Lina Tullgren

An introspective indie rock singer/songwriter with a sparse lo-fi sound, Lina Tullgren found a devoted audience when their self-released 2015 EP earned them a contract with Captured Tracks. Over the next four years, they continued to hone their sound with well-received albums like 2017's Won and its follow-up, Free Cell. Tullgren grew up in the seacoast region of New England where southern Maine meets New Hampshire. After a youth spent learning fiddle traditions and classical technique, a sea change brought them to the electric guitar and to songwriting. Alongside their friend and bandmate Ty Ueda, Tullgren recorded the stark five-song Wishlist EP, which introduced fans to their thoughtful, melancholic songcraft and atmospheric production. Self-released in 2015, it caught the attention of the Captured Tracks label, which reissued Wishlist to critical acclaim a year later. Moving toward more of a band approach, Tullgren returned in late 2017 with their first full-length LP, Won. A 2018 single saw them team up with producer and multi-instrumentalist NTHNL, resulting in the synth-driven "I Am Fine." Meanwhile, Tullgren was writing the material for their next full-length while living in New England with their parents. The songs that took shape dealt with themes of isolation, an aspect that was exacerbated when their bandmate, Ueda, was injured in a car accident just prior to recording. Handling production on their own, Tullgren emerged in 2019 with their sophomore album Free Cell. ~ Timothy Monger