Dream of the late ‘90s is alive with electropop duo Magdalena Bay

Matthew Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum of Magdalena Bay perform on the Vera stage during the Capitol Hill Block Party on July 22, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images) (Mat Hayward, 2022 Mat Hayward)

There was a moment halfway through seeing Magdalena Bay live for the first time that I thought to myself, “Wow, I feel like I’m watching a live action episode of ‘The Powderpuff Girls’ right now.”

The way lead singer Mica Tenenbaum moved on stage, the psycodelic synths and Y2K-themed visuals that played on the screen behind them made me feel like I was living inside the head of a person who still watches old episodes of shows from Cartoon Network.

Recommended Videos



That’s to say I had the best time experiencing a Magdalena Bay show live.

Just watch the duo’s music videos and you’ll understand what I mean. Magdalena Bay are having fun, and it shows in their social media accounts and live on stage. Tenebaum hops around the stage joyfully and effortlessly. With her long sleeves and a Britney Spears-inspired microphone headset, you couldn’t take your eyes from her.

The airy quality to Tenebaum’s incredible voice was matched perfectly with multi instrumentalist Matthew Lewin. They not only capture the Y2K aesthetic in their visuals, but they sound like it, too. It’s like they bottled that late ‘90s pop, but it sounds like it was actually made in 2022.

I remember texting a friend about their song “Secrets (Your Fire)” and telling him that it reminded me of “Say You’ll Be There” by the Spice Girls.

The bass is super funky, the synths are light and the beats are locked in. Add in some guitar solos, cheeky lyrics and acid trip visuals, and you’ve got yourself a pretty fun show to attend.

The entire show felt like I was inside of a simulation. At moments I even felt like I was watching “The Matrix.” During the encore, an AI voice instructed the crowd to clap for an encore, something that made me laugh. Everything Magdalena does is done with a wink. They’re absolutely in on the joke and it’s fantastic.

If they are coming to your city anytime soon, go! You can listen to their album below.


About the Author:

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.