ggwendolyn brings a refreshing, unfiltered perspective to music that feels both timeless and raw. Growing up just outside of LA, she found a calling in music early on. From a young age, she’d come home from school, head straight to her Piano, and start pouring her heart into songs. Even if she now laughs about how those early songs were “terrible," music quickly became her way to express what words alone couldn’t.
Her latest single, "small town rodeo," is a perfect example of her ability to capture raw emotion in song. The track was born from a casual session with her boyfriend, where he started strumming chords while they talked about him leaving for tour. ggwendolyn used that conversation as the heart of the song, diving into the feeling of being the one left behind. She hints that there’s more to explore in "small town rodeo" and plans to share those reflections on the substack that she is writing, offering listeners insight into the themes that make the song resonate so strongly.
What makes "small town rodeo" especially haunting is its sense of isolation. ggwendolyn has talked about how she often accidentally isolates herself, unintentionally becoming a loner, even though she craves connection. It’s a theme that flows through Trilogy 2, inspired by desert landscapes and that empty, closed-off feeling that can still feel vast and open. There’s something about the desert, she says, that feels simultaneously freeing and empty, perfectly fitting the emotions she wanted to capture in this song.
When it comes to musical influences, ggwendolyn's list is as extensive as her sound. From the raw lyricism of Adele and Radiohead’s sonic explorations to icons like Frank Ocean, Fleetwood Mac, and Paramore, her inspirations span decades and many genres. This variety gives her music a rich, diverse feel, where you can hear little pieces of her heroes in her work, woven into something that’s entirely her own. Each influence is a layer in the sound she’s crafted, but the result is unique to ggwendolyn.
Outside of music, ggwendolyn has a deep love for wandering through antique malls and spending hours in the kitchen, cooking and baking from scratch. Both of these hobbies feel like a therapeutic escape for her, much like music itself. Whether she's finding something old with a story or creating something new, there’s a strong sense of creativity that runs through everything she does.
And if you’re an avid listener, there’s a lot to look forward to. ggwendolyn is hitting the road very soon with MICHELLE on their West Coast tour, releasing new music off her second trilogy, and already gearing up for the third and final trilogy. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of her music, and as she reflects on her journey thus far, her advice to her younger self is as simple as it is powerful, “You are your own north star, there’s no other compass to follow other than your own.” It’s clear that she’s following that compass now, unshakable in her unique path through music.
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