Kelli Mayo

About Kelli Mayo

Kelli Mayo is part of ugly pop band Skating Polly, with her step-sister Peyton Bighorse. They formed the band in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 2009 at a Hallowe'en party when Kelli was only nine-years-old. They are multi-instrumentalists known for alternating between singing, playing basitar, piano and drums (Kelli) and singing, playing guitar, piano and drums (Peyton). Skating Polly recorded their debut album when Kelli was 14. It caught the attention of punk legend Exene Cervenka of X, who offered to produce the band's second album and became a mentor to the step-sisters.

The band is noted for their alternating instruments among each member, poetic lyrics, intense live shows, melodic arrangements, and an eclectic array of songs that vary in style from riot grrrl to grunge to indie-pop. Skating Polly is often compared to bands associated with the riot grrrl movement such as Bikini Kill and Babes in Toyland, but many songs bring to mind artists such as Kimya Dawson and Beat Happening. The band, however, denies being a part of riot grrrl. Skating Polly does not have a front person in the traditional sense, as both Mayo and Bighorse typically write and provide lead vocals for their own songs. The band is known to cover other artists and has put its spin on songs by Spacemen 3, Neutral Milk Hotel, Dead Boys, Portishead, Perfume Genius, The Left Banke, Ol' Dirty Bastard, M.I.A., AC/DC, Nina Nastasia and Syd Barrett.