Mermaid Island

Mermaid Island has been brewing chaos in the underground LA punk scene since the fall of 2022. Founded by Canadian vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Allie MacDonald, the band quickly became known for high-octane performances. MacDonald moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to write, but the isolation of the pandemic pushed her to carve out something uncompromising — a band rooted in community and total emotional honesty. Mermaid Island’s sound blends early 2000s pop-punk energy with heavy east-coast Canadian influences, melodic vocals, and folk-tinged chord progressions. The name came from a friend’s four-year-old who was obsessed with mermaids, and it stuck. Their first acoustic show at Hollywood’s Hotel Café made it clear they had something undeniable. But recording could wait — “It was always about the shows. We have as much fun playing for no one in our lockout as we do for a crowd.” says MacDonald. They solidified their live set list and their presence in the LA scene before ever setting foot in a studio. They finally tracked most of their debut album live off the floor in two days, holding onto the same energy that keeps their shows magnetic. Mermaid Island isn’t chasing a hit record — just creating a space where people feel inspired to pick up their own instruments. “We just want to play shows with our friends so we can remember what joy feels like on this shit show planet.”