Interview with Gavi

Today, we sat down with Gavi to discuss their inspiration to write music, heroes, and much more! Be sure to check out the music of Gavi below on Spotify after the interview.

Interview:

What is your inspiration to write your music? Is it your
surroundings?

Absolutely—my inspiration comes from my surroundings, but not just in a physical sense. It’s more about the emotional and experiential landscapes I find myself in. Life experiences, relationships, and the way I process emotions all play a huge role. I think a lot about the human experience—what connects us, what challenges us, and what helps us grow. For example, The Seasonal Affective Disorder :(SAD): Experience was inspired by a deeply personal period in my life, but I used weather as a metaphor to explore emotions and mental health.

I’m also deeply inspired by the stories people share. There’s something incredibly powerful about hearing someone else’s perspective—whether it’s a friend sharing a personal struggle, a fleeting comment from a stranger, or something I observe in passing. Those stories often resonate with my own emotions or open my eyes to entirely new perspectives. In my music, I try to weave those stories into something universal, something that anyone can relate to.

For me, storytelling is about empathy—capturing the nuance, emotion, and humanity in every experience. My goal is to create music that feels deeply personal yet relatable, offering listeners a connection to their own lives and reminding them they’re not alone in what they’re feeling. I’m also driven by the idea of creating something that lives beyond the music—melding storytelling, animation, and perspective to craft immersive “experience albums.” My surroundings—physical, emotional, and imaginative—combined with my own experiences and the stories of others, are at the heart of my creative process.

What type of music did you listen to growing up?

Growing up, I listened to a little bit of everything. Motown was a big part of my early musical exposure, and I absolutely fell in love with legends like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. From there, my tastes expanded into pop music, and I became a huge fan of Adam Levine, Maroon 5, and Ed Sheeran. Ryan Tedder was a major influence on my songwriting—I’ve always admired his work with OneRepublic and beyond.

That said, my musical influences were pretty diverse. I found inspiration in everything from The Beatles to R&B, soul, country, and folk. At the end of the day, I’m drawn to anything that I can feel—it’s all about the emotional connection.

Is there someone you looked up as a hero?

Michael Jackson, Walt Disney, and Dr. Seuss are all huge heroes to me. Michael Jackson, of course, inspired me with his groundbreaking music and performances. His ability to tell stories through music and dance, and the way he connected with audiences on a deep emotional level, was something I’ve always admired.

Walt Disney, with his visionary storytelling and creativity, has always been a guiding influence as well. His ability to create entire worlds through animation, music, and characters has had a lasting impact on how I approach blending music and storytelling in my own work. The way he turned imagination into reality and touched generations with his art has always felt like a huge inspiration.

And Dr. Seuss—his work was about so much more than just children’s books. He had a way of using whimsical characters and stories to convey deeper lessons about life, growth, and perspective. His creativity and ability to make complex ideas accessible through fun, simple language are things I aspire to in my own music and storytelling. All three of them have shaped how I approach creativity, whether it’s through music, animation, or the power of storytelling.

If you weren’t a musician, would you be doing today?

If I weren’t a musician, I’d probably be a relationship therapist. In many ways, it feels like a natural extension of what I do in writing sessions—helping people navigate their emotions and connections, whether through music or conversation. There’s a lot of overlap between understanding people’s experiences and helping them process feelings, which is something I love.

I’d also likely go into teaching. I’ve always found fulfillment in guiding others and helping them discover new perspectives. It would be wonderful to become a doctor because I’ve always wanted to help people, but I have to be honest with myself—I hated science. There was definitely more of a chance of me going to law school than med school! Whatever path I take, though, my goal is always to make a positive impact and help people in any way I can.

What advice do you have for our fans out there that want to create
music?

My advice for anyone wanting to create music is to start by being true to yourself. Don’t worry about fitting into a specific mold or chasing trends—just create what feels authentic to you. Your unique perspective and experiences are what will set your music apart and make it resonate with others.

Also, don’t be afraid to experiment and make mistakes. Music is a journey, and the more you explore, the more you’ll learn about your own sound and voice. Collaborate with others, whether it’s fellow musicians, producers, or even people outside of music who can offer fresh perspectives.

And finally, be patient with yourself. Creating music takes time, and it’s okay if things don’t come together immediately. Keep pushing forward, stay passionate, and remember that every song you create is part of your growth as an artist. Most importantly, trust that your music has the power to connect with people, even if you can’t always see it right away.

About the album:

The Seasonal Affective Disorder :(SAD): Experience is more than just an album—it’s a deeply personal journey through a chapter of my life that was both heartbreaking and transformative. This project began during a time of immense emotional growth, as I navigated the end of a significant relationship and the introspection that followed. Each song represents a piece of that story, capturing raw emotions like vulnerability, longing, and self-discovery. What sets this album apart is the concept of “experience tracks,” where I narrate the journey in real time, immersing listeners in the moments as they unfolded. It’s an invitation to not just hear the music but to feel the experiences with me.

The writing for this album started during the relationship itself, but the production came to life in the summer of 2023, when my friend Micah and I practically locked ourselves in the studio to bring the songs to their full potential. Those long days and nights of collaboration made this project feel like a labor of love, where every detail was carefully crafted to tell the story in the most impactful way possible.

While there are countless breakup albums out there, I wanted this one to focus less on the breakup itself and more on the fragile moments that come before and after—the life support of love, when you’re barely hanging on and unsure if you should let it go or fight to bring it back. The album also explores the aftermath, the lingering questions, and the eventual growth that follows. It’s a deeply introspective journey that sets the stage for what comes next. My goal was to create a seamless transition into the next chapter, allowing the audience to see the growth and evolution throughout the story.

The album revolves around weather as a central metaphor, symbolizing emotions and mental health diagnoses. It was inspired by a pivotal moment with a psychiatrist during the middle of the album’s creation, which shaped much of the story. That experience reframed everything—what I thought were purely emotional struggles were, in part, attributed to my mind and an eventual diagnosis. While this perspective made some of the pain feel smaller, it also added layers of complexity. I wanted to reflect this in the album by naming many of the experience tracks after therapies and disorders, mirroring my journey through the breakup, the heavy emotions, and the nuances of mental health.

At its core, this album is about validating those experiences—not just the intrinsic emotional aspect, but the entire journey. While I fully support the recent push for therapy and mental health awareness and think it’s absolutely necessary and important, I also believe there’s always nuance in every story. Through my experience albums, I aim to project that nuance, along with empathy, perspective, and balance. We’re also working on expanding this project into a visual experience, using animation, music, and the “experience tracks” to provide even more context. This album means everything to me because it represents authenticity, vulnerability, and hope. It’s a reminder that even in our darkest seasons, there’s light to be found in the connections we make and the experiences we share.

Music:

Vic

Editor / Writer / Producer For Drop the Spotlight

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