SKORTS
SKORTS is a band you won’t be able to outrun. Listen now or listen later, they will (read: should) be on your radar. Already having amassed a dedicated following through their electrifying shows, SKORTS released their long awaited debut album, Incompletement, on Halloween 2025.
A new age Siouxsie? A dark wave Metric? Heart reincarnate? Make no mistake, SKORTS’ sound may tingle in the same places as bands of a golden age past, but their take is all new. You can put your hands out and grasp for the comparisons you’d like to make, but none fit quite right, and SKORTS isn’t the least bit worried about it.
Fronted by the badass and bewitching Alli, the band takes the stage, and suddenly you stand up a little taller, attention piqued, or slump a little deeper in your stance, hoping to match their cool air. Ease oozes from every member as they take their places. The young and hungry Brooklyn crowd presses forward, the room quickly reaches capacity, and a swarm of photographers darts back and forth along the skirt of the stage.
No matter the set list, from the first strike of a cord or drum, you can’t pull your eyes away; the air pulses with electricity. Powerhouse bass and backing vocals, Emma, fears nothing; anchor with flair, Max, uses his drumsticks as an extension of his own body; rockstar ready lead guitar, Char, plays the nastiest licks as if he’s simply jamming on the front porch. Something seemingly so easy to them, so second nature, fills the room, and it will become everything to you.
Here you will hand yourself over to the effortless climbing of Alli’s voice, the dependable thuds of bass and drum, the butterfly dancing of Char’s guitar. Each musician standing before you has rockstar quality dripping from their instruments, the relaxed glamour of a band you’d see gracing any magazine cover. Our parents and grandparents tell us stories of when they saw The Stones or Sonic Youth for $20 on a random Thursday in the 70’s or 90’s. This moment is maybe the closest we’ll ever get.
Clearly influenced by the music that laid the foundation for generations to come, SKORTS doesn’t dare hesitate in the face of rock. There is no one thing they strive to be; no one-to-one ratio to draw. You’ll know the force of their music when you hear it.
Don’t let their smoky mystique and rock demeanor intimidate you; these talents are simply a delight to work with. Having seen them several times, the band started to recognize me, and eventually it snowballed into my sheepishly asking if they’d let me and my close stylist collaborator, Madisson Yarnell, put together a photoshoot for them. The band, curious and obliging, braved an early call time and a full day shoot the day after a show to work with my team. The impeccably tattooed Alli, while stoney and fearsome on stage, has a sunny smile and makes chic jewelry, sporting her own pieces for our shoot. Emma, more than overjoyed to play our breakfast chef, performed a theatrical balancing act as she fried an egg, held her bass, and climbed the kitchen counters. Max, a real-life therapist, gave shiny eyes and dimples as he told me that when he’s playing on stage, he simply feels happy. Char had us all in giggles while performing a silent solo; blow-drying his voluminous locks, both guitar and hair dryer unplugged.
As a DIY fan in NYC, I know there will be a band, if not many, that I will get to lay early claim to, and, having been a fan since early 2024, SKORTS certainly fits the bill. SKORTS debut album, Incompletement, released on Halloween 2025, is already certified platinum in my household. With their several show heavy 2025 tours, spanning both the US East Coast and EU, it is only a matter of time before their packed Brooklyn venue shows pale in comparison, and I have the intense privilege of sharing the music that electrifies me with the world.
A special thanks to SKORTS for the music they make, the kindness they extend, and the openness they met us with. Additional thanks to my crew, whose credits are found below.
Photographer: Grace Puffer
Photo Assist: Ulysses Flores
Stylist: Madisson Yarnell
Styling Assist: Gwenyth Therese
Hair Stylist: Trinity Defour
Makeup Artist: Lauren Wolborsky
Prop Stylist: Taylor Bittenbender
THE PROCESS:
