Words by Carol Wright | Photographer: Jenn Curtis

Gillian Heidi chatted with us about her song “Fray” and her advice for aspiring singers.

You started playing piano at age four. When did you go from playing music on the piano to wanting to write lyrics and compose your own melodies?

I wrote my first song when I was four, but it’s incredibly embarrassing and hilarious and wasn’t really a full song. I then wrote my first full and developed song when I was 8. Looking back on it, that song is also embarrassing and hilarious, but I learned so much from it and it really inspired me to keep writing.

When making music everyone has a unique sound, how would you describe yours?

I think that my sound is somewhere between pop, R&B, and indie. I really pour myself into my lyrics more than anything else, which is why I don’t consider my music to be pure pop, which usually focuses on catchy hooks and melodies. 

Your new song “Fray” is about a relationship coming apart. Did you pull from personal experience to write the song?

All of my songs are inspired by authentic emotions, even if the stories of them aren’t necessarily based in reality. “Fray” was definitely inspired by a real life situation, to some extent, and I pulled pieces and emotions from my real life. I find it really difficult to write authentic songs when I’m not feeling any of the emotions.

Do you have a specific songwriting process or do you just sit down and write whenever inspiration hits?

Usually I just write when I feel inspired, but I’ve recently been trying to take the initiative to write more often. I’ve been doing daily writing exercises, trying to write a song per week, and other things to help keep me inspired.

You’ve come out with various singles this year, has quarantine given you even more time to work on your music?

At the start of quarantine, I definitely felt a little stuck when it came to music. Recently, however, I’ve been making time to work on music and it’s helped me improve a lot.

What advice do you have for aspiring singers?

I think that singing and music in general are a journey, which can sometimes be long. We all begin somewhere, and there is always room to grow. I know it sounds cheesy but you’ve got to keep trying!