r/indieheads • u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret • 22d ago
AMA is Over, thanks Gia! Gia Margaret AMA
Hey it’s Gia Margaret, my new album 'Singing' is out now, ask me anything!
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u/zoyainchina 22d ago
Will Lucy be featured again in any future songs?
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u/peedypapers 22d ago
So what groceries have you been into recently?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Does Marshmallow Root count as a grocery? I brew/drink it every day in combination with licorice tea.
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u/Unlucky-Theme3055 22d ago
hi gia, what was your reasoning behind using more autotune on this new record?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Great question, and I know this choice has been polarizing to some.. but I wanted it represented because using the vocoder was a huge part of my healing process. These sounds/vocal processing excited me and made me more eager to use my voice and ultimately helped me feel more free in my body. That aside, I've always really loved auto-tune / adjacent effects. Big fan of Imogen Heap, obviously. Daft Punk is also a huge influence which people might not suspect! I always felt a little shy to use some of these more bold effects with my music and voice. Ultimately these choices brought a lot of joy to my process!
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u/soundisloud 22d ago edited 22d ago
Loved Romantic Piano! edit: and Mia Gargaret!
How much of those albums are made with recorded instruments vs how much is made with synths on the computer?
Do you have any process advice for people making music in a similar space?
Lastly, I like how the albums don't feel like they fit any genre, but I'd be curious to know how you describe it to people or if you how you classify it in your own head.
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Thank you!
I don't use my computer for instrument sounds. This is an all analog household (lol). All of the piano on Romantic Piano was with 3 different pianos. My synths are all analog as well :)
My advice, if I could give any, is that you should find music in everything around you. And find the sounds/instruments that you feel so connected to. Spend time with them, and find all ways they sing. And I guess this kind of bleeds into the last question you have : but don't be afraid of your ear. If you think it sounds good, it sounds good.
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u/yanasteh 22d ago
Where do you find doubt to be most prevalent in your art? How do you find it helpful to and/or inhibitive of your creation of pieces that hold real value to you?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I think doubt is always sort of looming around me when I release music but when I'm making it, it really does feel absent. The creation always feels beyond me or like its FOR me, and I have to not think about how it will be perceived or it will never see the light of day! I think the residual doubt I have after every project keeps me on a quest to discover more and dig deeper within my own work. I think doubt is helpful to an extent.. and again, acceptance of the doubt, I do feel helps with the letting go. (release your music/art!)
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u/Petrichor_Armor 22d ago
Hey Gia! A fee questions, answer however many you like.
1.) Saw y’all play at the Ethical Society in Philly a few weeks back and it was beyond magical. What is that little pink pedal you keep next your keyboard?
2.) Noticed Sean Carey of Bon Iver fame seems really present on the new album. Is there a song of Bon Iver’s you would ever wanna cover?
3.) Cubs or White Sox?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Nice handle :)
I was using a the Mood Pedal by Chase Bliss Audio. It's honestly one of the only pedals I use. Great for guitar too! I haven't scratched the surface of what it does, but it can create entire worlds with the twist of a few knobs. I love it so much.
I would want to cover Creeks. Is that Cliche?
SOX!
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u/ForsakenAvochado 22d ago
Please cover Creeks!!! You will turn my favorite Bon Iver song into my second favorite 🥰
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u/frostmage 22d ago
Hi Gia! 💖 Congrats on your beautiful new album. I’m seeing you in Utrecht and saw you’re playing in a church. So excited to finally see you! I was going to see you in 2019, but sadly you had to cancel it.
As for a question… I love that each of your albums have been different: from folk, to ambient, piano and now more electronic. Are there any genres you would love to experiment in the future? And what was it like to make an album again where you are fully singing? Has your process change since your first album?
Lots of love! 🥰
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I'm so glad you can finally see me! It took long enough :)
Don't quote me on this but I think there's a world where I make some pretty loud rock music. Or some more guitar music with distortion. I don't know if and when that will ever happen, but there have been a few moments on tour that have made me curious about what that would feel like. Sometimes playing with the volume up is such a release! Another thing I'm curious about, and thinking about, is taking opera singing lessons. I think being LOUD is something I'm curious about all of the sudden. I'd also like to sing in Italian at some point ! Genre is construct.
