Freak Slug

The name Freak Slug encapsulates Genovese’s artistic world perversely and perfectly. Her releases under the name so far – debut 2020 EP Videos and its viral hit “Radio” (15 million Spotify streams and counting), and follow-up EPs I’m In Love (2022) and Viva La Vulva (2023) – might have introduced listeners to a “more summery, happy, LA sound”, but with the advent of debut album I Blow Out Big Candles, this Slug is burrowing down into evermore unlikely places. As she accurately points out: “The name is giving more grunge than joy”.

Hugely influenced by ‘90s cult heroes including Ride, Mazzy Star and Stephen Malkmus, Freak Slug is all about hitting a mood. Everything that fuels her creative output is raw, authentic, sometimes weird, but always totally true self-expression. She wants to make music that “has bite”, that “doesn’t fuck about”, that “cuts the shit”. I Blow Out Big Candles is a strong statement of all of this and more.

Down there, picking through the curious mix of sounds and feelings, from nostalgic, ‘90s-influenced and dreamy as well as eccentric and experimental, lives Freak Slug.

Having already released “Spells”, the Gorillaz inspired punchy first single that epitomises her fearless attitude, I Blow Out Big Candles is as fearless a record as Xenya herself. The previous single, “Sexy Lemon”, was met with great radio support from Jack Saunders on Radio 1’s New Music Show and as a BBC Introducing tip across Network, as well as premiering on daytime BBC Radio 6 Music by Nemone (sitting in for Mary-Anne Hobbs) and picking up a play on the 6 Music Early Breakfast Show as well as BBC Radio 1’s Introducing show with Jess Iszatt.

Freak Slug has steadily been releasing music since her debut release – a cover of ‘Disorder’ by fellow Mancunian’s Joy Division – brought her into many people’s consciousness. now amassed over 60 million Streams Worldwide and gathered support from sites such as Clash, Our Culture, Notion Internet Crush, Fader, Line Of Best Fit and Nylon.

With her 4 piece band Freak Slug has performed at The Great Escape, Blue Dot, Greenman, End of The Road festivals and supported Dope Lemon, Brad Stank and Yumi Zouma. She has a sold out run first tour of the US in Dec and much more planned for 2025

This summer Xenya was invited by Anderson Paak for a week long writing camp in Cork, Ireland hosted by Jameson’s Distilled sounds.

 “Music to me means identity and community. When I was younger, it helped me and my friends feel like we belonged to each other. Til this day that still makes sense…”
If I wasn’t making music, I’d probably be trying to make painting work for a living. That’s what I was doing in the past when I was in Barcelona but then music became the main character. I’ve always been fascinated by street walls, thick dilapidating layers of paint, where the organic and industrial worlds meet. I love art that was never made intentionally, either by shadows, builders or history fading before our eyes.” – Xenya