Dressed in a pink and white jumpsuit, Tyler Simone kicks and punches her way through a group of guards with semi-automatic rifles, before retrieving her signature weapon — a pink hot glue gun. The tiny tool then transforms into a futuristic laser rifle, which Simone uses to shred through an onslaught of more guards. Finally, she arrives to fight the final boss, who strikingly resembles former president Donald Trump. Simone zaps him with her hot glue gun, and he melts into a cheese puff. Simone picks up the puff, stares right into the camera and takes a bite out of it. This may sound like an insane video game cutscene or an episode of the Justice League. Not quite—it’s the music video for Lesibu Grand’s 2020 single, “Hot Glue Gun.”
Bassist John Renaud and singer Tyler Simone founded Lesibu Grand in Atlanta in June 2018. The two began writing songs together before bringing on drummer Lee Wiggins and guitarist Brian Turner in Sept 2018. The band’s name comes from Simone’s middle name, “Lesibu,” which was given to her by her South African maternal grandfather. “Grand” was added to give the band name a cool, Santigold-like vibe.
In a city known for hip-hop, Lesibu Grand stands out as a new band that is quickly making a name for itself in the punk scene. Before the April 2023 release of their upcoming debut album, “Triggered,” I had a chance to speak with Simone and Renaud about their current releases and future plans for the band.
When Renaud logs onto the Zoom, he informs me that his counterpart, Simone, will arrive in a few minutes. Renaud wears a black-and-white patterned shirt with jeans and a plaid newsboy cap. Simone arrives, enthusiastically greeting me through the computer as she pulls up a seat next to Renaud, matching his color scheme with a black coat and a white graphic tee. Throughout the interview, they ooze excitement when talking about their music and what is yet to come for them, and I can’t help but also be excited for the future of Lesibu Grand.
Lesibu Grand’s sound primarily falls into the punk vein; however, their style is derived from a number of diverse influences, and some of their tracks lean more toward new wave or pop punk.
Renaud first began playing in a band in Boston in the ’90s, when hard rock was the norm. His band later moved to Athens, where the music scene was a little less orthodox. Renaud explained that the younger, college town atmosphere was more accepting of experimental sounds, so his band began to do just that.
Courtesy of Luke Usry.
Simone grew up in a diverse Atlanta neighborhood where she was exposed to a variety of music, from Atlanta staples like Erykah Badu and Andre 3000 to ’70s punk heroes like Talking Heads and Blondie. Simone explained that new wave bands like Blondie heavily influenced Lesibu Grand’s production style, especially the keys and background vocals.
New wave styles like Lesibu Grand’s may thrive in places like New York, but are less typical in Atlanta’s hip-hop dominated music scene. That’s not to say it doesn’t exist; music clubs like the EARL in East Atlanta are hubs for alternative bands like Lesibu Grand and are essential for the growing punk scene. In fact, Renaud and Simone first met at a show at the EARL, and since then, the band has performed numerous times at the venue. Lesibu Grand helps bolster this community by constantly shouting out other bands they perform with on their social media and collaborating with various punk artists and publications.
Despite their relevance and impact in the Atlanta punk community, Lesibu Grand only has one EP to their name. “The Legend of Miranda” boasts five tracks that fall more into the new wave category compared to their more recent punk sound.
One track that stands out from the project is the final one on the EP, “Mi Sueño,” a slower song with a dreamy and distant guitar riff behind Simone’s soft vocals. What makes “Mi Sueño” different from much of Lesibu Grand’s music is its ambiguity. The lyrics are very vague compared to many of their more pointed songs, allowing the song to have multiple interpretations.
“In general, we’re talking about dreams pursued,” Simone said. “So, not necessarily a particular dream you have one night, but following your dreams more so.”
She explained how the music video for “Mi Sueño” went a level deeper, exploring how “we are living our … ancestors’ dreams.” The video was filmed in a house in a historic Black neighborhood in Atlanta. Dressed in an old fashioned white gown, Simone portrays a dreamy vision from the past.
The song originated from a jam session.
“We were having a regular band practice, and we had a bottle of wine called Mi Sueño, and we were like, ‘Let’s write a song about this line,’” Simone recalled. “That’s literally how it happened, but it definitely evolved into a deeper meaning as far as what the dream symbolizes.”
Renaud and Simone also said that they have a new album in the works called “Triggered.” Renaud informed me that this was their first time revealing the title of their upcoming album. According to Renaud and Simone, we can expect the punk-oriented, higher energy and more political sound they’ve had on their slew of recent singles, which will all be on the album.
Their single “Not Sweet Enough” is a rebellious track where Simone implies that people in power shouldn’t expect her to be complacent. She explicitly calls out “the gray boys that run the South,” addressing abortion legislation meant to “rule my womb.”
Similarly, “Hot Glue Gun” uses superhero and video game-like themes to convey a message about taking politics in your own hands. Renaud explained how a hot glue gun is a solution-oriented tool and a metaphor for being your own hero and coming up with creative solutions. Simone sings these lyrics over 8-bit arcade-esque instrumentation, making for a memorable track to look forward to on “Triggered.”
However, not all singles that will make it onto their next LP are political in nature. Renaud emphasized that “Triggered” will cover a broad range of topics with its tracklist. More personal singles like “I’m Not Sorry” provides some variety. This track explores the nature of toxic relationships that are tough to get out of. Renaud wrote the initial attempt at “I’m Not Sorry.”
“I was thinking about what it’s like to be in a relationship where you are not in control,” Renaud said. “The other person seems to be in control and you seem to be more needy, and they seem to be more dominating or something. That can be a really hard thing to be in; on the other hand, it’s also hard to walk away from something like that.”
Simone said that these “toxic” power dynamics can become an endless loop, but one that you aren’t necessarily trying to escape from. In the song, Simone sings, “I can’t be sorry when I’m with you.”
“It’s like, ‘If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right’ type of deal,” Simone said.
Tracks like “I’m Not Sorry” will add a more emotional touch to the LP in contrast to anthems like “Hot Glue Gun” or 2020 single “Wfs.”
For the release of “Triggered,” Lesibu Grand will be hosting a release party show, which I anticipate will mark the beginning of an influential career in Atlanta’s growing alternative music world.
Samuel Bartlett (26C, he/him) is from Durham, North Carolina whose major is undecided. Outside of the Wheel, Bartlett is involved with the Emory Climate Reality Project as an executive, helping plan events to raise awareness about climate change. He loves watching UNC basketball and exploring Atlanta.
