Rejections of the status quo run through punk’s history. Its spirit remains alive and well, too–in Arrow De Wilde, the lead singer of LA-based band Starcrawler. De Wilde grew up surrounded by creativity. As the daughter of a drummer dad and a photographer mom, De Wilde’s early years were spent at concerts, in studios, and with musicians talking about a shared love for sonic rebellion. Accordingly, she lists Johnny Thunders, Cheap Trick, Hanoi Rocks, and Redd Kross as influences. De Wilde’s exposure to art was not limited to music, however–De Wilde also cites horror movies like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a key source of inspiration for her performances.  

Starcrawler’s story begins at De Wilde’s Los Angeles high school. Knowing she wanted to start a band, De Wilde kept her eyes peeled in the halls, until one day she saw Henri Cash, with his long hair and leather jacket. “I didn’t know him but I went up to him and just said, ‘you look cool, do you play guitar?’” De Wilde said. “And luckily he did!” De Wilde and Cash began bringing on other members, eventually forming Starcrawler in 2015. Since releasing their debut song, “Ants,” in 2017, they have carried with them an unapologetic confidence and undeniable flair. People have taken notice, including Elton John and My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way. They’ve retained their sense of individuality the whole time. “I think this goes for any genre of music: if it’s truly what you love and what comes natural to you and you don’t have to overthink it, then it’s what is meant to be,” De Wilde says. “Writing a rock song is pretty much all I know how to do (at least right now), so it’s the music that I make. I think when people try to force something that’s not actually true to themselves is when a lot of shitty music gets made.”

Touring the country this fall, Starcrawler wants to show audiences what they’ve got. Fake blood, loud screams, and thrashing energy are the expectations of a Starcrawler show, and yes, they deliver. “To us it’s all about having a good time, writing and playing music that we love, putting on a good live show for others, and just hopefully creating special memories not just for us, but also for the people that like and support us and our music,” said De Wilde. Starcrawler’s latest single, “ON 2 U” is out now on all major streamers. The time for Starcrawler is now because, in the words of Arrow De Wilde herself, “life is just too damn short!”

This cover story appears in the pages of V162: now available for purchase!

Photography Gabriel Perez Silva

Fashion Gorge Villalpando

Makeup Leah Darcy (A-Frame Agency) using YSL Beauty

Hair Virginie Pineda (The Visionaries) using GHD Hair & K18

Casting Kev Ponce

Fashion Market Editor Gabby Buchan

Production Cynthia Hadden (Lyric Productions)

Photo Assistants Leila Keftaro & Victor-Gabriel Hofer

Styling Assistants Juan Vega & Sophie Saunders

Makeup Assistant Reina Zuniga

Location Smashbox Studios