Gwendolyn: "Absinthe"
Having spent time both in front of and behind the camera in several films and TV series, GWENDOLYN brings that experience to her music, giving it a dramatic pull and an atmospheric landscape that blankets the fierce emotion in her lyrics. She has leveraged that background in cinema to license her music in several films, TV, and reality series. Intoxicating and lush, sensual, and haunting, GWENDOLYN is an emerging Epic Pop artist comparable to Daughter, RY X, and Bon Iver. Her 2 recent singles were featured on the popular Spotify playlists, "Grey’s Anatomy,” "50 Shades of Grey” and “Thor: Ragnorok.”
We had the pleasure of checking in with Gwendolyn and she was kind enough to respond to a few interview questions.
We are SO excited to be chatting with YOU! Tell us about your new single "Absinthe" and the story behind the song?
Hi! Glad to chat with you too. So "Absinthe" is a metaphor for addiction. The song is about that brush with heaven that would make a person give it all up just to keep chasing that feeling. I was an actor for many years and that work made me really curious about human psychology and why people do the things they do. I love getting inside someone else's head and body and life, and seeing the world from their perspective. So I heard this insane statistic that the fastest-growing segment of Heroin users in the US is suburban housewives. I needed to crawl around inside that scenario, and I wanted to understand it from the inside. From the outside, it's a tragic story for sure. But from the inside, that seduction, that first brush with heaven must be the most hauntingly beautiful & dark euphoria I can possibly imagine. "Under your spell, cheating death, for one more hot smoky breath." I tried to explore it through the lens of the seemingly together housewife.
Do you often feel more doubtful or daring when putting new music out?
Hmmm, definitely more daring than doubtful. With this song, I knew it wouldn't be for everyone. It's very niche, and a darker more Evanescence-like turn for me. But I once heard the quote "Don't die with your music still in you." That quote inspires me every day to overcome the (many) obstacles and GET the music OUT there.
If you could go back and tell a younger you something, what would it be?
It's okay to cry but not for too long. Also, don't cut your own bangs.
What have been the most difficult lessons to learn when recording?
One of the lessons I won't say I've learned because I'm still learning it every time.. is to trust my gut. Once I get deep into the process of recording and building out the song, it can be easy to lose that original rawness and heart the song was born from. Especially when I'm working with people way more talented than myself, and I get excited. (Lee Sanders, Wes Poland, David Duarte - I'm talking about you.) I have to balance that excitement with a sense of loyalty to the original intent of the song. I've also learned to record vocals first and early, and build everything from there. Even if I have to re-record them later, it's better when everything is built from that raw emotion that comes right after a song is written.
Where can our audience find you and support all your current and new projects!!
Yes! Thank you in advance - I really appreciate the interview and the support! I hope you'll go give it some love and connect with me for the next ones coming out in a few weeks.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/knedLRe9tt4.
Listen here: https://smarturl.it/absinthe_gwendolyn
Connect here: https://linktr.ee/official.gwendolyn
