Author: quilla

The debut EP by The Queen Bees, is out now on Spotify and all streaming platforms.

We are super thankful to everyone involved in the production of our first record. It takes a village. Big ups to musicians Josh Coe, Cliff Greeson, Izzy Hayes and Lee Atkinson, who appear on this live EP. Many thanks to engineer Jeremy Chereskin, who co-produced the tracks with us.

EP CREDITS
Music by The Queen Bees
Guitar and vocals – Molly McGinn
Violin, cajón and vocals – Kate M. (Kate Musselwhite)
Piano, beats, production and vocals – Quilla (Anna Luisa Daigneault)
Bass – Josh Coe
Drums – Cliff Greeson
Backing vocals on “Everything is Fine” – Izzy Hayes, Lee Atkinson
Produced by Jeremy Chereskin, Quilla, Molly McGinn, Kate M.
Recorded live in concert at The Flat Iron in Greensboro, NC in 2024. 
Mixed and mastered at Hole in the Wall Studio.

This performance by The Queen Bees was for Triad City Beat‘s 10th Anniversary party.

Cover photo by Carolyn de Berry
Cover design by Quilla
Released by Ritual Fire Records
Distributed by The Orchard

Shout-outs: 

“Let the Queen Be” was originally created for our submission to The North Carolina Folk Festival and is an anthem in support of the amazing drag queens in NC.“As the Sea Rises” is a contemplative dance track about climate change and the future of humanity. 

“Sayaka’s Song” is dedicated to local intrepid journalist Sayaka Matsuoka, who documents the pulse of our region 
Thanks for listening!

Join me on Friday August 2nd for my last solo performance in Greensboro for the year! I’ll be singing songs from all my albums, and DJ-ing a dance party at the beautiful GreenHill gallery, surrounded by the new “Indelible” art exhibit.

All ages; free to the public. 💃🏻

First Friday Performance with Quilla
Friday August 2nd
6:00pm – 9:00pm
GreenHill Center for North Carolina Art
200 N Davie St, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
Event info

My music video “Bow to the Rebel Queen” has been airing at a/perture cinema in Winston-Salem, NC, during the month of July, in the pre-roll before film screenings! I’m very thankful for everyone’s support of this video and all the kind msgs I received about it. Catch the video on the big screen until July 31, 2024!

“Bow to the Rebel Queen” Music Video
Soundtrack Series
Airing July 1-31, 2024, before all film screenings
a/perture Cinema
311 W 4th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Website

Shout-out to all the amazing artists who collaborated with me on this video back in the pandemic days:

Director: Alexei Mejouev
Choreography: LeDarius “Gipsi” Parker
Dancers: Gigi Lugo, Luna Cornejo, Sarah Mouna, LeDarius Parker.
Mural: Milagros Collective (at Elsewhere Museum)
Production Assistant: Stephanie Rohr

Here is a photo from behind the scenes, rehearsing for this video.

This video was made in part with funds from ArtsGreensboro in collaboration with the NC Arts Council. Their support is gratefully acknowledged.

5/10 | The Queen Bees at Natty Greene’s
Greensboro, NC | 8-10pm
Event information

5/12 | The Queen Bees & The Piedmont Wind Symphony at Tanglewood Park
Winston-Salem, NC | 2pm
Event information

5/15 | “Music in a Bottle” Series at Lawn Service (in LeBauer Park)
Greensboro, NC | 6-8pm
Event information

5/30 The Queen Bees & CATH at Cat’s Cradle Back Room
Chapel-Hill, NC | 7:30pm
Event Information

6/01 | The Queen Bees at The Eastern Music Festival’s 8th Annual Chamber Crawl | 1pm at Scuppernong Books
2:45pm at Little Brother Brewing
Greensboro, NC
Event Information

6/22 | The Queen Bees at The Summer Solstice Festival
Greensboro, NC
Event Information

Quilla’s latest song “You Belong Here” is a collaboration with two fellow North Carolina artists: electronic music producer Treee City and vocalist Kate M. This track is now available on all streaming platforms (find it on Spotify and Apple Music).

This song was released by Ritual Fire Records and distributed by The Orchard in 2024. It was produced and recorded with support from the North Carolina Arts Council & ArtsGreensboro in 2023, and was a featured song in Quilla’s live music, ANCESTRAL.

This music video was filmed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Department of Media Studies in 2023. Thank you to everyone involved in the production of this project, especially director Jennida Chase and her team of student production assistants from UNCG. 

