ROUGH AND RAW:

Before they hit the road last year for their first tour as a headlining act, the members of Plush - Moriah Formica, Bella Perron, Ashley Suppa and Faith Powell - didn't have any plans to record a "live" album.

"We had no idea it was even a possibility," Formica said.

The band's sound engineer, however, had documented several of the shows for social media.

And their management was impressed with those posts.

"They thought it would be an excellent idea to put together a live album," Formica said.

On Feb. 7, Plush unleashed "Live USA '24," across streaming platforms world-wide. The 16-song release features songs from the band's 2021 self-titled album and the "Find The Beautiful," EP (2024).

Produced, mixed and mastered by Paul Benedetti, the live release is unfiltered, rowdy and real.

"What you hear is Plush rough and raw," Formica said. "It’s not polished and wasn’t scripted. We’re super excited to bring this live concert experience to our fans!”

Fans can pick up signed copies of Live USA ’24 on CD in a special bundle that includes an exclusive t-shirt at: https://plushrocks.net/shop/

Plush burst onto the rock scene in the early 2020s and has toured with major acts Alice In Chains, Breaking Benjamin, Daughtry, Sevendust and Mammoth WVH. They've also played big festivals all across the United States.

The Dead Line.net talked with the band after their performance on Louder Than Life in 2022.

Here's a flashback to that interview:

In the midst of the pandemic, Moriah Formica began recording covers of iconic classic rock songs from her home in New York and posting the videos on YouTube.

The response was surprising.

And overwhelming.

Her stunning vocal performance on the Steelheart song "Never Let You Go," was viewed more than 200,000 times and received comments like, "This literally brings tears to my eyes."

"I wasn't expecting that," Formica said of the response to the videos. "I am just so grateful for it. I'm glad people enjoy them, especially during those times."

In reaction to a cover of Dokken's "Dream Warriors," one YouTube user stated, "Jesus, someone please form an awesome band with this girl. The world is waiting."

The world didn't have to wait too long.

Just two years later, the band Plush — fronted by Formica, who was a former contest on the reality show "The Voice" — is sharing the stage with some of the biggest bands in the world.

Plush released its self-titled debut album in 2021 and recently wrapped up a run of opening dates for Alice Chains and Breaking Benjamin. The band has also toured with Daughtry, Sevendust, Mammoth WVH and Slash, and last month was the first band on the main stage on the opening day of Louder Than Life.

"Social media is really the reason we are all together," Formica said of the band in an interview on Sept. 22 in Louisville.

Plush's line-up — which features guitarist Bella Perron, bassist Ashley Suppa and drummer Faith Powell, all of which are still teenagers — came together in an old-school fashion, with a technological twist.

Formica and Suppa had played together for some time and when they began looking for a guitar player, the duo posted an ad online. It was shared by Lzzy Hale of the band Halestorm and caught the attention of Perron, who was from Maine.

"You read about how bands of an earlier era would put out physical ads (in newspapers and magazines)," Suppa said. "It's just a continuation of that. It's kind of cool."

And when original drummer Brooke Colucci left Plush earlier this year, the band members once again turned to social media.

"We found Faith (Powell) on Instagram," Suppa said.

Powell, who just graduated from high school this past spring, joined the band a few months ago.

"It's all happened so fast," Powell said. "It's just so cool."

Plush is quickly carving out a unique place in the modern music scene.

The band echoes — and amplifies — the varied influences and styles of its members, melting them together into a familiar, but still fresh, sound.

Perron's playing was shaped by guitarists like Nuno Bettencourt, Slash, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. It was one band, though, which had the biggest impact on her.

"I started playing because of KISS," Perron said. "Ace Frehley was the first guitar player who I just watched non-stop. When I was five, I wanted to play like him."

Formica's admiration for powerful female rock singers — like Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart — is undeniable, but her style has been shaped by bands of many eras, from Black Sabbath to Rush to Alice in Chains.

"That's what I love about being in this band. You can hear all of our influences, which is so cool," Formica said.

Powell, the youngest member of the band, is a fan of bands like System of a Down and The Story So Far.

Suppa's playing was heavily influenced by Mike Inez of Alice in Chains.

"It's crazy to be on the road with those guys," she said of touring with Alice in Chains this past summer.

The band's debut album showcases all those styles.

"Athena" and "Champion" are anthemic, throw-your-fist-in-air sing-alongs. Many of the other songs — all written by Formica — are much more personal, like "Hate," "Better Off Alone" and "Sober."

"I am a very sensitive person. I'm a little emo, but that's OK," Formica said with a laugh. "For the next album, we are really looking to write together."