Dublin’s Pillow Queens have returned with “Be A Big Girl,” a fierce new single that flips a familiar phrase into an anthem of reclamation. Released independently via their own Pillow Queen Records, the track was produced by Daniel Fox (Gilla Band, Sprints, Lambrini Girls) and mastered by Jamie Hyland.
Often used as shorthand for suppressing emotion, “be a big girl” takes on a different meaning in the hands of Pillow Queens. Here, vulnerability becomes strength, and resistance is celebrated as an act of survival. “People expect ‘being a big girl’ to mean keeping your chin up and not making a fuss,” the band explains. “For us, it’s the opposite. It’s staying exactly where you are when you’re told to leave, making a fuss, and taking up more space in the process.”
Raw and urgent, the song captures the exhaustion of being told there’s no space for you—whether in Ireland, the music industry, or everyday life—while refusing to bow to that pressure. It’s the sound of persistence: crying in the aisles of Lidl one day, dreaming of a better future the next, and standing your ground through it all.
The single arrives during a period of transformation for the band’s founding members Cathy Mc Guinness, Sarah Corcoran, and Pamela Connolly. Over three acclaimed albums—In Waiting (2020), Leave the Light On (2022), and Name Your Sorrow (2024)—Pillow Queens have built a reputation for anthemic power and cathartic live shows. Their work has earned praise from NPR, The Guardian, Pitchfork, NME, Rolling Stone UK, and more, alongside late-night TV appearances and an Irish Album of the Year nomination.
“Be A Big Girl” lands as Pillow Queens join Lord Huron on a major UK and European tour, playing to more than 50,000 fans before a headline show at Dublin’s National Concert Hall on October 21.
Featured Image: Zoe Ardiff
