On August 14, South African alternative rock duo The SoapGirls brought their Rebel DNA World Tour to Rochester, making a stop at the intimate Bug Jar. The small Monroe Avenue venue proved to be a fitting setting for a band whose music, personality, and live performances are built around authenticity and a DIY attitude.

The SoapGirls—sisters Mie and Millie Debray—have built their career by doing things their own way. Their journey began as childhood street performers in South Africa, where they sang and sold homemade soap to raise money for hospitals, eventually developing into an international rock career. Today, they continue to maintain that independent spirit, handling much of their own creative and business operation rather than relying on a traditional major-label machine.

The Bug Jar’s small room created an immediate connection between the band and the audience. Rather than the separation you sometimes experience at a larger venue, the crowd was right there with the band, making the performance feel personal and unpredictable. The venue itself has long been known for its intimate, underground atmosphere and its place within Rochester’s alternative music scene.

And The SoapGirls certainly know how to use an intimate room.

Their set showcased the wide range of their sound, moving between gritty alternative rock, punk, grunge, and heavier moments. Mie and Millie bring distinctly different musical personalities to the stage, but those differences complement each other. Their harmonies and contrasting vocal styles give the duo a sound that is much bigger than what you might expect from a two-person band.

The band’s set has also become known for pulling from across their catalog, including songs such as “Society’s Reject,” “Wasted,” “Johnny Rotten,” “Heart in Bloom,” “Rise Above,” “Reaper,” “In My Skin,” “Demons,” “God of War,” “Enemy,” “Devil,” and “Closer,” according to recent Rebel DNA tour setlists.

What makes The SoapGirls particularly interesting, though, is that the music is only part of their identity.

There is an unmistakable sense of rebellion behind everything they do. Their career has been built around refusing to conform to expectations, whether those expectations involve their sound, their image, or how a band is supposed to operate. Their official biography describes their path as a “fierce DIY” approach to the rock world, with the sisters choosing independence and artistic freedom over compromising their identity for commercial success.

That philosophy gives their live performance an added layer. You’re not simply watching a band perform songs; you’re watching two artists who have spent years building their career on their own terms.

And that’s ultimately what made the Rochester stop memorable.

The SoapGirls aren’t trying to fit neatly into one genre or one version of what a rock band should be. They’re loud, unpredictable, unapologetic, and willing to embrace the unconventional. In a small venue like the Bug Jar, that attitude becomes even more apparent.

For a band that started by performing on the streets of South Africa and selling soap for a good cause, making their way to Rochester as part of an international tour is quite a journey. Their continued commitment to doing things themselves makes that journey even more impressive.

The Rebel DNA Tour is another chapter in that story—and if their Rochester performance was any indication, The SoapGirls are still very much doing things their way.

The SoapGirls continue their Rebel DNA World Tour throughout 2026.