Shawna Virago steps behind the bar with a gleam in her eye and fluttering eyelashes. That’s the central image nestled inside her new song “The Barman’s Daughter,” in which Virago dissects family problems from the eyes of a daughter, whose father is “still stuck acting like an extra from the film ‘The Outsiders,’” Virago explains.
The song’s subtext bursts from the trans perspective, but its innate, rambling grit gives it a universal shine. “If you’ve ever worked in a bar, you know you need to be an ambassador of peace, while practicing your boxing skills,” Virago tells B-Sides & Badlands. “In my case, I also learned to smile more and batten my eyelashes for bigger tips. Works every time.”