Gigi Perez writes songs that feel like the truth

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Gigi Perez‘s first album is full of moments that are consistently unsettling and captivating, rarely letting up for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Perez, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from South Florida, gained widespread attention last year with her song “Sailor Song.” This haunting and emotional ballad, about being captivated by a woman resembling Anne Hathaway, became a TikTok sensation. Recorded in her bedroom, the song reached number one in the U.K. and has since been covered by artists like Joe Jonas and Tate McRae, accumulating over 1.4 billion streams on Spotify.

Unlike many artists who have one big hit, Perez has repeatedly managed to recreate her success.

I have to say, this new LP, “At the Beach, in Every Life,” really lets this artist’s voice shine. It’s a stunning instrument – capable of soaring highs and incredibly intimate lows. The songs themselves are raw and honest, exploring themes of love, faith, and a very personal grief. She lost her sister, Celene, in 2020, and while she doesn’t go into specifics, that loss clearly permeates the entire album, giving it a powerful emotional weight.

Irish folk-rock star Hozier, who recently had Gigi open for him on tour, describes her voice as incredibly powerful – able to cut through the air like a blade. He believes her voice carries a sense of her inner self with it.

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Born to Cuban parents, Perez began songwriting around age 15 and briefly attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She was signed to Interscope Records in 2021, but the label ended their contract after two years, as she hadn’t achieved significant mainstream success.

Ever since “Sailor Song” really took off, Perez got signed to Island Records. They released “At the Beach, in Every Life” back in April, and I’ve been loving it! What’s really cool is that Perez actually produced the whole album herself. Imran Majid, one of the heads at the label, keeps emphasizing that this album is truly *her* vision, and I totally get what he means – you can really feel her personality shining through.

Singer Perez is coming to the Wiltern on October 21st. She recently visited Los Angeles to appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and prepare for the MTV Video Music Awards, where she was up for the Best New Artist award.

She explained she’d been busy with styling and wardrobe preparations, gesturing to a clothing rack in the hallway of the Airbnb where they were staying in the West Hollywood hills.

Do you find that fun? I’ve definitely changed a lot. I used to get really attached to certain clothes – if I loved a shirt, I’d wear it constantly. Trying on new things feels different now. I actually used to get upset in dressing rooms as a kid, so being able to do this now is building my confidence and resilience.

Have you noticed a change in your style since your teenage years? A lot of people my age joke that 2017 feels like our version of the 1980s. When I look back at what I used to wear, it’s hard to describe – it just feels very different. It reminds me of the music and vibe of artists like Julia Jacklin, Mac DeMarco, and the Arctic Monkeys.

What albums instantly remind you of being a teenager? Two popular choices are The Killers’ “Hot Fuss” and Marina and the Diamonds’ “Froot.”

It’s hard for me to say where Marina ranks among popular female pop artists. She was hugely influential to me growing up – I have so many vivid memories of car rides with my sisters and friends, blasting “Electra Heart” when I didn’t even have my driver’s license yet!

When asked about their most ‘Floridian’ song, the artist mentioned “Sugar Water.” It’s deeply connected to their childhood, evoking memories of their first home and a specific, vivid image of their dad in a Halloween costume. They didn’t realize a common theme connected their songs until they had written several, but they then noticed a recurring focus on water. This theme, they explained, represented both a longing for Florida and a way to process feelings of grief. Growing up, water access – the beach, swimming – was a free and central part of family life for them, unlike other recreational activities like hiking or skiing.

What’s the most Floridian song not by you?
Hmm.

Someone asked if I knew Pitbull. I used to joke in high school that he was my cousin – a lot of Cuban-Americans felt the same way, like we were all family.

Are you up on the stomp-clap discourse?
Like the genre?

You’re naming a bunch of similar bands – Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I get it, they all sound alike!

When a clip from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ Tiny Desk Concert became popular online—specifically after someone on Twitter called it the worst song ever—I started thinking about *why* it bothered people so much. It’s important to remember that different social media platforms have different vibes. Twitter is a tough place; it’s known for being critical and even hurtful, and it’s not surprising that this kind of reaction happened there.

I notice some overlap between the band Stomp-Clap and your own music, particularly in the guitar work. However, I feel your music has a balance of sincerity and self-awareness that Stomp-Clap doesn’t quite capture.

I remember being glued to the TV watching Marcus Mumford on “VH1 Top 20 Countdown.” My musical tastes were all over the map growing up—I listened to everything from reggaeton and Broadway musicals to 2000s Christian pop, Pierce the Veil, and Ariana Grande.

I’m wondering what popular Christian music from the 2000s I should revisit – maybe some songs I didn’t know well at the time? There’s a current online trend about growing up as a sheltered Christian in the 2000s, and it’s bringing a lot of those songs back into the spotlight.

Does that description fit you? For seven years, I was very sheltered and focused on simple, happy things like Easter and pretty dresses. Then my family started attending an American church, and that became my whole world until I stopped going at age seventeen.

Someone asked me about the line in “Sailor Song” where I sing “I don’t believe in God,” and it got me thinking about how I arrived at that point. Honestly, it wasn’t a sudden realization, more like something out of “The Truman Show.” It wasn’t a snap decision, you know? It took years of slowly unlearning things, questioning everything I’d been taught. I spent ages going down rabbit holes on Reddit and watching videos where guys like Rhett & Link really break down ideas. Then, one day, it just hit me – the world suddenly looked completely different, like I was seeing it for the first time.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever return to religion. I’ve been discussing ideas like free will and creation with my therapist, but I struggle with the logical inconsistencies I find within them. The typical Christian response – that some questions are only answered in the afterlife – doesn’t resonate with me. I can’t accept believing in an all-powerful creator who intentionally withholds answers, even if it brings others peace. I need to understand things for myself.

It’s troubling to see how Christianity is increasingly used to justify political agendas, shielding hatred and oppression. Seeing the invocation at President Trump’s inauguration was particularly upsetting, as the way people spoke about Jesus felt completely different from how I was raised. It feels like we’re moving backwards, and it’s hard to understand how this is happening in the name of faith.

Music

The somber and intense song remains number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the sixth consecutive week. Warren’s first album will be released this Friday.

It’s noteworthy that two popular songs this year, “Sailor Song” and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” both use religious themes to describe romantic or sexual relationships. It’s amazing how early lessons stay with you, almost like they’re permanently stored in your memory. However, when I finished high school, I wasn’t focused on those deeper ideas. I was simply thinking about college, girls, and enjoying life.

I included voicemail messages from my sister on the album because I wanted her to feel like she was a part of it. She was an incredible opera singer, truly one of the best I’ve ever heard. She always supported my dream of becoming a singer, and I feel like our paths crossed for a reason.

Your voice is pretty unique. Did you always feel good about it, or did it take time to realize it could be a strength as a singer? Well, when I was a kid learning to sing, a friend named Celene, who was very much a ‘Disney kid,’ always had me sing the male parts in duets – I’d be Aladdin in ‘A Whole New World,’ for example, and I really embraced that. My voice started changing around age 14 or 15, and that’s when it first developed the tone you hear now. Like a lot of singers, I went through a phase of overly stylistic, flowing vocals around 2016, but I’ve moved past that. I’m curious to see how I’ll feel about my voice in another ten years.

Do you usually categorize voices as strictly male or female? I’ve never really thought about it that way. I listened to singers of all types growing up – like Adele, Jeff Buckley, and Brandon Flowers. I guess around the end of high school I started noticing some voices didn’t fit neatly into those categories, and I began to explore that. Now, I just appreciate voices for what they are, without trying to label them.

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2025-10-08 21:32