Georgia Hubley, drummer, vocalist, visual artist, and founding member of Yo La Tengo, has been a central creative force in the influential indie rock trio since the band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. In addition to her roles on drums and vocals, she has contributed occasional guitar, keyboard, and drum machine parts on recordings and has designed several of the band’s album covers. She also continues to pursue visual arts alongside her music career.
Hubley’s drumming and singing are key components of Yo La Tengo’s eclectic sound, which blends elements of indie rock, experimental textures, improvisation, and melodic sensibility. The band’s seventeenth studio album This Stupid World, released in 2023 and self‑produced by Hubley, Ira Kaplan, and James McNew, has received wide critical praise for its immediacy and depth, with Hubley’s voice featured on tracks such as “Aselestine.”
In 2025 Yo La Tengo continued to perform live, with shows that span long sets drawn from their expansive catalog and mixing deep cuts with newer material. A March 2025 concert at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland highlighted the group’s continuing on‑stage versatility and creative interplay after four decades together.
Hubley has also navigated health‑related adjustments to the band’s schedule; in 2023 Yo La Tengo postponed several tour dates so she could undergo knee surgery, with plans to reschedule those appearances as part of the band’s ongoing live activity.
Beyond Yo La Tengo, Hubley has explored improvisational music with side projects such as Little Black Egg, performing at venues that emphasize spontaneous composition and experimental sound.
Gear:
Ludwig drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, and Remo drumheads.
Sources: Magnet Magazine birthday feature, Tom Tom Magazine interview, Yo La Tengo official website, Cleveland Observer concert review, BrooklynVegan tour postponement, This Stupid World album data.
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Update 1/18/26