Chelsea

Stress Dolls is the moniker of Chelsea O'Donnell, a songwriter from Buffalo, NY. The project's sound has drawn such comparisons as "Joni Mitchell meets Nirvana," "Avril Lavigne and Foo Fighters in a blender," and "Kathleen Hanna fronting Modest Mouse."

O'Donnell began playing around Western New York in 2013, initially calling herself Wolf and eventually forming a band. After releasing one EP, the group went through a few different line-ups and, in time, changed their name to
Stress Dolls. The band released a self-titled EP in the Fall of 2016, which they recorded earlier that year at GCR Audio.

Due to differing pursuits the band split in early 2017, but O'Donnell decided to keep playing under the name Stress Dolls. She made a move to Nashville, TN but was there only 6 months before chronic health issues - Crohn's disease and gastroparesis- sent her to the hospital to undergo a feeding tube procedure. Following the surgery she moved back to Buffalo, and after a period of recovery, began writing, performing, and recording again. Largely due to the tentative nature of her health, O'Donnell established Stress Dolls as a solo act in order to go at her own pace.

In early 2022 she was invited to work with producer Jim Wirt (Fiona Apple, Something Corporate, Incubus) at Superior Sound Studios in Cleveland, OH. After recording a few songs together, including her singles "Body" and "Alone," she was offered a record deal with Sun Pedal Recordings. After signing, Wirt and O'Donnell recorded several more tracks that went on to comprise her debut album, Queen of No, released in May 2024.

In 2025, O'Donnell founded her own record label, Angry Girl Music, and reissued Queen of No to streaming services.

In addition to Stress Dolls, O'Donnell is also one half of Urge Surfer , an electro-pop duo that includes Stress Dolls guitarist Jordan Smith. The pair began writing songs via email during the tail end of the pandemic and have released 1 album (REACH) and 1 EP (Alphabet Archive) since.

Concurrent with her music career, O'Donnell also has worked in radio for the better part of the past 13 years. Beginning in promotions and moving into production, her first big break came as the host, producer, and creator of the show Localized, a local music program that aired on the now defunct Alternative Buffalo 107.7 FM. She stayed with the station for nearly 4 years before making her move to Nashville, where she became a freelance reporter for WSM 650 AM, the home of the Grand Ole Opry. After moving back to Buffalo she spent a few years with no ties to the radio industry, but in 2023 was given the opportunity to work for Buffalo Toronto Public Media's new alternative station, WBFO The Bridge. She once again took on the role as host and co-producer of The Scene, a regional music show that covers Western New York and Southern Ontario. 

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Stress Dolls is the moniker of Chelsea O'Donnell, a songwriter from Buffalo, NY. The project's sound has drawn such comparisons as "Joni Mitchell meets Nirvana," "Avril Lavigne and Foo Fighters in a blender," and "Kathleen Hanna fronting Modest Mouse."

O'Donnell began playing around Western New York in 2013, initially calling herself Wolf and eventually forming a band. After releasing one EP, the group went through a few different line-ups and, in time, changed their name to
Stress Dolls. The band released a self-titled EP in the Fall of 2016, which they recorded earlier that year at GCR Audio.

Due to differing pursuits the band split in early 2017, but O'Donnell decided to keep playing under the name Stress Dolls. She made a move to Nashville, TN but was there only 6 months before chronic health issues - Crohn's disease and gastroparesis- sent her to the hospital to undergo a feeding tube procedure. Following the surgery she moved back to Buffalo, and after a period of recovery, began writing, performing, and recording again. Largely due to the tentative nature of her health, O'Donnell established Stress Dolls as a solo act in order to go at her own pace.

In early 2022 she was invited to work with producer Jim Wirt (Fiona Apple, Something Corporate, Incubus) at Superior Sound Studios in Cleveland, OH. After recording a few songs together, including her singles "Body" and "Alone," she was offered a record deal with Sun Pedal Recordings. After signing, Wirt and O'Donnell recorded several more tracks that went on to comprise her debut album, Queen of No, released in May 2024.

In 2025, O'Donnell founded her own record label, Angry Girl Music, and reissued Queen of No to streaming services.

In addition to Stress Dolls, O'Donnell is also one half of Urge Surfer , an electro-pop duo that includes Stress Dolls guitarist Jordan Smith. The pair began writing songs via email during the tail end of the pandemic and have released 1 album (REACH) and 1 EP (Alphabet Archive) since.

Concurrent with her music career, O'Donnell also has worked in radio for the better part of the past 13 years. Beginning in promotions and moving into production, her first big break came as the host, producer, and creator of the show Localized, a local music program that aired on the now defunct Alternative Buffalo 107.7 FM. She stayed with the station for nearly 4 years before making her move to Nashville, where she became a freelance reporter for WSM 650 AM, the home of the Grand Ole Opry. After moving back to Buffalo she spent a few years with no ties to the radio industry, but in 2023 was given the opportunity to work for Buffalo Toronto Public Media's new alternative station, WBFO The Bridge. She once again took on the role as host and co-producer of The Scene, a regional music show that covers Western New York and Southern Ontario.