The term “nerd” was used almost universally as a pejorative term when I was in school. The stereotype (at that time) was of an intelligent person, who was into computers (pre-internet) and Rubik’s Cubes, while severely lacking in social skills.

As the twenty-somethings of today were coming of age in the internet era inhabited by ones and zeroes as the 1990’s turned over to the 2000’s, the “nerds” of the past became the icons of the digital age. It was a cool time to pass through your formative years, with infinite possibilities made possible almost overnight.

Within this burgeoning cauldron, Ally Desu discovered a love of the cyber-hacking culture, adopting the online username IRC Chatgurl. Almost simultaneously, she had a growing appreciation for hip-hop and dirty pop music. By combining the music  she loves with the cyber-hacking element she adores, this woman reinvented herself as Twill Distilled.

“As a kid, I didn’t really like hip-hop,” she says. “But, growing up in that culture, you eventually learn to love it when you find good hip-hop, not the crap that’s constantly played on the radio. I also grew up with interests in anime and Asian culture.

Dirty Pop Diva Twill Distilled

“Just like any Millennial girl, I really do enjoy going out clubbing, dancing with my friends and having fun. I had so many different interests, I think that’s why I wanted to start creating music. I was always having to listen to one artist to get one sound, and another artist to get a different sound. So, I wondered how I could marry these things, make two things mesh into one that don’t belong together.”

By combining her various interests into her music, she became part of the nerdcore scene that is seemingly everywhere, albeit relatively unknown to mainstream music fans. She’s attempting to crossover from straight nerdcore to somewhat mainstream, hoping to appeal to a wider audience.

“I’m constantly trying to do that and push the envelope in that kind of way. It’s not traditional.”

Her latest album, “Distilled Screams” was released in December 2016. It has a more mature and evolved sound than her debut release, “Chatgurl Status” in 2014. Also, it has elements that could easily fit on the soundtrack to 1995 film “Hackers”, although the songs do not sound dated.

“I’m trying to move more mainstream,” says Desu. “Where I got my start, was in nerdcore. It’s a lot like ‘hacker pop’, because I’m really into the whole hacker culture. To me, it’s very funny that the one project that I was trying to not make so blatantly nerdcore, still has that kind of ‘feel’ to it.”

In 2014, she was asked to contribute a song to the documentary film “The Hacker Wars.” Collaborating with producer Chris Lord, the duo contributed the song Oh Shit! to the soundtrack.

Ally Desu, aka Twill Distilled

“One of the men that the documentary follows is Andrew Auernheimer,” Desu says. “He also goes by ‘weev’ online. Getting a song on the soundtrack really was a case of who you know.

“When I was in college, I was working for a website called Encyclopedia Dramatica, which is not a very nice website, but that’s how I met Andrew and wrote a theme song for him. Anyway, he told the director, Vivian Weisman, that if they wanted actual hacker music that people will enjoy, they needed to get me on the soundtrack. And working with Chris Lord was phenomenal.”

She also earned a degree in design, adding another skill to her stable of interests that are serving her well. Having moved to Central Ohio in 2015, she is the Art Director at a Columbus screen-printing company, while still recording as a solo artist and as part of a group under the moniker “Wreck The System.”

“I moved here because I got engaged,” she continued. “At the time I got engaged, I was living in New York City. I was really frustrated with the work culture and the atmosphere in New York. I did four years of design school, and had been in New York for two years. I mean, I was happy and accomplishing this goal of mine, but at the same time, I really hated being there.

“So, I moved to Ohio to be with my fiancé. Columbus is much more freeing and open than working in New York City.”

She met Lady J (owner of Wreck The System Recordings) in 2015, becoming involved in a project headed by Lady J. Her first full-length album, “Planet Twill” was released later that year in December. She was then signed to Wreck The System’s nerdcore label in 2016.

“Wreck The System is multiple things. It is an indie label, as well as a band named ‘Wreck the System.’ It’s also a recording studio in Maryland/D.C. The woman who owns the recording studio, Lady J, performed at the same anime convention as I did in 2015. She was headlining and I was on a much smaller event. We swapped information and talked about collaborating some time. There are not really a lot of women in the nerdcore genre. So, we were like, ‘HELL YEAH! Grrl power! Let’s do this!’

Twill Distilled will knock you out!

“Late in 2015, Lady J put together a project with a bunch of other rappers and producers. She told me that she didn’t know as many people in nerdcore as I did, and asked if I could help bring other artists to the project. After that, I kind of became their brand ambassador, with the Wreck The System band forming from the project. At that point, they signed me to a contract with the label. It’s insane the amount of things we’ve accomplished in one year. It’s more than I ever dreamed of happening.”

She released the single “Colorful!” in September 2016, before adopting an evolved sound that makes the leap from nerdcore to mainstream dirty pop with the December 2016 release of her album “Distilled Screams.”

“I did a lot of the producing and made all of the beats except for one. I drove out to Maryland and recorded the album at the Wreck The System studio. Lady J mixed and mastered the entire album. She’s like my best friend in the entire world now.”

Juggling her Art Director job with her music, while also playing solo shows and as a member of Wreck The System keeps her busy. She released her latest single, “Princess Bride” in February 2017.

“My goal for 2017, at which I’m failing miserably,” she laughingly said, “was to release a cover song and an original every month. I plan on getting back on track in May. So, that’s the one song out of the six that were supposed to have been finished by now.

“I write all the time, but I have so many songs that don’t make the final cut to go on a project, but are still good. I’m hopefully putting out another album this Fall.”

Twill Distilled’s “Distilled Screams”

She recently played a show (as Twill Distilled) in Columbus as part of a showcase at Ruby Tuesday Live. Her other group, Wreck The System, has a pair of shows at anime conventions in Columbus this month.

“The weekend of April 14-16 is an anime convention called Shumatsucon. Wreck The System will be here for that (playing on Saturday, April 15). We’re also doing a show at Yoicon the weekend of April 28-30 (their show is April 29).”

With her music landing outside of traditional genres, coupled with very little media coverage of the local music scene, she’s found that getting the word out to the masses about who she is and what she does is a steep, uphill battle.

“I’m not gonna lie, I’ve really struggled coming here. It is a good scene, though. It’s a good young and hip music and art scene out here. But, it’s not nearly as vast as what I’ve seen close to D.C. or in New York City, where you can’t escape it.”

Ms. Desu, aka Twill Distilled, has the drive to keep forging ahead with her music, determined to make converts of the denizens of Columbus. Her music is hypnotic, working its way into your brain with seriously delicious grooves, wonderful tribal beats and real world lyrical storytelling.

Twill Distilled is on an upward trajectory, seemingly destined for greater recognition. She’s an artist we’ll most assuredly keep our eyes on.

Twill Distilled – Bad