just thank you. Whether you’ve supported us in Shanghai, Singapore, or you’ve only just discovered us, we genuinely appreciate it. Independent bands only exist because people choose to listen, come to shows, and share the music. Hopefully, we’ll see you at a gig somewhere.
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