On the scene for over a decade, The Pretty Reckless recently made history by being the first female-fronted rock band to have seven singles reach number 1.
With four studio albums – the most recent of which includes guest appearances from members of Soundgarden and Tom Morello – the band has gained some recognition within heavy music, but, according to vocalist Taylor Momsen , this was no easy feat.
Despite impressive sales figures and highly acclaimed albums, the singer said in an interview with iHeartRadio Canada that the struggle for acceptance was quite difficult, likely due to "preconceived notions" people had about her. Before leading The Pretty Reckless, Momsen was an actress and starred in works such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and the teen TV series Gossip Girl .
“I think we’ve been in the scene for a while now, and I think I’ve certainly felt a shift in acceptance from other bands and the industry and things like that. In the beginning, it felt like a tiring battle, for me at least – people had preconceived notions about me, I think,” he commented. “I think it took time to prove that we’re a serious band and not just a hobby.”
Taylor Momsen also admitted that she doesn't like seeing The Pretty Reckless relegated to a category of "female-fronted bands"—not because of gender representation, which she considers very important, but because of the exclusionary nature of creating a category for bands with women in the lead. "I want to compete with the best, not just other women," she commented.
Check out the full interview:
READ ALSO: The Pretty Reckless regret changing their song for radio play