“Pussy Heaven is literal. It refers to the place we imagine all cats go when they die.”
At first, you might think that Pussy Heaven’s somewhat provocative name has some very crass undertones, but that’s not the case (and even if it were, who fucking cares?).
A wholesome image comes to mind when we think of that floating eden where all cats roam free, mice on tap, bottomless catnip. Actually, it’s quite majestic. But if you’re expecting pillowy synths and angel lullabies from this Joburg-based trio, think again.
“Three words that describe your sound?” I ask them. “Disenchanted dance music? Industrial grief rock?” they reply.
The band formed back in 2023, but Pussy Heaven’s roots in the South African punk scene are long-standing. Tessa Lily and Auriel Lefebre have been making music together for almost 20 years, beginning their musical careers as part of the iconic punk band Rokkeloos in 2004.
Known for their raucous live shows and controversial lyrics (which even caught the attention of the Broadcast Complaints Commission of South Africa in a court case that is still being used today as a case study for free speech), Tessa and Auriel are not ones to shy away from contention.
After Rokkeloos’ run came to an end, Cortina Whiplash was formed in 2009, a rock ‘n’ roll trio that went on to share stages with international artists like Incubus and Deftones. Garnering a cult following amongst their loyal fans, the band called it a day in 2019, ultimately paving the way for Pussy Heaven’s fateful genesis.
But it took the five-string bass guitar of Jade Abbott to complete the trio, bringing that extra deep low to the band’s brooding prog-rock sound.
Two years later and Pussy Heaven are doing some pretty fearless work. Their latest single “Lily” is a fuzzy, raw punk offering, built around Muse-esque instrumental breakdowns and luscious, spoken vocal textures.
“We name our tracks after cats who have crossed the proverbial rainbow bridge and ‘Lily’ was named in honour of a truly quirky, peculiar cat who belonged to Tessa and Auriel,” the band tell me. “Although the song wasn’t initially about her, the monologue became infused with her voice. The song itself is about the weird resignation we as a society are experiencing, aware that things are seriously wrong and that change is desperately needed, but we’re too exhausted and frustrated to do anything about it.”
When we reviewed them back in February, resident Texx And The City metalhead Refiloe Mathelela had this to say: “If you’re looking for a new favourite band in 2025, Pussy Heaven might just be it.”
“Lily” is only the band’s third single — preceded by “P.S” and “Hushpuppy” — each pushing Pussy Heaven’s trademark punk-infused angst. And if Refiloe’s foresight is anything to go by, this daring, all-femme trio certainly show no signs of letting up.
“We’re super excited to be back in the studio with the inimitable Matthew Fink this spring, so we’ll be focusing on releasing some fresh new tracks over the next few months,” they tell me.
“We’d love to do a collab or two as well as some b-side recordings, and we are also working on creating unique live experiences outside of just playing the usual live venues and festivals,” the trio add.
Hypnotic rhythms, soaring guitar lines and chant-like vocals weave through Pussy Heaven’s music. They champion resistance, and this is, without a doubt, the best thing about them.
