Emily Nokes

Emily Nokes is a writer, artist, music critic and musician. She has been the singer of the feminist pop-punk band Tacocat since 2007. She is also the music editor for Bust Magazine, and the former music editor at The Stranger from 2012 to 2015.

Early life Nokes is from Butte, Montana and started writing songs when she was a child.

She moved to Seattle when she was 19 to become a graphic designer. The Monitor editor Jon LaFollette calls out Nokes' lyrics in support of both blue-collar workers and "mini-feminist anthems". La Sera's Katy Goodman has called Tacocat "the best band in the world."

Nokes' singing voice has been praised for its dynamic range, from "throaty depths to soaring peaks". Music journalist Greil Marcus said "she could be singing in French and you'd come away feeling the same".

Politics Nokes identifies as a feminist and her songs address topics from catcalling to menstruation. She is an activist for queer, anti-racist, and anti-transphobic causes, especially with regards to art:We need to demand more from everything all the time — for women, for queer folks, for trans folks, for people of color, and for everyone else who lives outside of the standard-issue, mostly-white/mostly-male representation across all platforms of expression.

Personal life Nokes lives on Capitol Hill, a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. She has stated that if she weren't in a band, she would want to be a candy taster.