I first found out about Towse on Jeff Thomas’s Fifteen Minutes of Fame blog and was immediately impressed with what Jeff describes as their upbeat minimalism as well as their slick-without-being-overly-slick-about-it-presentation. Unfortunately, I missed them when they came through the Philadelphia area — playing at the legendary Rusty Nail, no less! Fortunately, though, singer Grace Fellows was gracious enough to reply to a few questions I sent via email…

I’m curious about your band’s name. What does Towse mean to you, and what does it say about your music?

Towse is a Scottish name, a nod to my Scottish heritage. Because the project is heavily influenced by the folk tradition, I felt it was important for the name to carry that heritage somehow. I used to work under my own full name, Grace Fellows, but I felt it was important to acknowledge that this project is bigger than myself. So many people put their work into Towse projects, from visuals to music production, to the musicians who play in the band. I felt it was important to create an umbrella for everyone working on this project to be under. 

You’re based in Los Angeles, but I noticed on Bandcamp that you wrote and recorded some songs “at home in London.” Are you originally from London?

I haven’t been based in Los Angeles since 2018 (gotta update some bios it looks like oops!). I am originally from Ojai, CA which is very close to LA, though, so once a SoCal girl, always a SoCal girl. I lived in London from 2021-2024, so many of my recent releases were written and recorded there, and I’ve continued to work with a lovely producer called “Tragic Sasha” there, so I visited London twice in 2025 to have sessions with her (and see my friends <3).

The color pink features heavily in a lot of your cover art. What draws you to the color?

Pink feels to me so unapologetic; bold yet soft and sweet. Pink is the color of childhood whimsy and heart and passion. It feels vulnerable and feminine. It feels like a refusal to conform or dim your light. Since I first started Towse in 2018, I’ve been fascinated by the dichotomy of folk and pop, of the natural world and fairytale, of bubblegum brightness and the raw, down to earth. Pink walks that knife’s edge perfectly, found in the natural world, in our bodies, in spring flowers, and yet it also conjures images of Barbie-bright bubblegum and plastic princess tiaras. Towse IS pink.

You’ve toured the US as well as the UK. Have you noticed any differences between the two audiences?

My gosh the gigging world in both countries is so different!! We have found incredible audiences and communities everywhere, but as a general rule, the UK music industry is more stratified and regulated, where the US scene is more grassroots and DIY. With that said, there are pros and cons of both approaches, and I really couldn’t tell you which I prefer. US audiences tend to buy more merch and offer for you to crash at their homes or go out together after, for example. The UK gigs often feel more “official” even at early stages in your career, and it seems to me that UK music fans really know how to lift up small artists in meaningful ways, and are more likely to become “super fans.” 

Your most recent single, “Stay on the Road” is actually about touring. What are some challenges that being on the road poses?
Our most recent single “That Girl” came out on December 11th so check that out! 

But yes!! Stay On The Road is very real and autobiographical. I would say the biggest challenge I’ve felt with full-time touring lately is feeling like I can’t really put down roots anywhere or belong in a community. 

How do you overcome them?
I try to stay in touch with my friends and family through frequent phone calls. I often call folks while I’m driving and we might talk for a couple hours at a time. It helps to feel like we’re in each other’s lives, even from a distance. Also developing routines that aren’t reliant on a specific spaces or locations, like morning meditation or a short yoga or Pilates sequence I can do wherever we are. I’ve been practicing vocals a lot while driving, and working on small, portable crafting projects like knitting or making song title bracelets for our merch table. We also love board games and have some small, portable games we play together over dinner or between soundcheck and the shows. It also helps to go out as much as we can, to explore new places and meet people. We often spend nights off (when we’re up for it) going to open mics or jam sessions, or even other artists’ concerts because we love meeting other musicians all over the world and getting inspired. 

What keeps you going?
Towse is my north star. Songwriting and performing is the only thing I’ve wanted to do since I was a child. It feels like an inevitable and intrinsic part of my life. In that sense, I don’t need anything at all to keep me going. It is a hard life, though. Music is a tough industry and touring is a grueling lifestyle. Support and appreciation from fans, friends, and family mean the world to me. Encouragement and feedback from peers is priceless. Cultivating my own self-confidence and protecting myself from burnout is a must (and easier said than done). This industry will chew up and spit out artists, leaving them broke and broken. That sounds dark, but it’s the reality. I am an artist with or without anyone’s approval, though. I try to keep reminding myself this career is a marathon, not a sprint. I intend to be an artist for the rest of my life.

Do any moments or incidents from your most recent tour stand out?

On this recent 5-month tour (September-January), we drove through 35 states! Unfortunately we drove 5 different cars on this tour. My trusty 2008 Toyota Highlander broke down on week 2 of the tour, we bought an ill-advised Sprinter van from Facebook marketplace in Chicago in early October for $5k, and quickly sunk another $5k into repairs on that thing. Two months and two rental cars later, we sold that van for salvage after it broke down the 5th or 6th time. In December in New York, we had to buy yet another van. With too much gear to fly back to California with, and another six weeks of gigs on the horizon, we pulled the trigger on a 2016 Honda Odyssey with only 74,000 miles on it, unfortunately that costed us another $13k. This tour was sadly overshadowed by this constant struggle with the car situation. We played so many fun shows and met tons of lovely people, but the whole time we just felt drained and discouraged. I’m hoping that’s all behind us now. 

What’s on the horizon for you?

We already have gigs lined up until the end of the year: first along the West Coast, and then heading out East. We intend to move to New York City! Very likely a London show somewhere in there as well. MOST importatantly: finishing an EP of brand new music!! This should come out later this year, I am currently in my family home in Ojai, CA working hard on finishing up the recordings. We’re still a couple months away at least but I cannot wait for you all to hear this new music, it’s fun, it’s pop, it’s vulnerable. Look out for it!

And thanks so much for having me 🙂

Sure thing!