GAYLE talks new music and the story behind ‘abcdefu’

GAYLE is quickly making a name for herself at only 17 years old. Based in Nashville, GAYLE got her start in music at a very young age – by the time she was 14, she’d crossed paths with songwriter/publisher Kara DioGuardi, who promptly took on the role of her mentor. Now she has released countless singles including “dumbass” which earned her critical acclaim and most recently “abcdefu” which is a brilliant song about calling out your ex and taking back what’s yours. GAYLE wants to make songs for people to feel more comfortable with their own emotions.

We recently got the chance to chat with GAYLE to talk about the inspiration behind “abcdefu” and much more:

Hey there! Appreciate you taking the time to chat. For those who may not know who you are, give us a little background on yourself.

Hi, I’m GAYLE! I’m a seventeen year old girl who writes and makes music! I’m based in Nashville but I’m currently in LA and I’m currently making plans to go to New York! I’ve been releasing music under GAYLE since I was fifteen but I took a break so I could release the best things that I possibly could.

What are some things that have been keeping you sane in these unprecedented times of the pandemic?

Honestly my friends have been an amazing support system throughout the craziness of the pandemic. Music has also been a great way for me to process all my emotions throughout the pandemic and I’ve been very fortunate that most of my friends are musicians.

Since the pandemic, the music-making process has changed. Would you say you prefer making music from home on your own or rather in a studio with others?

I definitely still prefer being in the studio with other people but there’s definitely some positives when it comes to writing/making music over Zoom. Zoom allows you to meet people that are in completely different places in the world than you and normally it can take weeks to get in the room with and Zoom allows you to meet them whenever you’re both first available.

Your new single “abcdefu” is out now and is a stellar gut punch, what was the process behind writing that one and the inspiration behind it?

I was going through a breakup and I was writing really self-deprecating songs and it was annoying the shit out of my best friend (who is one of my main collaborators). I felt super guilty for the breakup with my ex and as a coping mechanism for my guilt I tried really hard to be a friend to him and stay in his life- I was in a very self-deprecating place. Then I heard through a mutual friends that he was talking shit about me and all my suppressed emotions came RUSHING in. I was pissed that all the effort I put into our relationship and our friendship he turned into such a negative thing, and I was pissed that I waited till he was talking shit about me to let myself be mad??? So then I walked into a session with Sara Davis and Dave Pittenger and said “it’s time”- and thus “abcdefu” was born.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaFd8ucHLuo&ab_channel=GAYLE

You’re working on your upcoming debut project — how has that been coming along? Are there any details you can share on it?

I’ve been writing for this project for around three years and different artists and genres inspired me at the time. Every year I learned how to get more vulnerable in my songs. Every song I’ve released and that I’m going to release is about a personal experience or feeling that I’ve had in my life. I’ve been blissfully in love, scared of commitment, pissed, hurt, used, and been the one to hurt somebody and all of those ranges of emotions are going to be told.

Kara DioGuardi has been a mentor to you for a while, how has it been working with her?

Working with Kara has been such a pleasure and a blessing. She pushed me as a writer and to be the most open and vulnerable artist that I possibly can be. I would not be where I am today without her and so grateful that I have her in my life to constantly push me to be better

How would you describe your music in three words?

Colorful, emotionally driven, blunt

Which song or project of yours are you most proud of?

It’s so hard to pick because I love every song for different reasons and I’d probably give a different answer to that question if you asked me tomorrow or the next day, but currently it’s “abcdefu”.

Is there a moment or memory in your life that you always want to hold onto? Or a moment that has taught you a lot?

I realized that I was spending so much time trying to make other people happy, I never thought about what made me happy. I looked in the mirror and I didn’t see myself, all I saw was a people pleaser that couldn’t even manage to please herself. It was a low for me but it sparked a fire in me to never let that happen again.

What music have you been listening to lately? Favorite artists?

Honest I’ve been getting into Icona Pop recently, Noga Erez, Julia Michaels, Delacy, and Mac Miller

Lastly, what is a message you hope fans who listen to your music take away from it?  (Thank you again for your time!)

Never change yourself to please other people do exactly what you want to do and what makes you happy. If people don’t accept you for who you are that’s okay because somebody else will and it will mean so much more when they do.

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