Go Scarlet: Rocking on Their Own Terms
From the heart of North County, San Diego, Go Scarlet is rewriting the rules of when and how to rock. This all-female band featuring Heather Moonflower (guitar/vocals), Arlina Hoeschen (bass), Tamara Monasterio (keyboard), and Nikki Bigonger (drums) isn’t just making music; they’re living proof that it’s never too late to chase creative dreams with fire and intention. Whether you’ve heard their bold grunge-pop single “Spin Again” or caught wind of their track “Stories,” Go Scarlet brings raw storytelling, DIY resilience, and pure rock energy to everything they do. We caught up with the band to talk about their evolution from covers to originals, the reality of balancing music with full-time careers and motherhood, and why their journey is a rallying cry for anyone who's ever felt like it was “too late.”
YOUR BAND HAS EVOLVED FROM A COVER GROUP TO CREATING ORIGINAL MUSIC. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT INSPIRED THIS TRANSITION AND HOW IT HAS INFLUENCED YOUR MUSICAL IDENTITY?
"Tamara and I (Heather) had met through other women who were playing cover songs together. They had all known each other through a local music school. I had joined them briefly until life happenings took us all in various ways. We then took that opportunity to seek other women with similar drive and we started writing music together. I’ve always considered myself a writer and am passionate about the performing arts, so this is the best way to merge those two things."
"SPIN AGAIN" AND "STORIES" SHOWCASE A BLEND OF GRUNGE-POP AND INDIE ROCK. HOW DO THESE TRACKS REFLECT YOUR BAND'S MUSICAL INFLUENCE AND EVOLUTION?
"Tamara actually wrote and sings on 'Spin Again'. It is the FIRST SONG she has ever written! That is quite an accomplishment, and we are all so proud. She is really inspired by pop punk stuff, and we wanted to get a Dollyrots vibe for that song.”
"(The song) 'Stories' was a song that I wrote about my experience in High School as an outcast in a super small high school in Amish Country, Western New York. As far as musical influence, it’s one of the first songs I had written and so I just kind of went with the flow! I think though that as far as musical direction goes, 'Stories' is heading down the path where we would like to take our sound; more on an alternative rock sound."
LISTEN TO “STORIES” ON SPOTIFY BY CLICKING BELOW
LISTEN TO “SPIN AGAIN” ON SPOTIFY BY CLICKING BELOW
BEING AN ALL-FEMALE ROCK BAND, HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND WHAT CHALLENGES OR ADVANTAGES HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED?
"I think it is noteworthy to mention that we really very recently had started writing, recording, and performing music. I had an all-girl rock band as a teenager (girls only is my rule), and we wrote music then too, but I had never written a full song until I was in my mid/late thirties! Tamara started playing piano about a handful of years ago. We’ve all played a little here and there, or a long time ago, but we come to the scene from a unique place; we are women over 30 who have NOT had tons of experience or connections, etc. (we don’t have a famous uncle or a rich family member paying for stuff, etc). It's been very interesting navigating things and finding our place in it all. From learning to write songs to figuring out how to play gigs with a short cover song setlist, and then incorporating our own music into that setlist, to learning about our overall sound, etc. (which we are still doing now). We all have full-time careers, and ¾ of us are moms. I also sit on a local school board and Tamara helps run an extracurricular program in North County outside of everything else. Our schedules are tight! But we are committed and we make it work. We are impressed with the support we have had thus far. We truly strive to inspire others and show that it CAN be done, because we ARE DOING IT. We’ve met tons of cool people along this journey and we are just so excited about all of it!"
YOUR MUSIC OFTEN TOUCHES ON THEMES OF EMPOWERMENT AND RESILIENCE. CAN YOU DISCUSS THE MESSAGES YOU AIM TO CONVEY THROUGH YOUR LYRICS?
"Songwriting is one of my forms of therapy, outside therapy. I really just need to get all of this stuff out, and it’s one of the ways that I can do it safely (for the most part). I think that the act of songwriting and performing is, in itself, a reflection of empowerment and resilience. It’s a way to escape the mundane, but sometimes the mundane also comes out in the song."
THE SAN DIEGO MUSIC SCENE IS DIVERSE AND VIBRANT. HOW HAS YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCED YOUR SOUND AND OPPORTUNITIES AS A BAND?
"The San Diego music scene is great! We are still navigating our way into and through it, but there is so much talent and art here! We’ve met so many really cool and supportive people. At first, I thought it would be really hard and weird considering our ages and level, etc., but for the most part, it’s been a neat experience. We kind of started out playing at local breweries playing mostly cover songs, and that has led us to playing the San Diego Fair (this Summer), the Leucadia Artwalk, Pride by the Beach (Oceanside), etc."
COLLABORATION IS KEY IN A BAND SETTING. HOW DO YOU APPROACH SONGWRITING?
"I usually start writing a song by playing a simple pattern on the guitar, usually my acoustic guitar, in my living room by myself and then start spitting words until it magically comes together! There are a lot of times (when) I am out walking my dog, or just driving in my car, and I create a melody and put words to it. I work best in motion! Once I have most of the lyrics and melody idea, we begin to work on the full song as a group. We usually start playing the songs out at performances, as we 'work' through them. I’ve found though, that the real growth comes once we start the recording process; playing with accents and additions, and takeaways. It can be really hard to get a group of people in agreeance with each other, no matter what the project/scenario is. We definitely try our best to work together and support the end goal of what it is we are doing (which is rockin')."
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR LIVE SHOWS, AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE AUDIENCES TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR PERFORMANCES?
"We try to get together every other week. Because of our busy schedules, we have limited time together but we make it work. We run through our setlist and talk about what we want to improve on, etc. We like to record ourselves practicing and even at shows, so we can watch it back and learn from it! You know, like Marilyn Monroe used to watch herself in the mirror and practice her character. It's a thing. We hope that our audience leaves with a sense of inspiration and motivation to create and pursue whatever it is they are passionate about. And of course, hopefully, our music resonates too!"
LOOKING BACK AT YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR, WHAT MILESTONES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF, AND WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FUTURE OF GO SCARLET?
"We had recently filmed our first official music video for our song 'Stories'. It was really a monumental event for us, as we had a crew of probably 45 people. We had a super fun premiere screening event for the video and performed some songs there too. In addition, I have started working with Venus Guitars, which is a brand-new line of specialty guitars that are designed with women in mind. It is a mutual endorsement and I am so appreciative of the opportunity to work with them. We have a lot of really cool things in the works; a new song coming out soon, ANOTHER music video, and some REALLY exciting shows! Honestly, I am blown away by the things we are accomplishing!"
FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN ENTERING THE ROCK GENRE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCES?
"JUST DO IT! It's really easier said than done. I have incredibly low self-esteem and that's why I did not truly start pursuing this previously (you know, like when I was younger, and didn’t have to maintain grown-up responsibilities). After I’d entered my mid-thirties, I had realized that the time is now. Really, when the time is right, it's right. But you can’t hold yourself back. And you can’t let anyone else hold you back either. No matter who you are."
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION OR ADD?
"YES! Please check out our website for all of our social media links, show announcements, photos, or just reach out and stay in touch with us!"
Go Scarlet is the kind of band that reminds you it’s never too late to start something meaningful. With earnest lyrics, genuine storytelling, and an authentic love for making music together, they’re carving out a space that feels both refreshing and real. As they gear up for the release of “La Motocyclette” and prepare to take the stage at Girlactic in West Hollywood this August, one thing’s clear, they’re just getting started!
