Hannah Bahng is surprisingly good at multitasking. In the cramped, dimly lit backroom of Mercury Lounge in downtown New York City, she sits at a table stacked with a few dozen copies of The Abysmal EP, signing each one with practiced efficiency. These albums are part of a secret merch drop she's orchestrated for fans at each stop of her first-ever tour — a thoughtful surprise for those who show up early and in the know. Just a bit ago, Bahng had been huddled over her producer's computer, casually recording vocals for an upcoming feature. She now chats effortlessly between autographs, slipping into vocal warmups mid-sentence and sipping lemon ginger tea while her manager hands her another album to sign.
"As many as my little fingers can do," the 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Australia tells Teen Vogue with a laugh when asked how many albums she plans to get through. It's a scene that captures the essence of Bahng's independent artistry: part performer, part entrepreneur, and entirely in control of the whirlwind she's built around herself.
That momentum began building in 2022 when she quietly founded Bahng Entertainment, her own record label and entertainment company, while simultaneously making YouTube videos to carve out her space in the public eye. With no major backing, she independently released her first single, "perfect blues," in July 2023 — a breezy, guitar-driven introduction that captured the bittersweet reflections of growing up with disarming simplicity. (The physical release was so successful that fan demand broke the website her manager had coded.)
By the following spring, she had dropped The Abysmal EP, a collection of seven songs written and co-produced alongside her main collaborator, Andrew Luce. The project showcased her ability to translate personal experiences into music that resonates deeply, all while maintaining complete creative control.
Now, on the road for The Abysmal Tour, Bahng's DIY spirit continues to shine through in every aspect of her live debut. The tour spans six cities across the U.S., kicking off in Dallas, Texas, a choice Bahng made to ease into the pressure of touring. "I wanted to be in Texas first because that way, I'll just keep getting better as I keep doing it," she explains. The decision allowed her to find her footing in a new environment, setting the tone for a tour focused on growth and connection rather than perfection. For an artist who approaches her career with as much passion for visual design and hands-on creativity as she does for music, the tour is a rare, unpolished glimpse at someone still in the process of discovering her true form.
"I honestly had no expectations going into this," Bahng confesses. "Because this is my first tour, I wasn't sure if it would sell. Announcing it, then waiting for hours — I remember I was in Sydney, just waiting for the presale to drop, like, 'Oh God, I hope people buy tickets.' I had no clue. But once the tickets sold out, I was like, 'Damn, okay, feeling good.'" That initial uncertainty has transformed into a confidence that only comes from being in the moment. "It just feels so right being on stage," she says.
Her artistry also extends beyond music. Bahng personally designed the tour merch on her iPad using Procreate. The drop includes T-shirts, stickers, and a trendy plush keyring of ZYMMIE, a little oblong-shaped creature she created.
But what's surprised her most has been the fans. Hearing them sing along to her songs, even the deep cuts, has been surreal. "Hearing them sing 'vertigo' — which is kind of a niche song — I was like, 'This is insane.' It's such a beautiful bonding moment. Music is about sharing experiences and emotions; being in one room together makes it so special."
In just a few minutes, she'll head upstairs for rehearsals with Luce, who's touring with Bahng as her guitarist. They'll run through a few songs, including the unreleased acoustic number "Ribs" and her forthcoming alt-rock single "What Never Lived," with Bahng on guitar. After that, it's time for a meet and greet with her fans, who have lined up around the block on a chilly Friday afternoon. Some clutch handmade gifts and handwritten letters, while others bear Pokémon plushies, cards, and keyrings to give to her.
Bahng's face lights up at the mention of her fans. "They are so cute," she gushes in her Aussie lilt. "They bring me gifts, and they compliment me… My ego is so inflated; it's huge. I need to bring it back down," she says with a laugh before her tone turns earnest. "Because of how awesome and sweet they are, it makes me want to be better for them. I want to nail everything on stage and be good for them."
It may sound like fan service, but for Bahng, it's genuine. "Doing these songs live is a better way for me to express them to my fans," she says. "It doesn't feel like it's their song or my song. It's our song. It's our experience."
Though her tour manager has tried to rein her in during these pre-show meet and greets, Bahng can't help herself. "I yap too much," she admits. "But they're so funny. They bring me a gift, and I'm like, okay, but like, 'How'd you make this? What was this made with? How did you find this?' I want to know everything." Like one fan, who walked into the venue wearing the same Garfield shirt Bahng had worn in several of her social media posts. "Is that my Garfield shirt?" she exclaims across the room. "How did you find it?" Another fan greets her with a cheerful, "Hello, my fellow Aquarius queen," before clasping her hand for a Polaroid photo. Bahng completes their finger hearts, listens intently to their stories, and even excitedly accepts Ring Pop proposals and, from one eager fan, a $5 Australian note. When she unexpectedly meets the administrator of one of her stateside fan pages, she turns into a fan herself. "Everyone, this is Hannah Bahng USA!" she announces, eyes wide with enthusiasm. "Am I the only one freaking out right now?"
