Gayle

from The Daily Shuffle: March 2020

Graham Verchere

With a sound and style that’s uniquely her own, GAYLE is making waves in the music scene. We talked to the rising songstress about her inspirations, what’s to come and more!

words by VANESSA SALLES photos by JIMMY FISCO

Tell us about your single, ’dumbass” - what’s the story that inspired the track? Any memorable moments while writing/ recording it that you can share with us? The inspiration for ‘dumbass’ started with the saying ‘the fear of looking stupid is holding youback.’ I brought that idea into a songwriting session, and I remember when we came up with the idea of changing it to ‘dumbass,’ it was truly like a lightbulb went off in everyone’s head. I wrote the song with Jessie Thomas and Grant Avril. Grant also produced the song. The truth is, the song is about my coping mechanisms to my insecurities. I wrote ‘dumbass’ at a point in my life where I wasn’t confident in anything I was doing and I realized that my self-doubt was standing in the way of everything.

What’s the creative process usually like for you? I love the creative process of songwriting. Most of the time, I like to come into the room with a concept and go from there. Then, I start with melodies first and not lyrics--I don’t particularly know why, it’s just the way my brain works. Once we have a melody, then the lyrics start.

With a new single on the way, what can you tell us about it? My next song coming out is called ‘z,’ and it’s about general experiences as a generation we’ve all experienced in one way or another. It’s very, very, very sarcastic. What can fans expect from you this year? Is there an EP or album in the works? I definitely have a lot of music coming out this year. Whether it’s all coming out as singles or an EP at some point has yet to be decided.

When it comes to stage presence, which artist(s) are you inspired by? I would definitely say Aretha Franklin has influenced the way I approach performance because it’s all based off her voice. You can feel the emotion in her voice, and it’s truly breathtaking. She is what inspired me to be an artist in the first place.

What songs/artists do you currently have on repeat? Currently I have Still Woozy, Natalie Madigan, James Droll, Delacey, King Princess and so many other incredible artists on repeat.

What’s on your bucket list for the rest of the year? My main goal is to be constantly releasing music that I’m passionate about and getting to perform more with my band.

Any special message for your fans/ listeners? Don’t be afraid to do what you’re passionate about because you might surprise yourself.