girly. is a young artist based locally in Abbotsford, B.C. Since beginning his music production journey, he’s built an impressive catalog of music including numerous singles, an EP, and most recently his debut album, Boyish. Exploring themes of anxiety, heartbreak, faith, and hope for the future, girly. packs each song with catchy hooks and upbeat instrumentals that strike feelings of nostalgia laced with ennui. Listening to the record, it’s not hard to see a bright future ahead for the 20-year-old producer.
You’ve actually done quite a bit and in just a couple of years. How did you get yourself into music production?
I think it was grade 11; one of my homies, Jake, was livestreaming on Instagram. I saw he was making music. I was just really curious about what was going on. How did one do that sort of thing? All I remember thinking when I was sitting there was like, “I could do this. Why am I not doing this?” I’m the type of person that if I put my mind to something, I’m doing it to my fullest. So I just went home and started writing and then, yeah, the rest is pretty much history.
I thought, “I need someone to push me and give me a project to do.” So I figured, why don’t I think of this more as, like, a project that I have. Not necessarily a deadline, but I just am obligated to do it because it’s like a school project sort of thing.
I hear a lot of these emotions come through a lot of the tracks, particularly the song, “Sicksh!t.” Can you tell me a little more about that one?
Yeah, it was actually crazy. That was when I was at my old job. I was chilling with my girlfriend one Sunday night and I asked her, “Do you ever just want to bash your head into a wall?” And she’s like, “No, that’s not okay…” And I meant that so genuinely. I wasn’t doing good. She told me I should call in sick the next day. I thought, “Yeah, I might.” I called them and said I couldn’t make it. The next day I was sitting in bed thinking I needed to do something. Take myself out of this and just make something. I sat down at my desk and I sort of ran with it. That’s how that one happened. The whole song is just raw and very emotional. It’s just crazy how people are connecting with that song, it’s really cool.
Who would you say are some of your biggest influences on your music?
I think that the whole SoundCloud era definitely played a huge role in my music. I kinda fell in love with lofi and indie music as well. I’d also say XXXTENTACION, Jean Dawson, and Montell Fish have a strong influence on my music. Especially Montell Fish. I’m a Christian myself, and I know Christians get a bad rap because a lot of bad stuff has gone on in the church, which is really unfortunate. Montell Fish is spreading the word but he’s not super in your face about it either, which is something I really respect.
Going forward, what kind of concepts, themes, and sounds do you hope to explore?
I just went to school for four months at Nimbus School of Recording & Media in Vancouver. I’m doing a lot of rap right now. I’ve been working on more stuff like that recently. Spending a lot of time with my lyrics piecing it together intentionally to tell stories through each song. I’ve also got a bit more in store for Boyish that will be coming soon.
When you say you’ve got a bit more in store for Boyish, what does that entail?
I’ve got a few more shows coming up around the area, which is really exciting. Merchandise is on its way, including CDs, which are coming soon. It’s definitely a process, being a one man team sort of thing. I’ve also got a remix album in the works called Boyish w/ da Homies, which brings in my friends to do some remixes on all the tracks, which is something I’m really excited about. There will also be a single with another local singer, Jobé, which will also be coming as well.
What can people expect to see and experience at their first girly. show?
I like to keep things pretty casual, some talking in between songs, but not too much. Lots of energy, overall expect to have a really fun time. For anyone reading this, if you’re at a girly. show — just come to the front and jump. That’s one of the things I strive for, to have everyone come up to the front by the end of my set.
girly.’s debut album Boyish is out now on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. Make sure to check it out, and keep an eye out for some new releases and show updates coming soon!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Kellyn Kavanagh (they/he) is a local writer, photographer, and musician. They first started writing what they now know to be flash fiction stories in the third grade when they learned how to make little books with a couple sheets of printer paper and a stapler. Their work typically focuses on non-ficiton journalism, short horror fiction, and very depressing poetry.