It’s a Dark time in history, and it’s no secret.
Profound greed, over-consumption, wastefulness of resources, ego-centric leaders — the list goes on and on.
And underground Alt-Rock legend Kristeen Young has had enough.
Greeting fans today is her gritty new single, “Numbers,” which is a song about the emptiness and brutality of capitalism, and giving too much meaning to numbers (in all contexts). With faint sirens heard from the first click, Young’s signature Dark and dissonant piano-led groove kicks in, with drummer Jefferson Wayne “Baby Jef” White manning the kit, together creating a sound not unlike something Trent Reznor might put together.
Her bold, operatic vocal delivery is chock full of Psychedelic but brief chants, Heavy whispers, and guttural calls to action. There is no subtle approach in “Numbers” — just primal sonic expression. It grabs you by the throat and pulls you in without apology.
“Numbers” is the second single leading up to Young’s upcoming album, “Full Scrotal Scorpio,” due out October 23rd, 2026. Preceding it was “Not Like You,” which hit streaming in July.
A longtime project in the making, “Full Scrotal Scorpio” is about standing on the outside and feeling alone and lost. It’s about the arrogance of human beings, and denying that we are animals too. Young’s messages in her music come from a deep place of artistry, precision, and care. She is the antithesis of someone trying to climb the popularity ladder through cute social media content. Her music comes from her blood, sweat, and tears, something hard to come by in this day and age.
“Years ago people would say [I sounded like] ‘Kate Bush on crack,’ or ‘Tori Amos on psychedelics,” Young says in regards to her unique style of music. “Morrissey has said I remind him of Maria Callas. Early on, when I lived in St. Louis, people said my piano style recalls Thelonious Monk. But, now people say they can’t relate it to anything. Which makes me deeply happy.”
Her unique and magnetic sound has attracted the ears of iconic producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T-Rex), who has worked with Young since the early 2000s. Not only that, but David Bowie even did a duet with Young on her song “Saviour” from her 2003 album, “Breasticles.” In 2014, Dave Grohl lent his drum and guitar skills on her album, “Knife Shift.” Young has also recorded and toured with Morrisey among other notable accolades in her expansive career.
Young’s album release show is set to take place at TV Eye in Brooklyn on album release day, Friday October 23rd.
Stream “Numbers” via the Spotify player below:
Purchase and Stream “Numbers” here: https://orcd.co/dwbpm0z
— About Kristeen Young —
Kristeen Young started playing piano as a child in the foster/adopted St. Louis home where she was raised. At first, she was confused why the piano didn’t sound like the songs on the radio (which were mostly guitar-based).This disappointment (and eventual goal) became an important building block in creating her own sound.
Upon her arrival to New York City in the 2000s, she quickly gained the attention of iconic producer Tony Visconti [David Bowie, T-Rex], who invited Bowie to a show of hers. This ultimately led to Bowie recording a duet with Young (“Saviour” off of her 2003 album “Breasticles“), and subsequently touring extensively as Morrissey’s support band.
Young’s unique piano sound blends dissonance and bashing with melodicism, and her vocals are emotive and operatic, while Jefferson White’s drumming hits hard with a soulful aggression. This signature sound has been described as “Maria Callas meets Gang of Four but with a piano” and “Kate Bush on crack.”
In March 2026, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins asked Young to write and record a cover/arrangement of their legendary song, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” to be used for a promotional video for the band’s upcoming “Rats in a Cage” tour where they will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of “Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness.” The promotional video premiered in May 2026.
Young has always self-designed and made her own stage outfits, as well as makes her own music videos, true to her dedication for her DIY vibe.
Upcoming Shows:
9/19- Running Down the Walls (event) @ MCC – Chicago, IL
9/21- The Burlington, Chicago, IL
9/22– Small’s, Detroit, MI
9/24- Main Drag, Brooklyn, NY
10/1- Immortalis Festival @ FunHouse, Seattle, WA
10/2- Immortalis Festival @ Coffin Club, Portland, OR