Being a fangirl is a complex, often misunderstood experience. It creates a split-screen existence between the “real” world and an insular, obsessive realm defined by its own lexicon and culture. For many, this intensity is not merely a hobby but a lifeline—a way to construct an identity and find community in a world that often feels isolating. For Jade Alcantara and Grace Bennett, the co-frontwomen of the Brooklyn-based rock band Sub*T, this shared history of fandom served as the bedrock for their creative partnership.
The duo met through mutual internet friends during the height of the One Direction craze. While their paths didn’t cross in person until years later, they were already aware of one another through the interconnected web of music fandom. “I knew of Grace before we met just from like—this girl I know is on a trip and she’s there and so are these other three people,” Alcantara explains. “That’s just how the internet was, everyone knew everyone, especially if you liked the same bands.”
Their transition from fans to artists was not an overnight success story, but a deliberate, hard-won evolution. In 2019, with no formal songwriting experience and limited instrumental knowledge, they decided to start a band from scratch. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the necessary isolation to hone their craft, with both members purchasing guitars and teaching themselves to play. “It was the first thing I’d done as an adult that was like, I’m gonna do this thing that’s incredibly hard that I’m not feeling like I was born to do it, and I’m gonna do it anyway,” Alcantara says.
Their debut album, How My Own Voice Sounds, serves as a document of this self-actualization. The record captures the white-hot energy of the mosh pit and the bittersweet nostalgia of youth, all while establishing a distinct, fuzzy-guitared, grunge-inflected sound. Tracks like “Sister Species 1” and “Sister Species 2” track this ascent from the audience to the stage, pinpointing the moment they moved from observing the creative process to participating in it.
Influenced by bands like 90s alternative acts and the garage-rock energy of Hinds, Sub*T has successfully channeled their past experiences into a forward-looking project. As Bennett notes, the transition from fan to professional is a transferable skill set—one that requires passion, attention to detail, and a desire to connect. With How My Own Voice Sounds, the duo has finally stepped out from the shadows of their influences to claim their own space in the rock landscape.
