Dorothy

Although DOROTHY operates as a Los Angeles quartet rather than a solo endeavor, echoing the path of Blondie and DAUGHTRY, Dorothy Martin clearly anchors the ensemble as its namesake, lead vocalist, and focal presence. Landing a deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation propelled the band, which fuses the Black Keys at their most electronica-infused with Adele’s soaring vocal intensity, into prominence as a rising act during the mid-2010s; their 2015 digital EP previewed the 2016 full-length ROCKISDEAD. Refining their approach across later releases, the group delivered 2018’s 28 Days in the Valley and the 2022 album Gifts from the Holy Ghost, which marked a significant evolution.

Dorothy Martin, born in Budapest and raised in San Diego, began singing as a child and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, where she integrated into local rock scenes. In 2013 she teamed with guitarist Mark Jackson and producer Ian Scott, soon assembling DOROTHY alongside bassist Gregg Cash and drummer Zac Morris. The summer of 2014 yielded the single “After Midnight,” which spread rapidly through social media, followed by a self-titled EP in fall 2014. That recording drew notice from L.A. Weekly and Rolling Stone, which included DOROTHY among its 50 Best New Artists of 2014.

Such buzz secured the band’s signing to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in summer 2015, after which they toured as openers for Miguel. Late 2015 found DOROTHY tracking a debut album, issuing the singles “Raise Hell,” “Get Up,” and “Missile” ahead of ROCKISDEAD’s arrival in July 2016. Early 2018 brought the single “Who Do You Love” to herald the Linda Perry-produced sophomore set 28 Days in the Valley, released that March and bearing a Stones-ian character. An EP titled Thrive in the Darkness appeared in early 2021; afterward, drawing from a stretch of personal turmoil that prompted Martin’s deep spiritual shift, DOROTHY issued Gifts from the Holy Ghost in 2022, an album that championed positivity and resilience without abandoning the group’s raw, unfiltered rock & roll edge. In 2024 the band launched its next album cycle through the singles “Mud” and “The Devil I Know,” both of which address resilience and spiritual warfare.