“When I was 16, 17 years old, I became aware of music coming out of Olympia, Wash., which is the state capitol and about an hour south of Seattle. And there were bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile and Heavens To Betsy, and for the first time, I heard my story being explained to me, being sung to me.”

American musician, actress, writer, director and comedian

Carrie Rachel Brownstein is an American musician, actress, writer, director, and comedian. She first became known as a member of the band Excuse 17, and later as a founder of the rock trio Sleater-Kinney. Her work spans music, television, and writing, and she is known for a career that moves between performance and commentary. The available facts point to a figure whose public presence is tied above all to alternative rock, with a broader creative role across several forms of media.