Teen viral punk sensations The Linda Lindas have only just tasted fame, but it's been enough to get them their very own record deal before they've even finished high school. The quartet has inked a deal with Epitaph Records just days after a performance inside a Los Angeles Public Library made them social media darlings, per Rolling Stone. A tweet of their loud, thrashing library performance was viewed 3.5 million times in just around three days, including by music heavy hitters like Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore. “Racist, Sexist Boy by the Linda Lindas. Song of 2021 so far…by far! Total inspiration is ageless," Moore wrote on Instagram.
As Spin notes, the performance of originals like "Racist, Sexist Boy" and covers of classics by Bikini Kill and The Muffs actually took place weeks ago as part of LA Public Library's kickoff of AAPI Heritage Month. Half the band members are Asian, which is part of what inspired their new hit. "A boy came up to me in my class and said that his dad told him to stay away from Chinese people,” band member Mila explained while introducing the song. “After I told him that I was Chinese, he backed away from me. Eloise and I wrote this song based on that experience.” In addition to Eloise and Mila, the band includes Bela and Lucia, who all range in age from 10 to 16. (More punk music stories.)