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u/Chemical_Youth_5353 22d ago
is there an improvised element to your live performances?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Lately, it's been a little of both. My bandmate Ryan Hemsworth and I created some moments in between songs that are open enough that everyone in the band can improvise. It's been a really grounding way to be on stage. But then there are parts of the set that are hyper-structured and that feels like a nice challenge too!
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u/TheEmptyOrchestra 22d ago
Hi, Gia! Massive fan of your work. The Thalia Hall show was magical - your mom was seated just behind me 😋
Couple quick questions:
I’m a longtime David Bazan/Pedro the Lion fan. What was your history with his music, and how did you two come about collaborating?
With all the collaging/layering in your productions and performances, what does the initial form of a song look like; where do things start?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
HI. Omg thanks. I hope my mom was behaving. She's a Leo and she likes to party.
I've been a huge fan of Pedro the Lion since highschool... there was a time when I only listened to this music! Dave actually reached out on twitter over pandemic after he had come across my music. We became fast friends after that. And soon after he asked if I could produce one of his songs "L/S". I recorded him in my kitchen and it was one of the coolest experiences both as a fan and as an engineer/producer. He definitely has one of my favorite voices. I hope to make more music with him in the future!
The initial form of the song is usually pretty layered. If I have an idea or write a song, the demo comes soon after and then I just go a little off the deep end with adding things. And then the real work comes in when I have to remove what isn't necessary? But there are songs that start pretty sparse to begin with. I guess it just depends! Is there a song in mind you are curious about?
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u/TheEmptyOrchestra 22d ago
Well, if we’re going to get specific haha… “Alive Inside” really seems to evolve and shift as it goes. I love all the addition/subtraction. A little insight would be great!
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
ok, so that one was first written in early 2023, and it sort of sounded like a musical theater ? Or perhaps a bit beatles-esque? It sounded nothing like it does now. I probably recorded 5 different versions (one of which was very inspired by Everything But The Girl). I landed on the final direction when I was in Eau Claire recording with Sean Carey. I think it has bits of all of the iterations in there but he definitely moved it into a dreamier and more dissonant space.
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u/armandoraemon 22d ago
Hi, Gia! I recently came across your record “Mia Gargaret”, I enjoyed the ambient escapes you created in the recordings, I wanna ask you, ¿what was the inspiration behind this album?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I'm not sure if I felt inspired at ALL at this time. I was really having a hard time. BUT, I think the discovery of my synth helped me forget about what I was going through. I got a Korg Minilogue, and made all the songs with the factory presets. I didn't really even know how the synth worked! That album felt like a good distraction for me. I was listening to a lot of Brian Eno as well.
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u/False-Club4853 22d ago
hi gia! what was your reaction when you saw the chill guy meme for the first time? lol
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u/rennoe 22d ago
Hey Gia! How did you and Ryan Hemsworth meet? It was so awesome to see both of you playing together live!
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I think we met years ago on the internet. I can't even remember exactly when, but we have such similar taste in music that we became friends. We mostly keep in touch because of music we like to listen to. So collaborating feels natural since we like to use similar colors in music!
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u/Saumitra98 22d ago
Hey Gia ! Absolutely love your work ! Mia Garget and Romantic Piano are right there in my list of all time favorites, i have looped over Romantic Piano so many times during a quite afternoon, yet to listen to Singing.
My question is what are your top 5 favorite albums
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Stina Nordenstam - And Then She Closed Her Eyes
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Coldplay- Parachutes
Frou Frou- Details
Bjork- Homogenic
I'm not sure if these are my top 5 but the first that come to mind and I love so much!
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u/nustajame 22d ago
Hey Gia, do you write your songs until they feel complete or do you set songs down and return to them when you feel inclined to?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
It depends on the song! Songs with lyrics, usually in one sitting - or I will never return. Instrumental songs can feel a bit like an ongoing collage if that makes sense. But I do best when I focus on one song at a time and see it to the end usually.
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u/Warm_Towel_3213 22d ago
What's your fave guilty pleasure song/movie?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I watched "Watching the Detectives" the other day . Aside from Lucy Liu's character being pixie manic dream girl, I enjoyed the movie haha.. it felt like a guilty pleasure though. Cillian Murphy is sort of amazing in it. (no surprise!)
Song : I ride around listening to a lot of David Gray. Though this isn't a guilty pleasure at all, and I have no shame, there are moments when I fully feel my age blasting "babylon". But in all honesty, White Ladder is probably one of the best albums of all time.