This music video has been accepted for screening at the following international film festivals in 2024: The Europe Music Video Awards in Košice (Slovakia), The Women’s Film Festival, and The Bronx World Film Cycle.

SONG CREDITS

Lyrics, music and vocals by Quilla

Vocal arrangement and harmonies by Kate M.

Beats by Treee City 

Electronic production and mixing by Quilla and Treee City

Vocal recording and production by Quilla and Mike Garrigan

Mastering by Holger Lagerfeldt

PERFORMANCE

Choreography by LeDarius Parker

Dancers: LeDarius Parker and Elijah Grady

Quilla’s hair by Cece Nunez Pabon

VIDEO CREDITS

Filmed at the UNCG Department of Media Studies

Director: Jennida Chase

Producers: Jennida Chase and Quilla

Director of photography: Hassan Pitts

Art direction and set design: Jennida Chase

Lighting direction: Jennida Chase

Camera operator(s): Yisell Pena Ortiz, Emma Kilduff, Ben Casteen

Set construction: Milo Kiandost, Emily Merchant, Michael-Michell Pratt

Production assistants: Sarah Groban, Fatima Njie, Skyler Foy, Kiara Harris, Zoie Chambers, Austin Holder, Evan Winney, Emma Kilduff, Spencer Millsaps, Yisell Pena Ortiz, Michael Smith, Ben Casteen, Ian Wilson, Milo Kiandost, Emily Merchant, Michael-Michell Pratt, Tyler Lucia, Rayne Addison, Cameron Brosnan, Brianna Foster, Carvis Moncref

Stream this song on Spotify

Find it on Apple Music

I’ve been working hard on a ton of projects. Just released: the new theme song for Due South, a radio show that launched on November 1, 2023!

From the show’s description: “Due South is a new daily radio show on WUNC hosted by Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii. The show is a source for news, information, and perspectives from across North Carolina and the South.

It takes a panoramic view of politics, place, race, and southern culture, among other topics. The show takes deep-dives into the news – while also providing a break from the news cycle with conversations on topics ranging from food and music to arts and culture.”

I went deep into research mode and composed this theme as if I were orchestrating for a big dynamic band complete with a horn section. Super happy with the result. Thanks to WUNC producers for bringing me aboard as your composer for this show.

You can listen to Due South every weekday morning at 10am EST on WUNC.

“We’re able to bridge between Molly’s world building, research and lyrics, Kate’s ear for arrangement and structure and me with the actual production side and the skeleton of the song, […] I like to call us the triforce; I know we’ll share the load equally between us in a way that feels healthy and fun.”

– Quilla
(in an article by Sayaka Matsuoka for Triad City Beat)

Queen Bees (Molly McGinn, Quilla, and Kate Musselwhite Tobey) won second place in the “Not Your Average Folk” competition! Thank you for your support. We performed at the Lawn Stage as part of the 2023 North Carolina Folk Festival, to a packed audience.

Hear Future Shock on WUNC Music 91.5 HD2 or on the livestream Saturday evenings at 6 p.m.

Future Shock, hosted by WUNC Music Director Brian Burns, is a new weekly show that explores progressive new sounds, global beats, and under-the-radar classics. Expect to hear a variety of genres from around the world; from jazz to funk to cumbia to reggae and beyond.

Future Shock features a theme song created by Greensboro-based electronic music artist Quilla, and art by Carrboro cartoonist Max Huffman.

Folks, we are buzzing with anticipation. I am excited to announce that QUEEN BEES (my musical project with Kate Musselwhite Tobey and Molly McGinn) has been selected as a finalist in the Not Your Average Folk contest! If we win, we will secure a spot to perform at the upcoming North Carolina Folk Festival. Members of the public can vote once a day!

Please cast your vote right here: https://ncfolkfestival.com/vote/

On behalf of my fellow Queen Bees, thanks so much for your support! The song we wrote and recorded for this submission (aptly titled “Let the Queen Be”) is all about showing our support for drag artists in the US. They have been under fire lately from all sides. Our song shows our solidarity and appreciation for the art form, and as allies, we hope to shine a positive light on the issue.

It’s an honor to play music with these ladies in our project, QUEEN BEES. Writing and arranging the tunes is also a very fun experience for us. Each person brings a different dimension to the music. And I get to play my Roland drum machine and vocal looper for this project, so I am thrilled. Vote for us if our song resonates with you!