What happens when a pretty, petite woman shows off her great guitar chops and well-crafted songs while using her “girly voice” to deliver a barrage of incisive lyrics? This is the question Juliana Hatfield ponders in her memoir, When I Grow Up, which tracks her challenges across almost three decades in the music biz.
Hatfield’s book takes the form of a tour diary, interspersed with tales about forming Blake Babies and her solo hit “Spin the Bottle,” which cemented her place as the queen of indie rock. But cliched rock ‘n’ roll diary this is not. While addressing her inner demons (depression, anorexia, tortured love affairs), Hatfield elegantly holds back the tantalizing details. As an artist, Hatfield always presented herself honestly. In When I Grow Up she does the same, offering us a revealing insight into the awkward, mysterious, and fiercely creative person that she is.