Meet Bond Girl of Grand Rapids

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bond Girl.

Hello Bond Girl, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Bond Girl was born in a garage and raised on the stages of Grand Rapids’ growing music scene. It all came about with Chandler Couzins (rhythm guitar and vocalist) asking Wil Bowman (bassist) and Michael Bender (drummer) if they wanted to join him in blowing off some steam playing music in his parent’s upstairs den. It was March of 2022, and Wil had never touched a bass. Michael had gotten rid of his drums years ago, and Chandler was still working out the kinks after switching from acoustic to electric guitar a few months earlier. A couple of months later, we were already playing a collection of covers and originals. By that time, we had already been shunned by Chandler’s parents to the garage and decided it was time to make room for another guitarist. After holding auditions for about a month, we found our new best friend and bandmate, Nathan Mora. Since then, our gigs have gotten bigger, better, and more frequent. In addition to gigging all over Grand Rapids, we’ve played Holland, Lansing, and Allegan. We’re getting ready to release our new album consisting of re-recorded originals, already out as demos, and a fresh set of new unrecorded music.

We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been pretty alright. Every show gets bigger and bigger. Our fan base has been growing steadily, and so have the opportunities given to us. We set out with no expectations, and even as we grow, we make sure not to sweat the small stuff.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Music and friendship connect us; everything else sets us worlds apart. We are all between the ages of 22 and 25. Nathan Mora, the lead guitar and vocalist, is a nursing student, and Wil Bowman, the bassist, is almost finished with his bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies. Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Chandler Couzins has a Finance degree from the University of Michigan but has begun to shift gears professionally and explore the world of music recording and sound engineering. Michael Bender, our drummer, is a wealth manager at a big firm in downtown Grand Rapids. By how we sound, dress, and act on stage, you would be hard-pressed to imagine any of the former is true.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
We practice every week with no exceptions; mustn’t get sloppy. Because of this, we can put on a show, that’s for sure. We play hard and with a lot of passion. Our fans love this. No matter how often they hear hour originals and covers, those who follow us from gig to gig come for the experience and to feel again that special energy and excitement they got from our last performance. We make sure to show everyone who comes out a good time. However, a deeper look may link our success to the way we band members treat each other with respect, compassion, and humility whenever someone speaks up and dares to push us even further. Most importantly, we all WANT to make the best music we can, so we keep pushing with open minds.

Pricing:

• We always sell $10 shirts at every gig.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebandbondgirl.square.site/
• Instagram: thebandbondgirl

Image Credits
Kara Genther (for the two outdoor stage shots). Emma Bowman (for the Bond Girl Bleached logo). Griffin Gooch (for the white shirt and ties photo) AJ Mester (black and white photo in the garage with t-shirts hanging)