Solstice is reworking the long-standing definition of “Riot Grrrl,” purely by existing.
Solstice, an all-girl band from Asbury Park, New Jersey, was pieced together through the love of music and the collaboration of talented people. Made up of four girls, Milania (singer/guitar), Amelia (guitar), Harmony (bass), and Alexis (drums), Solstice currently identifies as a cover band, performing upbeat music, while also sticking to some punky classic bands like Title Fight and Bikini Kill. The band succeeds in blending these two distinct styles, hyping up the punk crowds throughout the Asbury Park area.
Though they label themselves as a cover band, Solstice just recently debuted an original song titled “Clover” that they have started playing at their live shows.
“Writing music and playing music is so fun. And when you’re doing your own stuff, no one can tell you not to do that, because it’s your own music,” Amelia explains.
Solstice originally came together at Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park, but has since seen members come and go, all except Milania.
Milania knew Amelia from a previous job, who then introduced her to Harmony about a year later, eventually bringing her along to band auditions. Alexis joined after only one drummer cycle, as Amelia knew Alexis from school and a friend’s band.
Beyond being a cover band, Solstice also calls themselves a Riot Grrrl band. Riot Grrrl is an underground feminist punk movement formed in the early 1990s to empower women and girls to express anger, challenge patriarchal standards, and address issues such as misogyny. Some iconic and pioneering bands of the movement include the aforementioned Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Sleater-Kinney.
“I just feel like, for Riot Grrrl, there definitely are values,” says Alexis, “and if you don’t have those values, then you’re not Riot Grrrl.”
Milania adds, “Being in a lot of bands and in a scene dominated by people who don’t look like me, I’m normally pushed to the back of the band.” She continued, “Like, I’m never gonna be the singer… I’m never gonna be the front person. So, in that way, I created the band to create a redefinition.”
Along with their appreciation for the Riot Grrrl movement, the band members also shared an appreciation for their local music scene in New Jersey, a state that has seen several legendary musicians take the stage from a variety of genres, such as Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, My Chemical Romance, and Bon Jovi.
“I feel like it’s so hard as a girl, because I’m into screamo and metal, and I wasn’t seeing girl vocalists. So I felt like I couldn’t do that because those vocals are so insane,” says Amelia. “But seeing local bands and girl vocalists, it made me realize that it’s just portrayed that way, and you can really do anything you want as long as you try hard enough. I really want to be that to somebody, to make them realize that they can start a band.”
The dreaded question that no teenager or young adult wants to be asked came up during our conversation: What’s the future look like for Solstice?
“With starting this band, I did ask the uncomfortable question of ‘where do you see us in 10 years?’” Milania says, “And it’s like, we’re all going off—I’m in college, they’re in high school, eventually we’re going to be moving on. But, in the meantime, hopefully we can release something that does resonate with as many people as possible.”
The girls of Solstice radiate excitement for both the music and for their local scene, which is reflected in their energetic stage presence and upbeat covers.
“Even if we’re planning on being so short-lived, because of where life takes us,” Amelia concludes, “we’re making the most of it and having as much fun as we can.”
Image taken by Fern Photo | Interviewed on May 1, 2026
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