First Watch: Diet Cig, 'Tummy Ache'

Energetic and earnest, sweet and punchy — self-described "slop-pop" duo Diet Cig is nothing if not endearing. In "Tummy Ache," the first single from the band's upcoming debut Swear I'm Good At This, singer and guitarist Alex Luciano wields this undeniable charm while singing about the challenges of carving out her own space in a notoriously bro-heavy scene.

"Tummy Ache" gains its power from being both brash and vulnerable; Luciano boldly asserts that she doesn't "need a man / to hold my hand." Later, she wonders: "What if we never figure it out / what if I'm always talking too loud?"

The video for "Tummy Ache" stars young participants from the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls and Girls Rock Philly, two programs aimed at musical education and empowerment for girls. While the lyrics to "Tummy Ache" may be ambivalent, the video itself signals nothing but confidence and joy. Campers eat junk food in sparkly makeup, gather at a rock club to craft "Trans Lives Matter" and "Defend Planned Parenthood" signs, before showing off their shredding skills on stage. It's a near-utopian space of grrrl power, music and community.

Luciano laments that "it's hard to be a punk while wearing a skirt." But from the looks of it, it can be pretty fun, too.

Swear I'm Good At This comes out April 7 on Frenchkiss Records.

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