Today, alternative folk-rock artist GIGI GOLD announces her debut EP, ‘SOUVENIRS’, for release on 17 JULY 2024 via MARSHALL RECORDS. Along with the announcement comes the first powerful single, ‘WHY SHOULD I’. Fans can pre-save/pre-order the EP and stream it – HERE.Gigi’s music spans a wide range of genres and styles, from folk to rock and blues; this unpredictability in her sound mirrors the unpredictability of her artistic direction, as she remains open to whatever creative path she chooses to pursue next. The West Virginia-born artist’s debut is equal parts alluring, rebellious and empowering, covering themes of self-discovery, introspection and vulnerability. The sprawling five-track mini-movie paints pictures of highspeed desert drives with the roof down, smoke-filled speakeasies dense with Bond-esque intrigue, and tangled in all the highs and lows of a fated cinematic romance.
Few artists are more exciting than those capable of anything, and the possibilities are endless for established rock singer turned solo artist Gigi Gold. “I walked into this project not knowing what I wanted it to be”, Gigi says, “but I think the beauty of it is not having a preconceived notion.” This is manifested in her upcoming ‘Souvenirs’ EP, her debut release, a blend of everything from modern folk to classic rock, at once familiar and exciting and stamped with her unmistakable style of self-searching lyrics.
Speaking on the first new single, ‘Why Should I,’ Gold comments, “It’s about taking your power back, be it from a situation where someone else has had control or even just getting older. I’m not 22, and I’m aware of that, especially as a woman, where your age is taken more into consideration. I don’t think that should stop anyone trying what they want to – it’s me saying, ‘screw it, I’m gonna do what I want.’”
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO CHECK OUT ‘WHY SHOULD I’
MORE ON GIGI GOLD
Growing up in West Virginia, it wasn’t until Gigi moved to nearby Shepherdstown for college that she saw music that could belong to her. “Before that, the only music being made by teenagers was punk and hardcore, and there just weren’t any girls on stage. But then I moved for college to this tiny town, and suddenly, I saw all these women making music. There were loads of open mics, shows in bars and churches, and different kinds of music: rockabilly, folk, ambient, rock and roll. Pretty early on, I thought, ‘I can do this.’” From there, Gigi formed as many bands as she could, eventually meeting then-Gallows guitarist Steph Carter through a “chance online connection” that led to the pair forming two bands, The Ghost Riders in the Sky, and later Lyoness. While Steph and Gigi went on to be married, both these bands folded, leading Gigi to the decision to start her own project. “It’s allowed me to expand into territories I never could have in Lyoness”, she says, “and I’ve had to step forward into a level of confidence I never had before. I have to call all the shots by myself, which can be overwhelming, but likewise, I have all this creativity and freedom to shape it into whatever I want it to be.”
Coming from a background of 60s and 70s rock, blended with more modern acts like The Kills or Lana Del Ray, Gigi’s music often unifies the most disparate elements of these two worlds. Perhaps the most striking element of Gigi’s music is her lyricism – sometimes diaristic, sometimes abstract, but always full of bold imagery. “My daily lyric writing process consists of listening to music I’ve never heard before and freewriting whatever it brings up in me”, Gigi explains. “It brings up a memory, or a thought, or something I’m currently dealing with, but it’s all my lived experience. It just depends how it’s flowing and how I feel that day.” This connection of the literal to the metaphorical is most obvious in ‘Why Should I?’, a call-back to the riffs of Lyoness that proved Gigi to be a powerhouse of rock singing. A brooding stampede of bluesy electric guitars and thunderous drums, ‘Why Should I?’ brings to mind modern rock bands like Royal Blood and The Amazons but evokes more poetic artists like Phoebe Bridgers through its lyrics, succinct in its intent.
After nearly a decade of making rock music, Gigi Gold has redefined herself as a bold new voice, turning the genre upside down in pursuit of something new. From the small taste of ‘Souvenirs’, no one can say which direction Gigi will take next, least of all herself: “I felt I needed to lift the constraints, and the only thing ever stopping me was myself. To this day, I don’t know what I want this to be; I just want to be proud of what I put out there.” With this ethos as her guide and a range of songs that proves she can choose any path she wants, Gigi Gold will quickly be recognised as one of music’s most intriguing and unpredictable voices.
Don’t miss Gigi Gold’s live performance at this year’s Hanwell Hootie. Her new album ‘ Souvenirs’ will be released on 17 July 2024 via Marshall Records. Fans can pre-save/pre-order and stream it – HERE.
2024 TOUR DATES
MAY
11 Hanwell Hootie, London
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‘SOUVENIRS’ EP
TRACK LISTING
Why Should I
You Ain’t Changed
Stare Up at the Sky
Black Water Falls
Hot Coals
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CONNECT WITH GIGI GOLD
Instagram / Facebook
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