Gala Violet {The Full Bio}

Tea Kinsington
Jul 21
9 min read

Gala Violet – Artist Bio (Uncut)

We never planned to put this out into the world quite like this.

It started as a demo. A goal. A whispered dream. Then a flurry of late-night Zoom calls, playlists passed like notes in class, encouragement sent in long texts, half-baked ideas for record labels and comics and healing. It was never meant to be a band, or maybe it was. We just didn’t know it yet.

We’re Gala Violet, a collective of artists and musicians from the Midwest: Tea (Kinsington), Collin, Charlotte, Mickey Fingers (Michael), Echo Belle (Isabelle), Silent Mike, and yes, one more Michael who prefers to stay offstage but never far from the studio. We’re all spoonie, gluten-free, slightly woo, Gen-X geeks who met through an Artist’s Way book club during COVID lockdowns and accidentally became a creative family. We started as accountability buddies and turned into something more like a band, a support group, and a label-in-the-making rolled into one.

We’ve worked across a blur of platforms lately: claiming pages, submitting bios, answering questions we didn’t think we’d need to answer like: What are your top 3 favorite albums? (Seriously?! Only three?). It’s wild how hard it is to talk about ourselves when we’ve spent our lives talking about music. But we figured if we want to help other artists someday, we’d better walk through this part too. So here we are.

We each make playlists we only share with each other.

Some are themed. Some are 8 hours long. Some are cryptic love letters or emotional weather reports. It’s how we stay close, how we dream together. We’ve become each other’s mixtape exchange. Our musical tastes overlap in uncanny ways, and still, each of us brings something completely our own.

We’re not on social media much. Most of us aren’t really “out there” yet, and for a long time we didn’t think we ever would be. We’ve all been silenced in one way or another, by illness, trauma, perfectionism, burnout, or just the heavy grind of trying to survive. But music kept pulling us back. So did each other.

On July 7th: Tea’s half-birthday (by the way), we decided to stop waiting until we felt “ready” and release what we had. Our little demo-become-album became a kind of offering. We let go of the need to be perfect and focused instead on being real. “Bigfoot and Spam” might be our collective favorite, born from Tea’s actual Bigfoot hunt and a lot of cryptid-fueled conversations. It’s weird, funny, joyful, and kind of a mission statement in itself.

About the Members (The Not-So-Summary Version):

Tea

• Tea (Kinsington): Our creative director and mixtape queen. Once dreamed of working at a label, or being a sound engineer, or a radio DJ, which she now is. She brings vision and vulnerability to everything she does. The Gala Violet name came from her high school lyric journal: hand-painted, calligraphed, sacred, and later destroyed by someone who didn’t deserve it. This project is her reclamation.

Earliest Musical Memories – from Tea

I was obsessed with my parents’ turntable and vinyl from an early age: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin. I listened religiously, memorized every lyric, and proudly sang them in nursery school. Nothing says preschool like belting out “The lunatic is in my head.” I didn’t just like music—I lived in it.

That obsession only grew. I used to get Billboard magazine in high school, worked in record stores, made elaborate mixtapes for friends (complete with hand-designed covers), and DJed parties and clubs whenever I could. I dreamed of becoming a sound engineer, working at a record label, hosting a radio show, or directing music videos. Music wasn’t just a hobby, it was my identity.

I’ve always been a “Name That Tune” master, and I’ve been making up and singing ridiculous little songs for as long as I can remember. I live for brilliant albums and brilliant lyrics. I feel like music is stitched into my DNA.

Tea’s Top 3 All-Time Favorite Albums on Apple Music (Today… Maybe)

Picking just three? Impossible. I could write a book on this. I binge on different artists for different moods, and honestly, my top three change depending on the day. As a group, we agreed on three that mean the world to all of us (For Our Apple Music Bio)

• The Dreaming – Kate Bush

• Séance – The Church

• Crowded House – Self-titled debut

(And honestly? I agree with those completely.)

