gavn!’s newest single “City of Angels” is a continuation of the story the Washington-raised artist’s last single “Emerald City” began to tell, which emphasized missing home and his roots in small town Puyallup, Washington.
“City of Angels” shares gavn!’s experiences of chasing his dreams in Hollywood and how the hardships of trying to “make it” in LA have on his mental health.
“I’ve been traveling to Los Angeles a lot this past year in an attempt to pursue my artist career and that’s actually where I wrote “City of Angels”. After multiple trips this year, I realized the constant process of achieving my dreams can actually distract me from my true joys in life; the simple things.
‘The City of Angels’ is a well known nickname for Los Angeles, where people from all walks of life converge to make their dreams a reality. But as glamorous and hopeful as it may seem, when you look around town you’ll see that there aren’t any “angels” and that most people are focused on themselves.
This record emulates that lust for success and the hardship of trying to “make it” in a place that is taxing on mental health. As crazy as it may seem, it unexpectedly came together after my last record “Emerald City” was released, which emphasized the feeling of missing home and “your roots”. “City of Angels” exposes the raw reality of what it means to be chasing your dreams in Hollywood.”
Says gavn about the track
What do you think is the most important aspect of your life right now?
My creativity and the overall grind of pursuing a career as an artist is currently the most crucial element of my life, as now more than ever, I’m working every single day: writing, recording, and creating content to market my music.
What makes this song special in your opinion?
Most people pursuing a career as an artist can identify with the theme of social and work toxicities that get overlooked on this journey.
What are some of the core messages here?
Sometimes, leaving behind an easy life to pursue something that’s more difficult, in the end, will determine your overall success.
How do you think TikTok and social media are contributing to change an artist’s career?
These platforms give everybody a fair opportunity to put themselves in front of massive audiences that don’t require “door opening”. TikTok doesn’t care about where you might be in your life, and it allows you to connect with people who appreciate would appreciate your music and yourself.
What excites you about your life?
Not knowing what’s next, as much as it also drives me crazy sometimes.
What are some of your core values as a human being?
Treat people how you want to be treated and lead by example.
What are your projects for this year?
Dropping way more music than I did last year. I have a bunch of singles coming out, and I think I may put out my first body of work towards the summer.
