Comfort Girl stream on Joe’s Pub Archives

COMFORT GIRL is an exploration – in song and story – of the lives of Chinese ‘comfort women’, a cruel euphemism for the women who were abducted and forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army during WWII. There were over 200,000 of these young women, most of whom were from China or Korea. Lured by false promises of work or kidnapped – shipped far away from their families – they were kept in terrible conditions. Many died or were killed during the war. The few who survived stayed silent about their horrifying ordeal, because it was seen as shameful, and even considered treason. COMFORT GIRL is a tribute to these young women and their courage, not only during the War but also afterward – when they returned home to families who didn’t always welcome them back with open arms. Their story is still relevant, as survivors continue to fight for justice, and human trafficking remains a major global issue. The music is inspired by true stories survivors have told.

Stephanie Chou – composer, voice, alto saxophone
Orville Mendoza – voice
Andy Lin – erhu, viola, violin
Kelly Lin – piano
Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion
Peregrine Heard – narration

“It is a stunning work that not only shines light on a dark chapter of history but also feels inspirational for contemporary listeners.” — DownBeat magazine, July 2019

Like all Joe’s Pub shows, all ages are welcome, but please be aware that performances may include adult language and topics.

Closures and cancellations because of COVID-19 have majorly disrupted access to revenue for artists all over the world. If you are enjoying this performance and are able to support, please consider donating to Stephanie and Comfort Girl HERE to help the continued development of this piece and to bring it to larger audiences. Your contribution will simultaneously support new music and help the legacy of the comfort women live on. You can also purchase music, scores and merch directly from Stephanie HERE.