Oh Violet: My Love Affair with the Lovably Ingenious Rockers of D.C.’s Newest Movement

“Describe OhV? Leave it to Zii: the band’s ‘visionary.’ F**k that means.”

That’s the playful way the members of Oh Violet tease each other. 

Whether it’s drummer Darnell being “pretty boy” or Rocky being called the “mom friend,” it was evident during our interview that D.C. rockers Oh Violet are a band all about spreading love and giving no f**ks.

Getting To Know OhV

I first met Darnell when I worked at some shop in Georgetown.

At first, D had the in-store reputation of being too cool.

But while some preppy colleagues saw him as this punk king, it was clear how lovably geeky D was when we fangirled over cringey bands from our pre-teens.

Having both come from a past of glittered hockey masks and screaming gross lyrics, I knew Darnell was a kindred spirit and not some flex god.

I thought that until he mentioned OhV.

What It Means To Be A Band

“A band? Like, you do shows?” I asked boyishly.

When Darnell casually name-dropped Oh Violet on a weekend shift, I was stoked to hear more because this was my first ever local band.

In the New Brunswick scene, it was an ordeal to see shows. 

I was a suburban kid with no car, no friends with an “in” and when I did get to NB, I quickly latched onto a band that occasionally stopped by from nowhere Connecticut.

Oh Violet was revolutionary because Oh Violet is a D.C. band through and through.

From mentioning the legacy of Bad Brains’ PMA to understanding that local music fights gentrification, Darnell painted Oh Violet as this band of dialectically-nuanced culture defiants.

I had to talk to them.

Talking To The Band

On the night that OhV agreed to talk, each member filed in one by one.

First off, it was their guitarist Rocky who I readily recognized as OhV’s most self-actualized member.

Even over a spotty signal, Rocky dripped with swagger. Even when she talked about the whole band geeking over this interview she still looked so calm and collected.

Next was Darnell. And although we were quite familiar, this call allowed me to see Darnell outside the 9-to-5.

No surprise: Even Darnell’s house was a reflection of his rebellious spirit. If it wasn’t the guitars or Bad Brain LP’s that caught my eye, it was the psychedelic bowl that he casually held during our call. 

Right behind Darnell was none other than lead singer Zii. Even though I had a whole interview to understand what a true visionary Zii was, they made it clear right away with their vibrations.

While reflecting my gratitude for OhV agreeing to speak, Zii calmly took sips of a bubbly rose and went on about how cyclical D.C. music was and how I was something else for picking up on the scene’s future.

And last but not least, it was OhV’s other guitarist JoRen who displays a quiet presence but quickly becomes a poet anytime music is mentioned. 

Labels and Intentions

Oh Violet. Photo courtesy of band.

Darnell first described OhV’s sound as pop punk, but that is such an underestimate.

When first hearing the semi-mixed submission that the band made in hopes of opening for KennyHoopla at Songbyrd, I sensed some pop punk but it was more varied than just that.

OhV beautifully ties in brash punk-poppiness with ethereal shoegaze fuzz. All the while their lyrics are heart-heavy like SZA’s.

“I definitely hear shoegaze. I actually have a bunch of pedals and always experiment with new s**t,” stated Joren, the gear expert.

To Oh Violet, their sound can’t be defined by catch-all terms. And after a year-and-a-half of quarantine, they refuse to be pigeon-holed anymore.

“I hate and love the scene. We’ve got so much but I’ve really seen how all that variety gets boxed into annoying cliques,” Zii lamented. 

“With the pandemic, I couldn’t feel the security of playing with the band. But now that we’re back, I’m also able to experiment every chance I get,” JoRen said.

Punks Of Color

Along with the band’s fight against reduction, OhV also exists as a band of color that’s always being hit with labels.

“There’s so much tokenism in alternative music,” Zii said. “But for me and OhV, we are a band of color second and an amazing, don’t-give-a-fuck band first.”

And when it comes to justice, it was made clear by the rest of OhV that Rocky was the revolutionary.

“Being a band, we know our platform can be used for change. And in D.C. where political gentrification is catered to, it’s important to show the District as a real place that deals with poverty and hunger and isn’t just [Capitol Hill] showmanship,” Rocky said wisely. 

Being a Real Slice of D.C.

I spoke with OhV because they refuse to be spoken for any longer by the smog of D.C. elitism.

“I’m not gatekeeping, but ‘real’ D.C. music needs more support,” Darnell claimed.

To Oh Violet, time’s up for upper-crusters who speak over the community. 

In an area where many artists aren’t recognized because of monetary semantics, it’s the goal of bands like OhV to demand a place in their own home. No longer will community be substituted with profitability.

Rather, a connection to the District is mandatory criteria for any art considered “D.C. born.”

“We have amazing fans, but the goal is reaching the whole DMV,” Zii stated. “When fans see us, they see hope.”

And if that’s the case, thank god I’m a fan of Oh Violet.

Follow Oh Violet and check out more of their work on Instagram @ohvioletofficial + @ovportfolio

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