But narrowing it down without repeating those? Here’s today’s attempt:

1. House of Love – Butterfly Album

• This album has lived in my soul for years. It’s full of swirling emotion and haunted beauty.

2. Bauhaus – Burning From the Inside

• Gothic, strange, theatrical, poetic—this was one of those albums that felt like a friend in the dark.

3. Hex – Ethereal Message

• Technically a newer release, but it combines two of my favorite older albums: the hauntingly beautiful collaboration between Steve Kilbey and Donnette Thayer. (Also: I’m obsessed with all things Kilbey—Jack Frost, Kilbey Kennedy, you name it.)

(…Okay, I’m cheating a little, but I’d be lying if I didn’t mention All India Radio – Fall, which basically lived in my CD player for a decade.)

There’s also a Chameleons album that should be available on Apple Music in the U.S., but it’s not—and that’s just tragic.

Charlotte

• Charlotte: A fashion-forward goth who found herself again after a brutal breakup and a soul-crushing job. She’s classically trained, sings like velvet and razorblades, and builds stunning interiors (and outfits) in her spare time. Her playlists live in the post-punk shadows of Bauhaus and The Cure.

Charlotte – Earliest Musical Memories

My mother was raised in the world of pageants and decided I should be too. She thought music should be my talent, so she started me early with training. (She was a music teacher.) It felt like a kind of torture… but it was also something we did together, so I craved the motherly attention it brought.

I still remember discovering goth and post-punk, it was completely life-changing. I’m not sure if I clung to it out of love or rebellion (probably both), but either way, no one was thrilled with my little goth girl makeup and black hair.

—Charlotte

Charlotte’s Top 3 All-Time Favorite Albums on Apple Music

(Tea and I agree this is the hardest question ever. Mine are always changing, but these have been solid companions since I first met them. I’m not repeating the group picks, though I love them too.)

1. The Cure – Head on the Door

It was love at first listen. Still is.

2. Bauhaus – Burning from the Inside

Timeless. Still raw, strange, and perfect.

3. Love and Rockets – Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven

Dreamy, dramatic, and utterly me.

I binge on plenty of other albums, but these are always with me.

Mickey Fingers

• Mickey Fingers: Big heart, big sound. Multi-instrumentalist, sound explorer, studio dreamer. He’s been in and out of family businesses and bands, and always finds his way back to what matters. His mixes bounce from chill soundscapes to psychedelic left-turns, always full of surprise.

Mickey – Earliest Musical Memories

I grew up going to concerts with my family. We were a musical family and went to a lot of shows, supporting friends and seeing bands. There’s nothing like the energy of a live show. I remember being blown away by my first Grateful Dead concert. Not that it was a place for a kid! But my mind was blown by the whole experience: the parking lot, the music, the people… all of it.

– Mickey

Mickey:

This is hard. I’m so multifaceted. I love my chill music as much as I love to rock out. I have old favorites, and I have new bands I support. I also enjoy different genres. I agree with the collective top 3: Split Enz, the Finn Brothers, The Church, anything Kilbey, and the work of all the members. I waited to do this last so I could agree with everyone else’s picks and choose my own.

• Newish: Joe Hawley / Tally Hall – Miracle Musical

• Chill: All India Radio – Echo Other

• (Wish Terry Riley’s “Rainbow in Curved Air” was on Apple Music!)

• Older: The Bolshoi – Friends

If I could only bring three albums on a trip, I know my friends would have me covered; but these would offer me anything I might be missing.

Collin

• Collin: Our resident comic book creator and kitchen witch. Former folk band frontman turned guitar/bass journeyman with a love for Beck, Elliott Smith, and weird B-sides. His playlists blend melancholy with magic, and he’s the kind of guy who bakes bread and brings you soup when you’re sick.

