BTS: When it comes to your writing process, you play guitar, but do you start with lyrics? Melody? KG: I generally start with something to say. Going into the studio, when I’m going into a full write I always like to have a piece ready. It can be very awkward when you don’t have anything else to do. When I’m just writing myself, I usually start with an idea, a thought that i want to say. And i sit down with my guitar and I mess around with the chords and word vomiting. And if something great comes it comes, and if not, I keep going. BTS: When you collaborate with other writers, you say you like to bring something into it. Do you always bring lyrics? KG: I usually bring...I have all of these pieces of all of these different songs that I started writing on my own or it wouldn’t flow or it was just abandoned. So I always bring in a couple of ideas, like a chorus or a verse. Or a melodic idea. Because it’s just nice to have in your back pocket, in case it doesn’t go so well. BTS: So as far as performing goes, you’ve had the chance to perform to some huge audiences and some intimate audiences. What is it like with intimate audiences? Is the feedback better? KG: I love intimate audiences because you get to really have a conversation with everyone. You get to see everyone’s face and you get to read the room a lot. It’s easier to read the room and to sort of vibe out with each other. So I love like a small, quiet room. But then there’s nothing better than playing with a full band to a bunch of people and rocking out and flipping your hair. So they both kind of have their pros and cons. I did a SoFar gig last night, and playing to a silent room is like really awesome. Fully attentive and listening to every word, it’s terrifying, it’s great. BTS: Was that a very different experience? With SoFar, not everyone is there directly for you right? KG: It’s kind of like a brand new room. You really have to win them. You know? Like you know when you have them at the end that you earned them. It’s really cool to go in front of an audience and just they have no idea who you are and they have no idea what you sound like until you sing for them. And having that kind of opportunity to just start from scratch with a room full of people is awesome. It’s really fun. BTS: What music are you low-key vibing to right now? What’s not popular but you’re really into? KG: I think Maren Morris is fucking incredible. I’ve been listening to her album non-stop. I just finished doing a musical that was like folk, country, bluegrass. I was trying to listen to a lot of country music to kind of understand it and get certain nuances down and I was listening to like all Dixie Chicks. I’m always listening to Taylor Swift because I think she’s a brilliant writer. Maren Morris, Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, I love country music. I really, more sort of, not country, Daywave, Hound Mouth, I’m always a huge fan of BORNS and The 1975. I kind of love everything. Any artist that kind of tells me a story in the song I’m into. Yeah, I love all music, I really do. BTS: If you could write with anyone dead or alive, who would it be? KG: That’s a really hard question. You know, I really want to write with The 1975. I think they’re amazing. I would really love to write with, I think Jack Antonoff does really amazing
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