Interview With Goldie Vargas
Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Goldie Vargas recently released her debut EP, “GOLDEN” and showcases recent singles “Moving in Reverse,” “Canyon” and “Strawberry Kisses,” as well as two brand new tracks, “Gravity” and “Mary Jane.” The songs have a chill, west-coast vibe while the lyrics address the struggles of “breakups, mental health struggles and finding myself as a woman and not a girl.”
We caught up with Goldie to talk about ”Canyon” and how the events of the last few years shaped the writing and recording process.
Hi Goldie! How’s everything going right now?
Hi! Everything is going really well. I’m super excited that my EP is out!
What classic album cover is your current mood?
Ram by Paul and Linda McCartney. I’m taking life by the horns, haha!
You’ve just released your debut EP “GOLDEN” – can you tell us a bit about how you went about writing and recording the songs?
I wrote and recorded the entire EP over Summer 2020 with my producer Adam Gurr in Topanga Canyon. Each song is sort of like a diary entry to me, they were all written during different periods of my life that year. It was so incredibly therapeutic — and fun! — experience writing and recording the ‘GOLDEN’ EP!
A lot has happened over the last few years, both for you personally and with events globally; did that change how you approached the songs or did you always have an idea of how you wanted the EP to feel and sound ?
Since we were in the middle of a pandemic, I had a “fuck it!” mindset when going into the recording of the EP. Since it was the first body of work I was recording, I also went in with a big open heart and mind. I trust Adam Gurr a lot, so I think that’s why it was so easy for me to go into the process without any ideas set in stone. It was actually his idea for me to create a whole EP, so I knew I was supported by him 100% throughout the entire process. Whenever I would come into a session with a completed song or idea, he was able to see the full vision of it the way I did. I think it’s really rare to find a producer that can see music that same way as the artist, so I feel very very lucky!
If you could only listen to one record, what would it be?
Maybe also Ram by Paul McCartney! Everything about that record is so beautiful and comforting.
What did you listen to when you were growing up and how did those artists affect “GOLDEN”?
My dad is a huge classic rock fan so I listened to a lot of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Stevie Nicks/ Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, and Funkadelic while growing up. I’m pretty sure the first songs I ever memorized were “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley and “My Girl” by The Temptations. I think the influence of that genre really helped shape my vulnerability with songwriting. I love how Joni and Stevie are able to be so vulnerable in their lyrics — each song feels like a spell or something of that nature because it comes from such a deep, personal place. I find that so inspiring. I also think my songs reference a lot of these great songwriters and artists — I think in “Canyon” and “Strawberry Kisses” you can definitely hear those influences.
As a new artist, do you feel any pressure to create music that will go viral (e.g. on Tik-Tok) to help your career in such a challenging environment right now?
I definitely feel good pressure to go viral and share my music authentically. It’s definitely an exercise in being your own #1 fan and loving your work so much to fearlessly share it every single day. But, I don’t feel pressure to create music simply so that it will go viral. I think it’s a really slippery slope to go down if you’re only creating music to be liked or to go viral — you can easily tell when an artist is creating music for viral purposes or if they’re creating music because they genuinely love it. My goal as a musician is to be the most authentic version of myself and to share a little bit of my soul with the world.
Do you have any plans to play some shows to promote the new EP?
Yes! Keep an eye out on my Instagram (@goldie.vargas) for more!
What would go on your signature pizza and what would it be called?
I just came back from Italy so this question is amazing! It would be a traditional Margherita pizza but with imported ingredients from Italy — it would be called the “per l’intolleranza al glutine” because I’m allergic to gluten, but apparently not in Italy, haha.
What else do you have planned for 2022?
Hopefully find a manager who believes wholeheartedly in my music, play some shows, and write more songs!
At just 21 years old, Goldie Vargas exudes a musicality wise beyond her years. Her music is the definition of California cool with breezy soundscapes, intimate lyricism, and dreamy melodies. Working with her producer Adam Gurr in Topanga Canyon, Goldie has spent the last two years crafting her debut EP, ‘GOLDEN.
