Q&A: Disco Shrine Unleashes a Bimbo Revolution with “Illegally Blonde”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
Photo by Carrie DeSouza
FROM PERSIAN BARBIE TO DISCO DADDY — to the ringleader of a full-on “blondetourage,” Disco Shrine is continuing to build her multiverse with her latest single, “Illegally Blonde.” It’s more than just a bimbo anthem or Y2K fever dream—it’s a glitter-covered rebellion: a cheeky power statement about being unapologetically yourself. Packed with stripper cop fantasies, early-2000s nostalgia, and a rotating cast of alter egos, the track leans into camp and pure fun.
The visuals, directed by Robbie Joseph and produced by Derik Barron, are just as theatrical. The “Illegally Blonde” video plays out like a jailbreak, naturally led by a hot pink army of disruptors. It’s bold, playful, and intentionally unserious, landing right in that sweet spot where pop becomes performance art.
This new era is part love letter to femininity, part chaotic club fantasy, and it pushes Disco Shrine’s “lip gloss pop” sound into something even more fearless. With new music and performances on the way, Disco Shrine continues to make a scene.
The Luna Collective talked with Disco Shrine about alter egos, the confidence behind her blonde identity, and bringing her theatrical vision to life on stage. Read below to learn more about “Illegally Blonde.”
LUNA: I really love the bold concept behind “Illegally Blonde.” What was the initial spark of inspiration for the song and its whole “bimbo revolution” theme?
DISCO SHRINE: It’s so funny, we wrote it really quickly. I was in the studio with Jason Hahs and AOBeats. We had just finished writing another song and thought, “Should we write another one?” I pulled up my Notes app—I’m a big Notes app girl—and saw this idea: “Illegally Blonde, Lethally Blonde.” Jason heard it and said, “That’s sick.” He was like, “We could even play off ‘I’m so ill.’” The song came together in about an hour or two.
I’ve been writing a lot of my new music with Jason and AO, and we’re all really silly in the studio. I don’t take myself too seriously, and this song has that same energy. It’s fun. It says, “You don’t take me seriously? Cool, I don’t either—but seriously.” That balance is what makes it work.
LUNA: I love it. Your music always has specific, bold concepts, but it never takes itself too seriously. It’s not trying to be a ballad—it just lets us have fun.
DISCO SHRINE: Exactly. People keep calling this the “recession pop” era, and I kind of love that. Life is already so hard—sometimes you just want music that’s a little breath of fresh air. If it’s fun for me to make, I hope it’s fun for people to listen to.
LUNA: The music video is so good. It gives Y2K fever dream meets “Legally Blonde” gone rogue. What was the wildest part of filming it?
DISCO SHRINE: As soon as we wrote the lyrics—like “beat so cold you can see my tits”—I knew the visuals had to be just as bold. For me, visuals come hand-in-hand with the song. I always imagined this idea of blondes being oppressed and needing to break free. That’s where “blondetourage” came from. I pictured it as me and my blondetourage versus the world.
I ended up working with Robbie Joseph, who directed the video, through a mutual friend, Derik Barron, who produced it. I’m really protective of my art and who I collaborate with. Most of the people I’ve worked with—like Andrew Butte or Nicole Lip—I’ve worked with for years. But after grabbing drinks with Derik and hearing amazing things about Robbie from people like Michael Medrano and Ceranda, I got on a call with him.
That phone call was supposed to be a casual introduction, but we ended up conceptualizing the whole video on the spot. I sent him the song, and suddenly we were like, “What if the cops become strippers?” “We need a bend and snap moment.” “We need to escape an interrogation.” It all clicked so fast.
LUNA: It’s so special when a collaboration just instantly makes sense.
DISCO SHRINE: It really was. Sometimes people want to tone me down, but Robbie matched my energy. He was just as eccentric, and we kept building off each other. It was refreshing to find someone who didn’t just get it but pushed it even further.
LUNA: What do you hope people take away from the unapologetic confidence of “Illegally Blonde”?
DISCO SHRINE: I always say being “illegally blonde” is a state of mind. You don’t need to be blonde to be illegally blonde. It’s about confidence—feeling hot in your own skin, being bold, being free. As an artist, I have insecurities too, so sometimes I write music to hype myself up. If I can do that for myself, I hope it helps others feel empowered too.
LUNA: You’ve gone from Persian Barbie to Disco Daddy, and now you’re leading a blondetourage. How do you see this era evolving your alter egos?
DISCO SHRINE: Thank you for asking! I really love my alter egos. We talked about this last time—I’m kind of a theater kid at heart. The alter egos let me express different sides of myself without being boxed in. There’s so much pressure in music to have a defined brand, but I’m constantly evolving.
Persian Barbie is still part of me, but after the pandemic and everything else, I just want to enjoy life—and Disco Daddy came out of that. “Illegally Blonde” is part of the “Disco Daddy” era. If “Disco Daddy” is the cool club queen, “Illegally Blonde” is her chaotic little sister who’s putting on lipstick while we’re late for the Uber.
LUNA: That’s what I love—it’s like you’ve created this universe where all your alter egos coexist. They’re distinct but still connected.