Collin – Earliest Musical Memories

I grew up listening to Dylan and The Beatles, classic rock and folk (my parents’ music). I always loved it all, but discovering my own music in the late ’70s and early ’80s was when I became obsessed. When I wasn’t feeling up to people, hiding under my headphones and drawing comics was my great escape. When I had energy, I’d do all the chores I could so I had money for the record store. We all grew up with an instrument. I learned guitar, it really hurt my fingers for a while. Learning about celiac disease and EDS was life-changing. I’m back to playing guitar and learning bass now.

– Collin

(All of us have celiac. Belle has a wheat allergy, but it’s not confirmed since she won’t eat gluten to get tested.)

Collin:

This seems impossible. How did everyone else fill this out?! We all like a lot of the same music and grew up in the same decades (’70s/’80s). I’ve also been introduced to so much new music by everyone in this group, and I confess, I love our playlists. OK, here goes:

• Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill

• XTC – Drums & Wires / Dukes of Stratosphear – Chips from the Chocolate Fireball

• Beck – Mellow Gold

Belle

• Echo Belle (Isabelle): She’s mystery and melody. A polyglot, a string whisperer, a collector of sounds and instruments. She grew up between countries and carries music like a passport. Her style is as elegant as it is unclassifiable. Think Cocteau Twins with a dash of Brian Eno and a violin bow.

Belle – Earliest Musical Memories

I grew up with music and playing instruments. My whole family is musical. The first memory that really stood out was when my father took me to the ballet overseas. He knew someone in the orchestra pit, so we had the best seats. I was mesmerized by the entire experience.

Discovering my own music was something, too. I grew up surrounded by classical, art pop, and art rock—so my taste is pretty eclectic. I love finding music that truly stands out.

– Belle

Belle:

Yeah, I see why we all struggle with this one. I don’t think I can narrow it down. I agree with the top three choices, we’re all kind of tuned to the same vibe. I definitely lean toward the Art-Pop Enz side, though. Lately I’m stuck on:

• Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas

• The Pixies – Trompe le Monde

• Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets

Silent Mike

• Silent Mike: Who isn’t silent at all. A theater kid turned bass newbie turned sonic perfectionist. He grew up on musicals and fell in love with The Smiths. Now he’s Belle’s partner in music and life, often building playlists together that sound like secret daydreams shared under covers.

Mike – Earliest Musical Memories

My earliest musical memories are going to musicals and theater with my father, and going to the symphony with my family. But what opened my eyes was when we went to a concert of my sister’s choice for her 14th birthday, The Smiths. After that, I spent a lot of time with her discovering new music.

– Mike

Silent Mike:

This was hard for me, too. I do agree with the top three albums we collectively chose. But if I could make it even more personal…

For Split Enz, I would’ve picked their earlier works: Mental Notes or Dizrythmia.

Favorite Church album? The Blurred Crusade, probably.

• The Smiths – Strangeways, Here We Come

• New Order – Substance

• Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward

These were a few of the albums I discovered myself that remain my favorites to this day. It was hard to pick a favorite Depeche Mode album—but this was my first.

The Other Michael

• Other Michael: Our mystery man. He prefers to stay behind the scenes but contributes synths, woodwinds, and the kind of ideas that show up at 2am and make you rethink everything.

Collective

Collective Memory Lane:

We all have “first concert” stories that changed us. For some, it was the symphony. For others, it was the Grateful Dead, The Smiths, or a Beatles album at age 4. For Tea, it was singing Pink Floyd lyrics in preschool. (Yes, really.) For all of us, music has always been the throughline, the one thing that never fully left.

What’s next?

We’re learning as we go. Making demos. Throwing spaghetti at the studio walls. Dreaming of a record label where artists aren’t burned out before they begin. There might be a comic book. There might be an Etsy shop. There will definitely be more playlists, more mixtapes, more weird and wonderful songs.

We don’t have everything figured out. But we’re showing up, finally. And that’s more than enough.

Having read this far, you're now officially part of the club. We appreciate your time and thank you for listening to our music and taking a moment to learn about us.

Curious why we didn't opt for a typical bio?

Because normal is overrated.

💜

— Gala Violet