Gabi Sklar is not here to blend in. She’s here to bedazzle the pop landscape with glitter, grit, and a voice that can swing from smoky lounge melancholy to full-throttle arena euphoria — sometimes in the same verse. Today, she drops “Stardust,” a rhinestone-laced anthem that fuses downtown pop rebellion with rhinestone rodeo realness. And yeah, it goes hard.
Imagine if Shania Twain took a shot of mezcal with Lana Del Rey at a neon-lit saloon, then wandered into a synth-drenched Nashville fever dream — that’s where “Stardust” lives. It’s bold, it’s twangy, it’s glittery as hell, and most importantly, it’s unmistakably Gabi.
“It’s a sparkling summer anthem that sticks in your head like glitter in your hair,” says Sklar. “(And horse shit on your boot.)”
Iconic behavior.
STARDUST ISN’T JUST A SONG — IT’S A STATEMENT
Built on a sultry country groove but dressed in high-gloss pop glam, “Stardust” flirts with genre without fully committing to any one lane — and that’s the magic. Co-produced by hitmakers known for their work with Ariana Grande, Raye, and Reneé Rapp, the track balances sassy strut with cinematic ache, anchored by Sklar’s powerhouse vocal, which glides and growls in all the right places.
It’s glitter-drenched confidence with a kiss of heartbreak. It’s main character energy for when you’re crying on a mechanical bull. It’s post-breakup eyeliner running and shining.
In short? It slaps.
FROM LONG ISLAND TO LABOR DAY WITH SHAGGY
If Gabi Sklar’s name isn’t already on your radar, wake up. The New York native has been building toward this moment since she was a kid — scribbling lyrics on her grandma’s old piano, soaking up influences, and eventually landing sessions with songwriting royalty like Diane Warren, Tommy Brown, and Anton Göransson.
In the past few months alone, she’s clocked:
• 5M+ followers across socials
• Nearly 800K Spotify streams
• A viral hit with “Miami,” now a staple at Miami Heat games
• An upcoming support slot for Shaggy in Miami Beach this Labor Day
You read that right. Gabi Sklar is opening for Mr. Boombastic himself, and we couldn’t imagine a better cosmic pairing.
POP’S NEXT ASTROGIRL
What makes Gabi Sklar different from the sea of glittery wannabes orbiting pop right now? It’s not just the vocals — though those are seriously nuclear. It’s the world-building. The attitude. The way she leans into camp while still keeping it raw. Her universe is sparkly, cinematic, and a little bit feral — kind of like if early Lady Gaga drove a vintage Camaro through the desert, crying and screaming and laughing all at once.
“Stardust” is the perfect introduction to that world: unapologetically over-the-top, infectiously hooky, and more than a little chaotic in the best way.
“Stardust” feels like a rhinestone rodeo on a neon-lit city street — where did this glitter-drenched attitude come from? Was there a particular moment or feeling that sparked the song?
Although the song leans into a country twang ironically, I’m a city girl being born and raised in New York. My signature hoops and attitude definitely stem from that New York culture. The song was inspired by feeling everything at once…and a good night out.
There’s something so unapologetically confident about this track. Has stepping into your own “main character” energy changed the way you approach songwriting?
I wouldn’t say so but I think as people, especially entering young womanhood, we can feel so many different emotions. That leans into the beautiful complexity of humanity and the female experience.
We hear smoky country undertones tucked into your pop sound here — how intentional was that genre-bending? Who or what influenced this rhinestone/city girl hybrid vibe?
I was always told I had country elements in my voice. This is the first time I actually leaned into it and am embracing that side of me. It’s the most authentic my music has ever felt.
You’ve written alongside legends like Diane Warren and Tommy Brown — what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in those rooms about writing for yourself versus writing for others?
I’ve always intentionally written for myself and sometimes another artist hears a demo but I am not ready to give up my own story. I’m just writing it! Every room I walk into, I want to walk out having learned something from either the people in it or the experience leaving it.
You’ve built an audience of over 5 million fans — how does it feel to finally give them this chapter of your story? Do you think they’re ready for the sassier, louder version of you we hear in “Stardust”?
This is probably the most sassy it’s going to get right now but what’s more powerful to me is the vulnerability and there is plenty of that to come in the new music. Less adding on and more stripping back to my roots.
If “Stardust” were a movie scene, what would it look like? Who’s playing you?
Definitely someone with a big head, resembling a Bratz doll, 6ft tall (it’s a movie so we can pretend I’m not 5 2) with lots of personality. They’re on a horse riding off into the sunset, racing a bullet train. Maybe I just robbed a bank, the Gabiverse is as big as the production budget allows it to be!
You call this your breakout, “main character” moment — what does that look like to you beyond just the numbers and streams? How will you know when you’ve truly arrived?
To be honest, I never measure success by numbers, streams or analytics for that matter. Success is defined by connection and a feeling of purpose. Right now, I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be and where we go next? That’s part of the adventure in not knowing.
