This post was updated Nov. 24 at 9:06 p.m.

MyVeronica is bringing universal catharsis through the intimately personal.

The rock band – currently consisting of UCLA alumni Mia Lin, Charlie Havenick, Tristin Souvannarath and Hovhannes Tamrazyan – recently released a new single, “Calf,” on Nov. 1. The song ventures from their previous work, Lin said, through a grungier, screamo-inspired sound. MyVeronica has been through several lineups since its formation in 2021, when it played a Halloween show at the Landfair Apartments in Westwood, Lin said. Alumnus and drummer Havenick said they met Lin, the group’s singer, on a Zoom during the pandemic and later collaborated to put on their first live show. Regarding the band’s name, Lin said it’s purposefully open to interpretation.

“I really like that it’s possessive and there’s an ownership of it, but I like that it’s unclear who that belongs to,” Lin said. “It really can be my Veronica, but it’s also yours.”

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Originally formed as Lin’s solo project, MyVeronica evokes many different sounds and eras of music, Lin said. Influenced by bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate, The Breeders and Jimmy Eat World, Lin said MyVeronica takes inspiration from guitar effects and lyrical hooks of the 1990s. Havenick, who primarily played guitar before joining MyVeronica, said her drumming style nods to both classical jazz artists such as Max Roach and Art Blakey, as well as modern drummers like Ray Brown from Snail Mail. Souvannarath said he hopes the emotional connection the band’s members all have with music is conveyed through MyVeronica, describing musical catharsis as a kind of folktale passed through generations.

As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Lin said she is grateful for women in rock who have broken down barriers before her, but acknowledged that even feminist movements have fallen victim to exclusivity. For Lin, the intentions of 1990s movements like the riot grrrl movement connect to her DIY style but were historically exclusive of transgender women. In 2024, it is important to not only identify with these movements, but to fully embody the empowerment and independent ethos they represent, Lin said.

“Music is inherently political,” Lin said. “The music community is inherently political, and I think that it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot with this election, too. This is the tangible community that we have around us and the way that we can make change and impact in our small way.”

MyVeronica has reached audiences in many ways, Lin said, including zine releases, local shows and music videos posted online. While minoring in music industry at UCLA, Lin said having an online presence was heavily emphasized, but she resists the idea of self-promotion. Lin said she feels that maintaining a mainstream social media presence as a band is not always sustainable, and prefers to build the MyVeronica brand by creating art for the band and self-producing creative videos.

Souvannarath, the band’s guitarist, said MyVeronica has been able to dig into more noisy and atmospheric sounds when playing live in recent shows across Los Angeles. Havenick said MyVeronica allows them to play with an intensity and volume they do not typically use in other projects. Bassist Tamrazyan said MyVeronica’s onstage sound is more raw and dynamic than on their recordings. Even though their live sets are somewhat short, Tamrazyan said he hopes people connect with their sound and leave as a fan.

“I feel like MyVeronica does a great job at building a universe within the music,” Tamrazyan said. “It feels like you’re in the world of MyVeronica for whatever finite amount of time that you may be watching us live.”

MyVeronica’s new single, “Calf,” utilizes a speaking-screaming format inspired by bands such as Slint and Unwound, Lin said. The vocal style was a new challenge, Lin added, and the overall sound was a departure from previous MyVeronica tracks. Havenick said “Calf” shows off a new sonic and structural range that the band had not fully explored before. Recording “Calf” was also the first time the band had laid down tracks together live, Lin said. The band was able to play together in the same room, Tamrazyan added, which allowed them to capture the energy of their live shows in the recording.

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Moving forward, MyVeronica is focusing on its upcoming live shows around LA at venues such as THE LOT and Gold-Diggers, Lin said. With the momentum of playing new songs live, Lin said the next challenge on the horizon is recording the first full-length MyVeronica album. Through the band, she said she hopes to see the entire group grow as musicians and rise to the challenge of constantly improving.

“I want to make new music, I want to get better at playing guitar, and I want to see where we go,” Lin said. “We’re just running full speed ahead.”