Here at The Honey POP, we’re always on the hunt for the next artist to obsess over—and trust us, Winona Fighter is *it*. Fresh off the release of their debut album, My Apologies to the Chef, this Nashville-based punk trio is quickly becoming our latest obsession. With their unapologetic, raw sound and a live show that’s pure electricity, Winona Fighter is proving that authenticity is alive and well in the music world.
You can stream My Apologies to the Chef here!
We were lucky enough to chat with frontwoman, Coco Kinnon, about all things My Apologies to the Chef, the band’s career journey, tour, and everything in between!
Meet Winona Fighter
Hello, and welcome to the Honey Pop! Thank you for taking the time to chat
with us. Could you give our readers a quick introduction for someone who may not be familiar with Winona Fighter?
Hi! Thank YOU for wanting to chat! My name is Coco and I’m the front-woman/multi-instrumentalist for Winona Fighter. Winona Fighter is a 3-piece punk rock band based out of Nashville TN made up of myself, Dan Fuson (guitar), and Austin Luther (bass/producer). We make punk music for all types of music lovers, while keeping it as raw and real as possible.
You guys have connections to both Boston and Nashville, two cities with such distinct music scenes, in what ways have these influences shaped your sound and artistry?
The Boston scene is what made me fall in love with the genre as a whole. I was always a little punker but the second I got a taste of the actual community… I couldn’t get enough of it. A big reason I started Winona Fighter was because I felt like everyone, even those who don’t really like thrash punk, should get to experience a community and scene like that. This is why our mission statement is “punk music for music lovers”- I wanted to keep the authenticity and rawness that comes with a scene like the Boston punk scene, but make it a bit more palatable for everyone as a whole. Although our music has more melodic elements than traditional punk, you step foot in a Winona Fighter show and automatically know where I came from and what we’re all about. 90% of the room is a mosh pit. I would say Nashville’s only real influence on us was pushing us to continue doing our own unique thing. It was really hard finding our place here. We would play our punk set, on all country bills at honky tonks just to get a few minutes of stage time. Those situations, as uncomfortable as they were, really taught us to never waver from who we truly are. Honestly, those showed made it so we can conquer any room… whether its a tough crowd or little to no crowd at all. We know how to handle it.
Authenticity and staying true to your roots have always been core to Winona Fighter. How were you able to keep that DIY spirit in the recording process while working with a major label like Rise Records?
Well first off we were really picky. We did not hop into bed with the first label that came knocking on our door. It was so important to partner with a group that was going to help elevate us instead of change us, believe in us instead of questioning every little move, and just sign us, for us. Rise fit the bill time and time again. So it was really no surprise that when it was time to record My Apologies To The Chef they had zero reservations about us sticking to DIY. When “we want to do the record just us three, in our garage” is met with “great! Just let us know when it’s done”… you’re in for a truly special, real album. We went from doing everything ourselves to doing everything ourselves while feeling believed in. What a wonderful feeling!
My Apologies to the Chef
Congratulations on the release of My Apologies to the Chef! How does it feel
to have your debut album finally out in the world?
Thank you! It has felt like such a long time coming. Leading up to the release was extremely nerve-wracking especially when we kept getting told it was a highly anticipated release. It’s like, we are nobodies, what do you MEAN HIGHLY ANTICIPATED. I digress. It feels really great. For every hater there’s 100 positive reviews, so we are feeling so grateful.
My Apologies to the Chef includes a few older tracks re-recorded for the album. What made you decide these specific songs deserved a second chance on the record?
We picked the fan favorites! The thing with a debut album, end of day maybe MAX 20% of listeners are going to be folks who are already fans. The majority are going to be brand new ears. Why not give the old fan favorites a fighting chance. I mean ‘You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers’ is one of those songs and now it’s spinning on radio in different cities throughout the country. I’m glad she got her chance. This record is an introduction to Winona Fighter so we wanted to make it an actual introduction.
You’ve created a strong connection with your audience through songs that tap into real emotions. How do you hope My Apologies to the Chef will resonate with your fans?
I hope everyone can find at least one song they feel resonates with them so much they feel like it was written specifically for them. The whole album is so centered around the human experience. It really makes you realize you are never alone in what you are feeling or going through. Maybe the listeners will find a sense of community in it.
