Bassist and frontwoman Ashley Kossakowski started post-punk band Groupie in 2015 before even knowing how to play an instrument, inspired by icons like Kathleen Hanna and The Raincoats who proved that heart, moxie, and a message are all it takes to start a band. Since then, she’s been joined by drummer Aaron Silberstein and guitarists Eric Rubin and Eamon Lebow and has played to thousands on national and international stages, including Lollapalooza, and opened for acts like Sabrina Carpenter and CHVRCHES as a seasoned touring bassist. 

Both the band and Kossakowski have evolved from their DIY punk roots and now create a distinctive blend of post-punk, shoegaze, and surf rock. Raised in the DIY music scene in her hometown of Chicago, Kossakowski often felt like an outsider in the male-dominated Midwest emo spaces she loved. It took years for her to muster the courage to transition from fangirl to frontwoman, but once she did, there was no turning back. Her identity as a queer woman and first-generation daughter of Polish immigrants deeply informs Groupie’s music. Their 2021 debut LP Ephemeral sonically nods to the past, with spoken word verses a la Patti Smith and jangly guitars that call back to NYC 70s punk bands like Television, while exploring contemporary themes of immigration, identity, and displacement on the Polish-language track “Daleko,” a feminist rage fantasy of an abuser getting due punishment on “Poor You,” and the jarring experience of becoming disillusioned with your heroes on “Thick as Glue”.  

Known for their electrifying live performances and Kossakowski’s standout stage presence, Groupie has shared the stage with indie greats like Warpaint, Death Valley Girls, and Downtown Boys. In 2023, they released the defiant single “No Chaser,” which features lush production and the bold demand to an aloof love interest: “give it to me straight, no chaser, don’t water it down.” Now working on their next release, Groupie has no intention of watering anything down — expect catchy, impassioned new music soon.