Indie synth talent Tia Gostelow can be recognized for her effervescent vintage vibes.
Her masterful music draws you in with its plush pop arrangements and luminous ’80s quality. The captivating singer’s visuals for her colorful single “Two Lovers” provides all the feels. The track is a powerful narration of two people fighting for their relationship. Tia knows this all too well, as she is in a long-distance partnership and is committed every day to making it work.
The Australian artist has achieved so much in her career thus far, having performed with big names such as Lewis Capaldi and Boy & Bear, as well as working with prominent producers like Oscar Dawson. Now having just released her stunning album, Chrysalis, she bares it all for this delicately intimate offering. Popdust spoke with Gostelow discussing her video inspiration, rich sound, and more.
Tia Gostelow – TWO LOVERS- Official www.youtube.com
Your soaring synth-infused track “Two Lovers” details a couple fighting for their relationship in difficult times. Where did this idea stem from?
While I was writing “Chrysalis” I was really struggling with being away from my family and partner. I had been living by myself for a while, and during that time my anxiety had really come forward and I was trying to figure out how to deal with it. “Two Lovers” really focuses on how I was feeling being away from my partner and how I would try and make myself feel better during those times. It’s also about overcoming those feelings in the end and really trusting and finding yourself.
The song exudes radiant retro vibes while still remaining modern. How was the track concocted, sonically?
When I went into the session with Sam (who I wrote the song with), all I really told him was that I wanted lots of ’80s synths and drums. In my head I was really wanting to channel ’80s pop sounds but wanted to remain true to who I am as an artist, and Sam really helped me do that. The synth lead you hear at the start of the song was what we laid down first, and then we just kept building on that with similar sounds. At some point Sam slipped the cassette tape sound in at the start, and I thought that was literally the coolest thing ever. This song just really naturally came together, and it sounds exactly how I wanted it to sound.
Your heartfelt visuals showcase couples from all walks of life sharing their powerful journey. What was your process in crafting this inspiring video, and how were the couples chosen?
I worked with a friend of mine Dom Gould (who directed) to come up with the concept for the video. We wanted to showcase couples from all walks of life in different scenarios and situations. Dom picked all of the couples and shot those scenes by himself as I was living In a different city at the time, but I think he captured the moments between the couples incredibly well.
Now, especially with the pandemic, some people feel like there is a strain put on their partnership. How do you believe people can help combat that added stress during these trying times?
What I’ve learnt from being in a long distance relationship is that communication is everything. FaceTiming, calling and texting [are] so important, and we’re lucky these days that everything is so accessible. Making sure you make the time for your loved ones is key.
You supported major talents such as Lewis Capaldi and Ball Park Music. Any interesting stories you can share from that time in your life?
Those shows were some of the most fun I’ve had in my life! The Ball Park tour was MASSIVE and was right off the back of my European tour but ended up being one of the best tours I’ve ever been on. For me it was really inspiring to be on a tour with them because they were just the most humble and incredible group of people ever. The band and their whole touring team really welcomed us and showed me, as an emerging artist, the kind of environment and family I want to create within my own team. Every show on that tour was so much fun; I can’t pick a particular moment from that time because it was all so much fun and I learnt a lot from them all!
Your second album, Chrysalis, was just released and is produced by Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy, Alex Lahey). What was your experience working with Dawson on this offering?
Oz is such a good human, and I’m so grateful that I was able to work so closely with him on Chrysalis. He really pushed me to do the best I could when we were recording it and allowed me to be more experimental and really find who I am as an artist. I played a lot more instruments on this record, and he was so patient with me because he knew that I really wanted to be more involved! We also just got along so well, which made the experience even better. I think when you are really comfortable with your producer or whoever you are working with, the process is just so easy and electrifying.
Lastly, who are some artists currently that you find most inspiring?
At the moment I’ve been listening to quite a lot of The Strokes and Ohtis. It’s really getting me back into the groove of writing on my acoustic guitar again, which is really exciting.
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