Looking back on the process of creating the album, what’s the one thing about this body of work are you the proudest of?
This album is 100% us. All the songs were written by one or multiple or all of us and collaborators of our choosing. Austin produced it. I co-produced it. We played every single instrument. Mixed it. I mean, that really doesn’t happen much anymore. So I would say I’m most proud of that. We had a goal to do it ourselves and we accomplished it.
Behind the Music
‘TALK’ is one of the standout tracks on the album and one of our favorites. Can you share more about the meaning behind the song and how it connects to the overall theme of the album?
Thank you! I love that song. I joke and say it’s about a bitch who can’t keep their mouth shut… but that’s really not too far off from the truth. We are SO susceptible to trolls, haters behind a keyboard, and even peers who want to undercut our success. At the time it was just really feeling like our name was in a lot of mouths for no good reason. I just wish they would get out from behind the screen or my back and say it to my face!
‘I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE’ tackles some tough personal experiences. How did writing this song help you process those emotions, and do you hope it connects with others who may be facing something similar?
Writing this song helped me not be so afraid to talk about my experience with domestic violence. I mean I wouldn’t even talk about it with my therapist and now I’m so inspired to talk to anyone about it. I’ve seen it first hand connect with people facing something similar. I have been fortunate to have conversations at merch after shows with some really strong women. Those conversations are just as special for me as they are for them. I even talked to a dad the other day who said this song helped him have a conversation with his young daughter about it. How impactful and cool is that.
A lot of your music taps into themes of anger and raw emotional expression. Why do you think it’s so important to give those intense, unfiltered emotions a platform, especially when they’re often pushed aside or overlooked?
Yeah I definitely feel like mental health advocacy is such a huge thing but stops after depression and anxiety. Anger feels so taboo and it shouldn’t be… especially for women! It is such a normal feeling to have but I think because its always tied to aggression people shy away from the topic. Someone who is angry isn’t always someone who is aggressive. Bottling up emotions like that is so unhealthy. I think there should be so many more outlets for people dealing with emotions like anger and frustration. If our music creates even one extra outlet for it then we are doing our job.
Final Thoughts
You’re currently out on your first headlining tour (congrats again, btw!), How’s it been so far? How does it feel compared to opening for iconic bands like Bayside and Badflower?
It’s been beyond anything we ever expected. I mean I wouldn’t have guessed we’d be selling out multiple 250-300 cap rooms. Especially in cities we’ve never had the chance to headline in before. The fandom has been insane too! People literally come dressed up as chefs, how fun is that!!! Every night these fans who have never seen us live get a taste of what it’s like to be at a raw and real punk show. The rooms are 85% mosh pit, people are crowd surfing, stage diving, grabbing the mic. It’s been completely bonkers. We love getting opportunities to open for iconic bands, especially ones we look up to. It allows us to be in front of new faces every night. But, celebrating this record release at shows that are completely our element… that’s pretty special.
We all get “a little stressed out” sometimes. What are your go-to ways to unwind and decompress after a tough day?
I personally like to play the drums, do an intense bike ride, or go on a walk with Elmo, my 6-lb rescue chihuahua. However, if I’m stressed and just want to rot all day- I’ll bake until my heart gives out. If there is a container of cookies on my countertop, you KNOW I’ve been having a week.
Lastly, if you had to describe My Apologies to the Chef in three dishes, what would they be and why?
HMMM-
Meatloaf: Austin randomly got meatloaf before a show one time and that was a chaotic choice on his part. However, I can’t help but feel his chaos meatloaf perfectly encapsulates the chaos within the album. Meatloaf feels like ‘HAMMS IN A GLASS’ and ‘WLBRN ST TVRN’
A caesar salad with grilled chicken: It is my go to post-show meal. It brings me down a bit from the stage high, I feel like tracks like ‘Swimmers Ear’ and ‘Don’t Wallow’ feel like a crisp post-show chicken caesar salad.
Triple Dipper from Chilis: because much like the triple dipper, there is a little something for everyone on the album.
Once again, a huge thank you to Coco for taking the time to sit down and chat with us! Let us know your thoughts on My Apologies to the Chef and what you’re most excited to see from Winona Fighter next by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
Buzzing for more? Check out more of our exclusive interviews and all the latest music news from all of our favs!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WINONA FIGHTER:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE
