Looking for a refreshing, creative artist who writes from the heart? Fay Gauthier is the way to go. Taking an open approach to her sound, her music isn’t just limited to a single genre. She’s been making music from a young age, been on hiatus, and now makes her return with her new album, Firehead.
Fay Gauthier shares her experiences, inspirations, and music with CelebMix!
How would you personally describe your musical sound?
Genre-fluid. For simplicity, I often say it’s pop with jazz flavors, but depending on the song it can lean towards country, blues or even have hip-hop influences, so genre-fluid sort of covers it all.
Who or what inspired you to start making music?
I wrote my first song when I was ten. I always knew I loved making music, but it was an evolutionary process getting from loving it to actually doing it. I had to quiet the critic in my head telling me that it wasn’t a practical way to make a living. But after doing the corporate thing for a few years I knew that I didn’t want to stay on that path, and I began writing songs and recording.
What first inspired you to pursue music as a professional career?
There were two events that pushed me towards making this my profession. First, I had a really bad car accident in my mid-twenties. The car was totaled. I walked away shaken, but otherwise unhurt. It made me reevaluate what I was doing with my life, which led to me taking my music more seriously. The second was a pointed and vivid dream I had where an old woman, who I took to represent my older self, literally screamed at me to change my life.
Who is one artist you’d love to collaborate with?
Fiona Apple. She’s amazing.
What would you say is the greatest challenge about writing and releasing your own music?
Getting heard. The digital explosion is great in that there’s so much more music out there now, and so many more ways artists can promote themselves, but the flip side of that is that it’s more challenging to stand out.
You’re coming back from a hiatus with a new single, “Be What You Are” and an album, Firehead. What made you want to make a return from your hiatus?
I found myself missing music, and at the same time I kept randomly meeting people whose focus was music in one way or another. I felt like the Universe was giving me a nudge, and I’m glad I listened.
Are there any songs that are personal favorites from “Firehead?
I love all the songs for different reasons, but from a sentimental standpoint I’d have to say either “Living In A Daydream”, because it’s plucked from the happy memories of my childhood or “Goodbye” because it’s a love song to my yellow lab, who passed a couple years ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss that sweet guy.
It sounds like “Be What You Are” will be an encouraging song for your listeners – was there a time in your life that it was hard to be who you are, and what did you do to overcome it?
Thank you. I hope it is an encouraging song. We wanted it to be upbeat and celebratory. As for my life, it was a challenge giving up the stability of my corporate job to be what I am, or at least at that time what I envisioned myself becoming. There were naysayers who didn’t hide the fact they thought what I was doing was crazy, which made me think, “maybe it is crazy.”
But two things helped me overcome my self-doubt. First, I’m very stubborn. It’s not my best trait, but here it helped because deep down I knew no matter how difficult it might be, for the sake of my health and happiness I needed to make this change. Secondly, there were and still are a lot of people excited for me and rooting for my success. So as much as I made the change for myself, I was and am very invested in having their support not be in vain.
We hear that your next single is “Living In A Daydream”, what can we expect from the track?
“Living In A Daydream” is a guitar driven ballad with a strong country vibe. The lyrics are taken straight from my childhood memories.
What would be your ideal daydream destination to live in?
I’ve never been to Bora Bora, but it looks like a perfect destination for daydreams.
If you could only listen to one song on a loop for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“Feeling Good” by Nina Simone.
What are some hobbies you enjoy when you’re not making music?
Hiking, tennis, Texas hold em, and wine tasting.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
Yes. Thanks for listening! And reach out to me at www.faygauthier.com. Love to hear your thoughts on my new songs.
You can find Fay Gauthier on Spotify and Facebook.
Looking forward to more new music from Fay Gauthier? Let us know by tweeting us at @CelebMix.