Tonight, the super-group makes its Local Spins Wednesdays debut in Grand Rapids. We recap the band’s year and upcoming Michigan tour. Plus, Grace Theisen reveals albums that impacted her most.
A Banner Year and More Milestones Ahead: The Rebel Eves (Courtesy/Press Photo)
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO AND GRACE THEISEN’S ‘ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD’
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To say it’s been a watershed year for The Rebel Eves would be an understatement.
The female super-group of Michigan-bred singer-songwriters — Grace Theisen, Jilian Linklater and Katie Pederson — caps what Theisen describes as “an incredible 2025” with a vinyl-release show for their full-length debut, “Rebel Eve,” by performing along with virtuoso percussionist Carolyn Koebel at Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge tonight (Oct. 29).
It follows playing some of the anthemic Americana band’s “biggest stages and festivals to date” such as Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and Wheatland Music Festival, as well as completing its first West Coast tour that included teaching at the Americana Song Academy in Oregon.
“It was a reminder that we needed that — in this dark and chaotic time we are living in — music is truly the thing to bring us all back together,” Theisen said of the music camp experience. “It was the inspiration and rejuvenation we honestly needed as a band to keep going.”
Finding ‘Inspiration and Rejuvenation’: Grace Theisen (Photo/Holly Holtzclaw)
After releasing their “Shake the Ground” EP in September, The Rebel Eves officially releases the full-length “Rebel Eve” in 2026 with plans for “playing every song from the new record, plus a couple of new tunes we wrote this summer” during the SpeakEZ show that begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 29). (Scroll down to view the video for the EP title track.)
“This tour is our vinyl-release tour, if the vinyl comes in time for the show. Fingers crossed,” Theisen said. “People can expect a lot of fun and laughter because this is our first show of the tour and we always get so excited to be back together both as friends and in playing music together.”
The band — whose harmony-driven, inclusive and socially conscious music has turned heads across the country — also participates in this weekend’s Lamb’s Retreat for Songwriters in Lake Leelanau, followed by tour stops in Indianapolis on Nov. 5, The Ark in Ann Arbor on Nov. 6, and Women in the Arts in East Lansing on Nov. 7. (Tickets/details about these shows available online here.) The band will play a showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans in January, with more touring throughout the year.
Theisen also plans to enter the studio in December to record her first full-length solo album.
“I call my genre ‘androgynous Americana’ because I’ve always danced between the masculine and the feminine — through energy, fashion, relationships and performing on stage,” said Theisen, who melds blues, soul, pop, folk and Americana music into her approach.
“That duality shapes not just who I am, but the way I make music. My songs are about painting outside the lines, blending sounds and influences the same way I blur those boundaries in my life.”
Speaking of influences, Theisen also shared the “Three Albums That Changed My World,” part of a regular Local Spins series exploring the music that impacts artists and others in the music industry. View her selections and listen to some of that music below, along with two new tracks from The Rebel Eves. Get more information about tonight’s SpeakEZ show here.
1. Beyonce, “Lemonade” (2016) – There’s no denying that Beyoncé is one of the greatest artists of all time, if not the greatest. I grew up with her music; I can still picture myself riding to high school in my parents’ silver Dodge minivan, blasting Destiny’s Child (especially “Jumpin’, Jumpin’”) on repeat. As a white woman who loves to “genre-blend,” I’m deeply aware that so much of the music I love today is rooted in black artistry and culture. I think “Lemonade” is a perfect example of that brilliance. This album is stunning — not just because of Beyoncé’s unmatched vocals and the songwriting – but because of the production. Each track feels like its own world, full of emotion, texture and story. Listening to “Lemonade” isn’t just hearing music; it’s going on a journey, through heartbreak, resilience, history and self-discovery. Everything an album should be.
2. Larkin Poe, “Venom & Faith” (2018) – I grew up surrounded by blues music. My cousin, Jordan Lunardini, played in a blues band with (now country singer) Frankie Ballard. I spent much of my pre-teen years in smoky bars on the weekends, listening to their band, Funkberry Jam. They played both their own blues songs and classic blues covers by legends like B.B. King and Cedric Burnside. To this day, blues remains my favorite genre — if I had to choose one, though I really hate picking favorites. When I first heard Larkin Poe about seven years ago, I was immediately hooked. Their songwriting is sharp, their sister harmonies are gorgeous, and they both absolutely shred on guitar. It was so inspiring to see two women, around my age. completely dominate every aspect of their craft. “Venom & Faith” captures everything I love about blues music: grit, soul, musicianship and raw energy, all filtered through a modern lens.
3. G Flip, “Drummer” (2023) – This album, though fairly new, means so much to me. Discovering G Flip in 2022 was a huge turning point. It was through their music that I began to discover my own queerness. In many ways, their songs have become the soundtrack to my coming-out journey. A lot of people name artists like the Indigo Girls or Brandi Carlile (both of whom I love now) as their queer icons, but because I came out later, I didn’t grow up with those influences. I didn’t even know who they were until a few years ago. Instead, it’s been millennial artists like G Flip who have shaped my experience and inspired me creatively. They’re part of a wave of incredible queer musicians who are redefining what it means to make authentic, emotional and fearless music. G’s musicianship blows me away. They play drums and guitar so well, and somehow manage to sing while drumming live on stage. (I definitely have always had a thing for drummers.) I saw them perform for the first time this past month, and it was one of the most joyful concerts I’ve ever attended. They completely surrender to the music and the crowd’s energy. It’s magnetic and inspiring to witness.
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Grace Theisen’s Playlist on Spotify
VIDEO: The Rebel Eves, “Shake the Ground”
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