Not pussyfooting around: Cocktail Slippers are armed with Glitter, Grit, and Zero Apologies

This weekend the Norwegian all women-band plays at Oslo’s premier rock festival Tons of Rock.

Forget fluffy slippers. Cocktail Slippers are all high heels, hot licks, and no compromise, a razor-sharp mix of Ramones swagger and Runaways attitude, wrapped in glitter, glam, and pure rock’n’roll power. A John Waters wet dream. On Saturday, the Oslo-based five-woman band plays Tons of Rock stage like it owes them money. And they’re not here to ask nicely.

“It’s going to be short and intense. Power all the way,” promises frontwoman Silje Hope, speaking to Styletalk only a week before the festival.
“We’ve built a super tight set — picking the songs was hard because we honestly love so many of them,” says guitarist Stine Bendiksen.
“But we’ve got a brand-new song we all really dig, so we’re opening with that,” frontwoman Silje Hope adds.

They’re only on for thirty minutes — no time for encores. But don’t expect a breather: Cocktail Slippers are bringing chaos and crunch in a set designed to cut through the beard-heavy, riff-worshipping lineup like a sequined switchblade.

“We’re Always Nervous — That’s How You Know It’s Real”

Despite decades of experience, pre-show nerves are still a thing.
“Oh, always!” the band shouts in unison.

Styletalk met up with the band at rehersal a week prior to Tons of Rock.

“We all have our quirks,” says Stine Bendiksen.
“I get intense and talk too much,” bassist Astrid Waller laughs.
“Some of us like to jack up our adrenaline — like stomping around backstage, kicking the air, yelling things like, ‘This is gonna be SO good! We’ve GOT this!’” says Silje Hope.
“And I just wander off, trying not to listen.”

Styletalk: And after a great gig?
“Just sweaty. Very VERY sweaty,” they all laugh.
“When it clicks, you just want to get right back up there, and do it again” says guitarist Sara Andersson, the only Swede in the all Norwegian band.

Glam, Guts, and a Dash of Dynasty

Cocktail Slippers formed in 2001, and two of the founding members are still kicking it loud: Astrid “Sugar” Waller on bass and Stine “Rocket Queen” Bendiksen on guitar. Joining them in today’s lineup of the band are Sara “Vega” Andersson, drummer Maria “Smash” Storaas, and vocalist Silje “Hope” Hope. With campy nicknames and ditto stage costumes they could have been dreamt up by John Waters. And the band name? Pure camp inspiration.

“Remember Alexis from the 80ties day soap-series “Dynasty”? The way she would step out in her glamorous satin robe, and high-heeled marabou trimmed mules?” says Stine Bendiksen.
“Those were called cocktail slippers,” Astrid Waller adds.
“We found the term in an old ’50s pinup magazine. We literally locked ourselves in a flat and said no one leaves until we have a name,” Astrid Waller laughs.
“You locked the door!” Stine Bendiksen cackles.
“It was torture!”

Beyond the “Girl Band” Tag

When asked how it feels to still be labeled a “girl band,” they don’t flinch.

“It’s happening less and less,” says Astrid Waller.
“Fifteen years ago, it was all ‘girl rock’ this and that. I remember asking some guy what that even meant, and he said, ‘You know, the kind of scrappy rock,’” Silje Hope recalls, rolling her eyes.
“We don’t hear it as much now — and that’s a good thing.”

This year’s Tons of Rock has a stronger female presence, including another rising all-girl act, Norwegian Drakånis, some of them pupils of Maria Storaas.
“They’re badass,” she says with a grin. “I think they’re going to crush it.” she smiles.

But even now, gendered expectations creep in.
“We’ve definitely felt judged, but more for our style than our music,” says Astrid Waller.
“Like, people assume we’re trying to cover up for not playing well — like the sequins are compensation.”
“Or they say, ‘You sound great now, you don’t need the outfits anymore,’ as if we started a band just as an excuse to play dress-up” she continues.
“They miss the point — the styling is part of our artistic expression. It’s intentional. It’s who we are.”

Barbarella Meets Bowie Meets WWE

Cocktail Slippers have always embraced bold, theatrical style — sequined bodysuits, minidresses, gogo boots. Think Barbarella meets glam rock, with a splash of old-school pro wrestling flair.

Styletalk: How important is the styling?
“It’s everything,” says Silje Hope.
“When we’re on stage, we’re not moms, not office workers, not worrying about spreadsheets or homework. We’re a unit, here to rip it up. It’s rock, it’s fun, it’s a party.”

The band previously worked with award-winning stylist Cårejånni Enderud, whom they call “brilliant and sweet.”
“He totally got it, the wrestling vibe. He said, ‘You’ve got to hit the stage like a troop,’” Silje Hope laughs.

From Oslo to New York and Back

Since 2008, Cocktail Slippers have been signed to Little Steven Van Zandt’s label Wicked Cool Records. They’ve toured extensively across the U.S., sharing stages with The Strokes, Radiohead, Iggy & The Stooges, and New York Dolls. Van Zandt has also helped produce several of their albums and even penned a few songs for them. When we meet they’ve just returned from his Underground Garage Cruise, a four-day garage rock odyssey from Miami to Nassau curated by Van Zandt himself.
“It was wild. Our first cruise gig ever,” says Astrid Waller.
“We met so many amazing people and got to see killer performances by artists we truly admire,” adds Sara Andersson.
“The best part? No WiFi. No one was glued to their phones. Everyone was present in the moment.”

Styletalk: So how important has Little Steven been for you?

“Musically, he came in around our third album. He’s produced a few things, written a few tracks. But mostly we write our own stuff,” says Stine.
“He’s been a door-opener, a true champion of the band for sure. And perhaps even our biggest fan.”
“But we always tell people: we’re Cocktail Slippers, not Little Stevens Cocktail Slippers. Especially here in Norway, we’ve built most of it ourselves,” says Astrid Waller.

Culture Clash and Censorship

Touring the U.S. has its quirks — and occasional pitfalls. One of their songs, “City of Fire”, nearly sparked unintended controversy.
“We wanted to release it as a single, but it happened to be bad timing. It was right after the L.A riots,” Silje Hope explains.
“The cover art we pitched showed all of us with black eyes, like we’d been beaten up. So Steven stepped in fast: ‘Nope. Can’t do.’” he said.
We understood after. It could’ve been misread. We’re not a political band — that’s not our lane,” says Astrid Waller.
“We just hadn’t thought it through.”

What’s Next?

After Tons of Rock, Cocktail Slippers will play a handful of shows in Norway before heading back to the U.S. in September and October. Then comes the next album. Balancing music with day jobs isn’t always easy — but they’re not slowing down.
“Sure, it can be tough,” says Stine Bendiksen, “but none of us knit, so we make it work.”

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