Tenderheart Bitches

Tenderheart Bitches is the musical project of Brooklyn-based new music composer and punk rock artist JL Marlor. Self-described as a “doomsday device with pitch,” JL has made a name for herself in the New York experimental classical scene since moving to the city after graduating from Smith College in 2016.


After moving to New York, JL joined the songwriting team for ensemble-musical Riot Antigone, a modern take on the Greek tragedy in the tone of riot grrrl. After the show’s first residency closed in 2017 the idea for Tenderheart Bitches was conceived alongside two other Riot Antigone band members--producer and guitarist Mori Einsidler and drummer Jaime Rosso. JL began pouring her heart into songwriting for her own newfound project, a form of catharsis as she waded through the choppy waters of coming out and coming into herself. Giving a riot grrrl approach and sound to her composition and performances, in THB, JL has seamlessly fused her interests and talents in classical and punk to arrive at a unique and cohesive sound and performance style that—while influenced by greats like Sleater-Kinney, and Mitski—is all her own.


Through her raw, deeply emotional (dare we say tender), and poetic songwriting, JL centers her lyrics around her personal experiences with heartbreak, coming out, living authentically, and learning to love the messy parts of ourselves. These are songs you can dance, cry, smile, and scream to—songs for hard asses with soft hearts. - Maya Bouvier-Lyons