Bahng calls her fans “her Blues,” a name that originated from her debut single but has since evolved into something much deeper. "I want to be there for them when they feel blue sometimes, and I want to share our blues, if that makes sense. I'm always gonna be there for them."
The Mercury Lounge provides the perfect setting for this moment in Bahng's journey. The iconic venue, nestled in the heart of Manhattan's Lower East Side, has earned its place in indie rock history as a launchpad for artists like The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in the early 2000s. Every inch of the backroom is plastered in stickers — a chaotic collage of logos and band names left behind by countless artists who've passed through. For Bahng, it's a space steeped in history and intimacy, making it all the more fitting for The Abysmal Tour, which she's humorously dubbed "the worst night of your life."
"It almost feels like a rite of passage," she says. "This venue has such an intimate vibe that you would not be able to get with an artist who's further down in their career, and it's like you can only catch them [here] at such a specific point, like at the beginning, essentially."
Its hallowed stage is where authenticity and raw energy thrive, the very essence that Bahng embraces as she begins to carve out her place as a touring artist. It's a stripped-down set for stripped-down feelings, an unpredictable mix of real emotion and unfiltered charm. Where else can you see a show where the frontwoman demonstrates her ability to solve a Rubik's cube in under two minutes, all while keeping the crowd engaged and immersed in her presence?
She exudes the same aura in person, too. From the moment we meet backstage, she's dressed in a simple "I Heart New York" baby tee paired with navy track bottoms — the kind of effortless, cool style that feels both laid-back and intentional. "I love me a good tank…white tank, black tank," she says amid laughs, her tone casual yet self-assured. "I've been really into [wearing] an oversized jacket. And baggy jeans with the Calvin Klein [logo] popping out," she says, snapping the exposed band on her underwear. “That's something I do like off-stage, too.”
Bahng's approach to hair and makeup is a lot like her approach to her career — she does it all herself. She did her hair and makeup back at her hotel, so only touchups are needed before showtime. As a big fan of brand rom&nd, she uses the lip tints, blush, and eyeshadow to get ready for the stage.
As she talks, it's clear that the details matter. Her silver rings, including one she picked up in Sydney at The Rocks and never takes off, are just as integral to her look as the beaded bracelets made by her fans. "I don't go anywhere without this," she says, tapping the ring for emphasis. A silver key necklace, a thoughtful birthday gift from her mom, completes the ensemble.
"[Accessories are] very important. Probably one of the top five things," she says without hesitation. "I don't feel right if I don't have the right accessories on. If I have no accessories on, I feel like I can't do anything." Her attention to detail extends even to her hair. Her signature two-tone blonde and dark hair, a conscious decision she made to create an iconic look, is as much a statement about her style as it is a reflection of her creative control. "I wanted something people would recognize me by," she says. To keep the frizz at bay, Bahng relies on LUSH Super Milk and the viral &Honey's Deep Moist Hair Oil to maintain the sleekness and shine of her bleached hair.
Her on-stage look is more polished but no less true to herself: a white tank, baggy jeans, and an oversized jacket from streetwear brand VANDY's Pokémon collab, which Bahng was a model for earlier this year. "I make sure the on-stage look is a tiny bit more elevated," she explains. "Off stage, I might be a little more comfy, but on stage, it's about making sure the silhouette looks good, especially for the cameras," she says with a chuckle, thinking of the photos and fan cams that have flooded social media since the tour began. "I want to show the best of myself because, you know, maybe more people will want to come."
For Bahng, fashion is about blending different elements of masculinity and femininity, finding what makes her feel the most confident. That tends to be more androgynous styles. "I like dressing masc sometimes, but then I'll flip and dress more femme. But really, what even is that? You know, it's all whatever you like at the end of the day." Like her artistry, her personal style evolves fluidly. It's all about choosing clothes that highlight the silhouette she loves. "I just dress for what I think looks good on me and what makes me feel the most me," she adds.
After changing into her stage outfit, she stands in front of the mirror, adjusting her accessories and struggling with her trademark bangs for a moment. "I have to drink some tea, some hot water, and then drink some more water," she says, the ritual calming her before the performance. Next, she eats a mint — but not just any mint. "It has to be one of those tongue-dissolving mints, the paper ones. The stress of those also, I'm obsessed with lozenges; it's kind of a concerning addiction." Once the mint is sorted, she applies a spritz or two of her favorite woody, spicy scents — currently Jazz Club by Margiela's Replica line — to complete her routine. "I feel right when I put them on," she explains, the familiar scent helping to settle her nerves and set her in the right mindset. She finishes with her lip tint, a final touch to ensure she's ready to go on stage with confidence.
As the lights flood the packed venue, Bahng steps onto the stage with an ease that belies the anxiety she had just moments ago. The crowd's energy embraces her, and it feels right. "I'm actually kind of okay at this," she had confessed backstage, a moment of realization that felt almost surreal to say aloud. The excitement of the tour sinks in, and with a sense of contentment, she adds, "I could probably do this one for the rest of my life."
