Poorlydrawn, (made up of Walker, Margaret, and Mason), is a Nashville-based indie rock band. Self-described as having a fifth-wave emo influence, they’ve been making a name for themselves in the DIY scene with music that’s raw, emotionally charged, and haunting in all the right ways — it’ll leave you feeling like a ship lost at sea, fighting its way through waves toward something unknown but impossible to turn away from.
How did you get started making music?
Walker: Poorlydrawn technically started as a solo project of mine in 2019; I was posting
acoustic covers on YouTube and released a song on Soundcloud. Not much happened until 2022, when Margaret and I met. We’d jam pretty regularly over some songs I was writing. In 2023, I recorded and released “nico” in a day, and then later released a small EP with two old demos and a Weatherday cover. On Halloween of that year, Mason joined us as our drummer. We got a set together and started playing shows in the summer of 2024.
What genre are you?
Indie rock with some 5th wave emo influence. I think a lot of our songs differ from each other in sound and can go into diet shoegaze territory, but I think that’s the best descriptor.
What inspired you to choose the title “taillights” for your recent single?
The song is largely about upending your life and leaving your comfort zone. Painting what’s behind you red with your taillights as you drive away, if you will.
Has living in the South inspired your music in any way?
Walker: Growing up in Huntsville, AL, I spent a lot of time at the foot of Appalachia and my appreciation for it has made its way into our lyrics. We have a song called “Monte Sano” that reflects a lot of that.
Describe your music with three objects.
1.) A band-aid
2.) a flickering streetlight
3.) a hill to roll down on.
What’s something small or overlooked that inspires you?
Getting excited over a really shitty sounding demo. Usually the ones that sound like nothing at first end up becoming our favorite songs.
If your music could say one thing to someone, what would it be?
You feel and you heal and you are heard and I love you.
What’s your favorite song? Why?
Walker: “Beach Life-in-Death” by Car Seat Headrest. I can recite all 13 minutes of it
better than the pledge of allegiance, yet it still moves me so much every time I hear it.
Mason: “Big Muff” by Wine Lips. He’s got a Big Muff, and hell yeah.
Margaret: “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath. Hearing this song for the first time permanently
altered my brain chemistry.
If we’re talking about our favorite song that we’ve made, we’d all agree that its
“Glasshouse Hymn”. It feels like we really come together with everything we’ve got when
we play it. It’ll be the closer on our album we’re putting out this year.
How do you feel about the local music scene?
It’s amazing, we see new people at every show, ours and others’. Everyone puts their all into making shows happen. It feels like a thriving community encompassing a lot of different genres and there’s so much creativity. Also really love how big skramz is getting here in Middle TN.
Have there been any bands or artists who have particularly supported or
inspired you?
Our biggest inspirations overall are Car Seat Headrest, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Weatherday, and The Microphones. In the Nashville scene, our biggest inspirations are Could Be Better (genuinely life changing!! Cannot believe we played our first show with them), Superhero, and Snooper. And we’re forever thankful for the support we’ve seen from Knucklehead, Piglett, Cardboard Spaceship, and Goodbye Irish.
Is there anyone you’d like to shout out?
Ethan from Knucklehead – we wouldn’t have gotten our start if it wasn’t for his support–Jake Martino and Mahi Parsai for recording us, the guys in Cardboard Spaceship, Vickie, Ben and Jaylen for coming to every show, pillfind3r, everyone in Goodbye Irish, and everyone that we’ve made listen to our demos.
What question do you wish people would ask you about your work but never do?
Walker: I like talking about what inspired each song of ours.
Mason: “Were you rushing, or were you dragging?”
What are your goals for the band in the next year? Any upcoming releases we should look out for?
We’re releasing our debut album “you look good in earth tones” at the end of August of this year [2025]. We haven’t revealed a whole lot about it at the moment, but we will soon.
There may be another single before then…
Make sure to keep up with Poorlydrawn on their Instagram (@poorlydrawnnn)
You can also stream their music on most major streaming platforms:
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