Backstory:
Frilly Minister was born out of a shared love for music and an unusual fascination with Victorian-era aesthetics among five high school friends from Charleston, South Carolina. The group, led by charismatic frontman, Percy McDonald, began to experiment with their sound in Percy’s attic, using a blend of vintage musical instruments they’d scrounged from local flea markets and thrift stores. They chose the name ‘Frilly Minister’ as a nod to their southern roots and affinity for all things old-fashioned.
The band was largely unnoticed until they won a local talent competition, which led to a recording contract with an independent label in 2015. They soon became a national sensation, drawing large crowds at music festivals, and earning them a dedicated fanbase. The members include Percy McDonald (lead vocals, piano), Oliver “Ollie” Mason (lead guitar), Jessica “Jessie” Hayes (bass, keyboards), Tommy Shelby (drums), and Annabelle “Annie” Brown (violin, backing vocals).
Genre:
Southern Gothic Pop
Title:
“Velvet Hymns”
Full Song lyrics:
(Verse 1)
[Em] Underneath the [G] magnolia tree,
[D] Where the secrets [A] come to be,
[Em] Whispered words of [G] you and me,
[D] Lost in the [A] Southern mystery.
(Chorus)
[Em] Singing velvet [G] hymns in the [D] midnight air,
[A] Dancing with ghostly [Em] grace, without a [G] care.
[Em] We’re more than [G] shadows in the [D] moonlight’s glare,
[A] We are the stories [Em] in the South’s [A] despair.
(Verse 2)
[Em] In the heart of the [G] old manor,
[D] We find solace, [A] we find glamour.
[Em] In every note and [G] every clamor,
[D] We echo the [A] Frilly Minister’s hammer.
(Chorus)
[Em] Singing velvet [G] hymns in the [D] midnight air,
[A] Dancing with ghostly [Em] grace, without a [G] care.
[Em] We’re more than [G] shadows in the [D] moonlight’s glare,
[A] We are the stories [Em] in the South’s [A] despair.
Fan’s Name:
Natalie Simmons
Testimonial:
“Frilly Minister is my all-time favorite band for so many reasons. Their music is haunting yet beautiful, every song like a chapter from a gothic novel set to a melody. I love the way they seamlessly blend modern pop with vintage vibes. It’s a sound that’s uniquely theirs. I’ve been to dozens of their shows and each performance feels as magical as the first one I saw. For me, their music is like a comforting echo from the past, reverberating into my present. It’s relatable and real and that’s why I will always be a Frilly Minister fan.”