Savages

The British post-punk quartet Savages drew more attention in 2012 for their formidable stage presence and searing recorded material than for the fact that all four members were women. Formed in London in 2011, the core of the band consisted of French singer Camille Berthomier, who had previously performed as Jehnny Beth in the duo John & Jehn, and British guitarist Gemma Thompson. After laboring over the new outfit's moniker - they eventually settled on Savages as a tribute of sorts to William Golding's Lord of the Flies and other books Thompson had read in her youth - they teamed with bassist Ayse Hassan and drummer Fay Milton to begin recording material. They soon began attracting critical praise for their intense live performances, which paved the way for their first single, "Flying to Berlin/Husbands," released on Beth's label, Pop Noire, in 2012. High-profile performances on both sides of the Atlantic, including the CMJ and Coachella Music Festivals, and a nomination for the Mercury Prize, preceded the release of their first album, Silence Yourself, in 2013. The album received uniformly positive reviews and reached No. 70 on the Billboard 200, which was soon followed by a second release, Adore Life, in early 2016.