DISCO SHRINE: Exactly—it’s the multiverse of Disco. And I really wanted to bring that into my live show at The Roxy. AO and I produced an entirely new set that took people through the different eras. It started with “u + me,” then we mashed up old tracks like “Hello” and “Up in the Air,” and had this computer voice announcing each era—“Welcome to Disco Daddy,” “Thank you for joining Persian Barbie,” and finally, “Now you are part of the blondetourage.” It helped tie everything together.
LUNA: I love that you give the audience a full narrative. The lyrics to “Illegally Blonde” are cheeky, rebellious, and playful. Was there a moment where you realized, “Okay, this has to be a full-on blonde power anthem”?
DISCO SHRINE: Yeah, I like when lyrics have nuance. I think it's more fun to be playful with shock value rather than just being shocking for the sake of it. The “beat so cold you can see my tits” line definitely made me pause—I was like, “My Persian family can’t hear this.” My mom goes to church and proudly shows people my music, so I had to be like, “Maybe skip this one.”
That “brrr, it’s cold in here” line? It’s a “Bring It On” reference. Total cheerleader nostalgia. I grew up worshipping movies like that—and of course “Legally Blonde”—so it felt natural to tie it all together.
LUNA: Nostalgia is so big right now. A lot of artists are pulling from the early 2000s, and I’m loving it.
DISCO SHRINE: I think it's part of this "recession pop" moment—we’re all looking for comfort and fun. I’m not complaining!
LUNA: You've always had a strong visual identity, from fashion to choreography to casting. How involved were you in shaping the aesthetic of the “Illegally Blonde” video?
DISCO SHRINE: Very. I’m so hands-on, it’s probably unhealthy. I should learn to delegate, but I care deeply about my art. Robbie and Derik were amazing at helping me focus on the right things while they handled logistics. The whole video was super collaborative—if we had a bigger budget, it could’ve easily been a million-dollar production.
We shot it all in six hours. I packed half my closet into plastic bins and styled most of the talent on set with my own wardrobe. And the cast—Michael Medrano, Gregory Dillon, Ceranda, Brooke Szns, Vita Kari, Chichi, Angel Lin, Hayley Bowman—they all brought their own unique styles to the shoot. It was a fusion of everyone’s energy.
LUNA: That’s what made it feel so alive. Everyone brought their own flavor, but it still felt cohesive.
DISCO SHRINE: Exactly. We were all just a jailhouse of creative energy trying to break free.
LUNA: How does “Illegally Blonde” set the tone for your upcoming music? Is this the start of a new universe?
DISCO SHRINE: For now, it’s all in the same universe. That could change—one trip and a new alter ego might be born. But right now, I’m simmering in this clubby, free, expressive world. “Illegally Blonde” is the rebellious side of it. “u + me” is the love song. I'm exploring the emotions and aesthetics of this era more deeply.
There’s more insanity coming in my lyrics, visuals and shows. I took a break for a while, but now I’m reconnecting—not just with myself, but with my community. I’m finding the people who resonate with this world I’m building.
LUNA: And you recently headlined The Roxy for Pride—congratulations! Do you have any ideas for future performances?
DISCO SHRINE: Thank you! The Roxy was a core memory. I grew up in LA, and performing there felt like a dream. It’s iconic. Being in the green room where so many legends have been—it was surreal.
I’ve been touring consistently, even when I wasn’t releasing music. That gave me the chance to test songs like “Disco Daddy,” “Illegally Blonde,” and “u + me” live before they dropped. I saw what people connected with and used that to shape the show.
Like during “Disco Daddy,” when the crowd yells “Daddy” back at me—now I build that into the show. For “Illegally Blonde,” I have two dancers dressed as hot security guards with strobe lights. I’m in the middle until the beat drops, then the lights hit me, I freak out, steal their flashlights, and they rip their shirts open and become stripper cops. It’s theater, chaos, and joy all at once.
LUNA: I love how performative it all is—like you’re acting out your music on stage. It adds such a rich layer to the experience.
DISCO SHRINE: Thank you! During the pandemic, I started digitizing old home videos and realized I’ve always been this girl—performing for my grandma, forcing everyone to watch me dance to “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira. It’s been really healing to reconnect with that little girl in me. Even when I’m headlining The Roxy, I still feel like her.
LUNA: That’s so beautiful and powerful. Last time we talked, you described your sound as “lip gloss pop.” Does that still feel accurate?
DISCO SHRINE: Definitely. Things are changing a lot in my personal and professional life, but that label still fits. Lip gloss is a little messy, it needs reapplying, but it looks good—that’s the vibe. We’re glossy, we’re hot, but we’re a little chaotic, and that’s okay.
LUNA: And your fans, the Disco bbz, are always down for the ride. What’s one thing you’d want to tell them as you kick off this new chapter?
DISCO SHRINE: I’d tell them, “Daddy is here to feed you this year. You better be ready.”
LUNA: You’ve just escaped jail with your blondetourage. What’s the first thing you’re doing post-breakout?
DISCO SHRINE: In-N-Out immediately. BonaVega is driving the getaway car, the blondetourage is hyped, and we’re ordering animal style fries. That’s the vibe.
