Queer duo Whiskey Flower creates music that pulses with the beat of honesty, understanding, and resilience. They recently released their single “Stop Stereo,” the first taste of their upcoming EP “Double Yellow Lines,” a gritty, unflinching bark of laughter in the face of conformity that empowers listeners to embrace authenticity. Playing fundraisers for Santa Fe’s Girls Inc. organization, their dedication to inspiring authenticity continues. To learn more about Whiskey Flower and their upcoming EP, read on.

Where are you based?
Julie: Santa Fe, New Mexico. But we just moved here from Los Angeles in August 2025.

Holly: Ya, ha - not a small move after living in LA for almost 30 years. But…this is our new home.

What inspired you to start making music?
Julie: I started writing 25 years ago because I needed somewhere honest to put the truth. Music let me say things I couldn’t say out loud yet. It gave me a way to survive myself while I was still figuring out who I was and what I believed.

Holly: I’ve always been drawn to the moment a song makes someone feel less alone. I love the craft, but I love the connection even more.

Congratulations on your upcoming single “Stop Stereo!” What’s the story behind this song?
Julie: “Stop Stereo” came out of that specific kind of burnout where you’re doing “fine” on paper, but inside you’re overstimulated, over-accommodating, and quietly unraveling. It’s a boundary song. It’s the “I’m not here to make you feel comfortable anymore…and I’m finally ok with it.”

Holly: Once Julie had the lyrics and melody, I wrote the bassline to underline that tension. I wanted to support the punch of the message but also give it movement and swagger. It’s one of those songs where the bass gets to feel like a second voice.

The lyrics in “Stop Stereo” are unapologetic for their brutal honesty. What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Julie: Permission. Permission to be real, to be direct, to stop shrinking. And permission to stop apologizing for being an individual.

Holly: I want people to feel like they can exhale. Like, “Oh good, someone else is sick of this.” And then maybe feel a little dangerous in a fun way.

You also have an upcoming EP titled “Double Yellow Lines.” Can you tell us what we can expect to hear? Themes explored?
Julie: “Double Yellow Lines” is a four-song project about agency. There’s a lot of “boundary themes” and an overall emancipation taking place. It’s about what it costs to tell the truth, what it takes to stay in your lane, and what happens when you stop negotiating with your own intuition. It’s got bite, but it’s not cynical. The through-line is choosing yourself, even when that choice could make you unpopular.

Holly: Sonically it’s still very us. Though we’ve definitely come out of the gate with Rock on this one, we maintain our tight harmonies and rhythm-forward energy. These songs know what they’re saying.

What was the inspiration behind your upcoming EP?
Julie: It came from a season where I hit the same conclusion over and over. The old ways of coping weren’t working anymore. The EP is about making decisions you can stand behind, setting boundaries, calling things what they are, and refusing to abandon yourself to keep the peace.

Holly: And from my side, it was about translating that emotional truth into the body of the songs. Groove, tension, restraint, release. When the writing is that clear, you want the music to land just as clean.

Your music can be lyrically confrontational and raw. How does that energy aid your process? How much does your environment influence what you decide to write about?
Julie: Confrontational is just what honesty sounds like when you’ve been polite for too long, haha. Writing that way clears the fog. If I can say it in a song, I can stop carrying it in my body. Environment matters too. Santa Fe has space, and that helps me hear what I actually think.

Holly: My job is to help the song land. The bassline can soften the blow or sharpen it. The environment influences us emotionally, but the world influences us lyrically. You can’t live in this time and not have an opinion, even if the songs aren’t “about politics” on the surface.

How has your process of making music grown over the years? How has identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community influenced your music?
Julie: Earlier on, I wrote “universal” on purpose. I wasn’t out in my first artist era, and songwriting was a way to tell the truth without naming it. Over time, the goal changed. Now it’s not about hiding inside the metaphor. It’s about being clear enough that the right people feel seen.

Holly: Being queer has shaped everything. What we notice, what we refuse, what we protect. We’re not writing from the outside looking in. We’re writing from inside the lived experience, and we want that to feel undeniable in the work, not performative.

Holly, you are the chair of the board of The Institute for Natural Medicine. Can you tell us about this organization and how you’re involved? What inspired you to get involved?
The Institute for Natural Medicine is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring whole person health to the mainstream, merging the best of medical science with safe and effective natural treatments. It is my “other” jam….. I have been a licensed Naturopathic doctor since 2021 and love the gentle yet evidenced based approach.

The band plays fundraisers every year for Santa Fe’s Girls Inc. Can you tell us more about this organization and how you got involved? Why is it important to you?
Julie: Girls Inc. is about helping young women build confidence and skills, including leadership, self-advocacy, and real-world tools. We actually got involved before we were locals because it’s tangible and it aligns with what we believe in.

Holly: It’s one of those organizations where you can actually feel the ripple effects in a community. Supporting it is an easy yes for us.

Julie, you were on the board for LA Pride from 2018 to 2021. What advice would you give to queer individuals who may be afraid to be fully themselves because of the current political climate in the U.S.?
First, you’re not imagining it. The fear makes sense.

Second, you don’t owe visibility to anyone. Safety matters but don’t confuse staying safe with shrinking. Find one place where you can be fully real. One friend, one group, one therapist, one community space, one corner of the internet that feels like oxygen. Build from there.

And remember, being yourself isn’t a debate topic. It’s your life.

As queer artists, what changes do you hope to see regarding representation within the music industry in the future?
Julie: More queer artists getting opportunities that aren’t dependent on being palatable. More room for queer stories that aren’t tragedy or novelty.

Holly: And more industry decision-makers who actually come from the communities they’re programming and promoting, so representation isn’t a trend. It’s a baseline (bassline?). Haha, see what I did there?

What advice do you have for young artists?
Julie: Finish songs. Do the work. Don’t wait to feel “ready.” Making mistakes and screwing up is a gift. We are literally put on this planet to LEARN. So, learn the business enough to protect your art, and don’t outsource your instincts.

Holly: Keep your community close. You need people who tell you the truth, not just people who clap.

Are there any upcoming projects you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
Julie: “Stop Stereo” is next, and then our EP “Double Yellow Lines” follows.

Holly: We’ll be sharing more visuals and behind-the-scenes stories as it rolls out, plus some live moments too.

It has been a crazy few years, and we expect at least three more. How have you been staying positive?
Julie: Great question. I’ve learned over time that I can’t “try to stay positive.” So, I try to stay true. “Positive” can get fake fast. What helps is community, movement, and creating. Songs, dinners, plans, REAL conversations, dancing your ass off…anything that turns overwhelm into something real.

Holly: Boundaries, nature, and service. When I’m overwhelmed, I come back to what I can do today that actually helps someone.

What is your motto in life?
Julie: Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Holly: Keep on becoming!

To learn more about Whiskey Flower, please check out the links below:

Whiskey Flower
Website

Instagram: @whiskeyflowerband

Spotify: Whiskey Flower

Organizations
The Institute for Natural Medicine
Girls Inc. of Santa Fe