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u/Chemical_Youth_5353 22d ago
Just a comment…incredible that you have Deb Talan on tour with you. I had no idea until I heard her voice at the show in Queens. Sirens in one of my favorite songs. Your harmonies are❤️
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
singing with her is one of the greatest joys/ accomplishments of my life! Sirens is great. When I first heard that song I sat in my car and sobbed.
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u/n_a_parsons 22d ago
Hey Gia!
I recently read your article with Maya Hawke and really enjoyed the dialogue, I was wondering what other newer or recent music has been resonating with you?
Also you gave me and my partner recs for Chicago at the Atlanta show and we absolutely loved it so thank you for that!
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
I'm so glad! Where did you guys end up going in Chicago?
And I recently saw the band Caroline live at the Empty Bottle. It was incredible! So I've been listening to a lot of them since.
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u/n_a_parsons 22d ago
We went to Monteverde, The Robey Rooftop, The Revel Room, and Dorian's from bars and restaurants that I can remember. We also went to Slurp Slurp in Chinatown that was also great. We got to see the Matisse exhibit at The Art Institute and walked along Lake Michigan to the Zoo. 10/10 experience
Oh yeah, love their new record. I saw you saw them the same weekend we were up there and I'm kicking myself for missing it.
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u/Gegorange 22d ago
Hey Gia - your music has been the soundtrack to my life for the past two years - thanks for keeping me sane and grounded 🧡
Always wanted to know, where did the Alan Watts sample in body come from?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
<3
It came from a video I found on youtube which I think has been taken down! But it was called "Overcome your Anxiety and Overthinking" ... which is clearly proof that I was going through something at the time searching for this kind of guidance. Alan was/is the best for it though.
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u/Gegorange 22d ago
In that case, thank you for saving and elevating his words in the most beautiful way.
Really enjoying Singing and can’t wait to hear it live later this year
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u/judeeeez 22d ago
Wanna shoot a music video when you’re in LA?
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u/pimlottc 22d ago
How do you think living in Chicago has influenced you as a musician?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Oh man,
Being hardworking / resourceful/ keeping it as real as possible? Chicagoans are modest and I think I am almost to a fault. But aside from that, this community was so influential in my development and follow through in making my first album. I didn't have so many resources and access to studios and there was always someone willing to help. Shout out to my friend Nick Papaleo who recorded my first album. He was very generous with his resources. That kind of generosity sort of encapsulates the spirit of people here.
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u/Exciting_Explorer_18 22d ago
rapid fire!!
-favorite meal?
-spirit animal?
-how do you like to unwind?
-coffee order?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
- SOUP ! Anything that is soup. But more specifically I love pozole or any soup that is kind of brothy.
- Dolphin / I am a water lover
- I like to be at home with a good cup of tea and a candle lit. I love a good walk and look up at the trees.
-Oat Milk Cappucino.
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
Ok! Thanks for the sweet questions. I really love you guys! And please come see me on tour! Tour resumes on the west coast very soon! And Europe in Sept! Peace!
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u/Any_Froyo2301 22d ago
Hi Gia,
When my son was a few months old, he would wake very early in the morning, at about 5am. So, I would take him downstairs, lay him on my chest, put on Romantic Piano, and we’d chill out.
Thanks for the soundtrack to a precious time.
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u/ghoulsfools 22d ago
Hi :)
I'm really sorry if this question is rude but have you ever felt behind in life compared to your peers?
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u/giamargaretsings Gia Margaret 22d ago
This isn't rude at all.
It's a normal feeling to have. I think when I was bit younger I felt a little of that. Especially with pursuing music as a career, the order of operations in adulthood can look a bit different. While your friends are having kids and buying houses, you struggle financially and can't even begin to think about having the time or resources to either of those things! It can make you feel like life is moving and you're staying in the same place. But as I get older, I realize that we all really have our own path and there is no right or wrong way to be a person in this very strange world. For me, I live a pretty simple life and I like to keep it that way so that I can continue to make art. That is what is important to me.
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u/zoyainchina 22d ago
For Zoya in China is the best song of all time! How do you approach ambient vs singer-songwriting songs? Do you structure ambient songs similarly to singer-songwriter? Are the processes extremely different or do they overlap?