Mike Mills's New Supergroup Releases Song About Ariana Grande Fragrance.

1 day ago7 min read

In a move that feels less like a corporate product placement and more like a surreal piece of pop art, the newly formed supergroup Howl Owl Howl has dropped its debut single, and it’s an ode to an Ariana Grande fragrance. The band itself is a fascinating coalition of musical eras: Mike Mills, the cerebral bassist and co-songwriter of the iconic alt-rock architects R.E. M., has joined forces with Darius Rucker, whose voice catapulted Hootie & the Blowfish to 90s ubiquity before his successful pivot to country stardom, and Steve Gorman, the powerhouse drummer whose backbeat defined the swaggering rock ‘n’ roll of The Black Crowes. That these three distinct musical identities—college rock intellectualism, mainstream pop-rock sincerity, and unapologetic blues-rock grit—have converged not for a weighty political anthem or a nostalgic ballad, but for a song about a celebrity perfume named ‘God Is a Woman,’ is a testament to the wonderfully unpredictable and often ironic currents running through modern music.The track, from its opening chords, carries the jangle-pop DNA of R. E.M. ’s ‘Out of Time’ era, but it’s filtered through a lens of winking, postmodern commentary.One can almost hear Mills’s signature melodic bass lines providing a thoughtful counterpoint to lyrics that dissect the confluence of pop divinity, consumerism, and scent, while Gorman’s drums offer a grounded, rock-solid foundation that prevents the concept from floating entirely into the ether. Rucker’s warm, unmistakable baritone, meanwhile, delivers lines about top notes and aura with a surprising conviction that elevates the subject matter from mere novelty to a genuine, if bizarre, artistic statement.This isn't the first time rock royalty has flirted with the seemingly frivolous world of fragrance; one recalls the limited-edition scents released by bands like KISS in the 70s, or more recently, the olfactory ventures of artists like Lady Gaga. But where those were straightforward merchandising plays, Howl Owl Howl’s approach feels more akin to the conceptual art-rock of the late 60s, where everyday objects were imbued with profound, if ambiguous, meaning.The choice of Grande’s ‘God Is a Woman’ perfume is particularly loaded; it directly references her 2018 empowerment anthem and its accompanying visual album, a work that itself blended religious iconography with pop spectacle. The song, therefore, operates on multiple levels: it’s a catchy, well-crafted rock tune, a critique of the branding of female empowerment, and a celebration of the sensory experience of music and memory.Industry insiders are already buzzing about whether this is a one-off experiment or the precursor to a full-length album. Could this signal a new trend of legacy artists forming supergroups not to relive past glories, but to engage with contemporary culture in unexpected, subversive ways? The very formation of Howl Owl Howl challenges the rigid genre silos that often define radio formats and streaming playlists, proposing a world where the boundaries between rock, country, and pop are as fluid as the scent of perfume on the air. It’s a bold, curious, and deeply human project that asks listeners to find the artistry in the commercial, the profound in the perfumed, and the rock ‘n’ roll soul in a pop star’s fragrance bottle.

#featured

#Mike Mills

#Darius Rucker

#Steve Gorman

#Howl Owl Howl

#My Cologne

#Ariana Grande

#supergroup

#R.E.M.

#music collaboration

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