GLVES, an interview

GLVES’ latest track, “Free,” is a delicate journey through a dreamy atmosphere, while also trudging upon some darker terrain. We are very pleased to feature this song on the blog, but also decided to have a nice, little chat with its creator.

UpToHear: First of all, thank you for sending “Free.” Before we get into the heavy stuff, we were curious how you came up with “GLVES” as an artist name.

GLVES: GLVES is pronounced ‘gloves’. As a child, I grew up with extremely bad eczema all over my hands, and I used to wear gloves to play sports and wear them to bed with different treatments after I would damage them. I was ashamed of my hands because of the reactions I would get when I would show them to people, as the skin always looked red, unhealed, split, and painful. It is an analogy for my life story, as I never wanted to share the truth of my experience because I hated the pity, disgust, or scorn. I felt "othered" in many ways, and “GLVES” symbolises how I coped with that. It's layered with meaning.

UTH: Well… so much for waiting to get into the heavy stuff… However, it’s not uncommon for artists to find catharsis through their work and it’s cool that you’ve seized that opportunity. Would you say that it’s been successful in helping you cope?

GLVES: Yes, definitely. I think, for a long time before I found my songwriting voice, I was just surviving. Songwriting has helped me understand and unpack my story, so I can understand myself, and the sharing of my songs allows my story to be witnessed and that is powerfully healing. I acknowledge that it’s really difficult to do that if you are still living in unsafe situations and dealing with the impacts of intergenerational trauma on your life. Making music is not easy if you are not supported mentally and emotionally; it’s extremely difficult if you are breaking a cycle of silence and conformity. I definitely don’t come from a long line of free thinking liberal artists.

UTH: When we received “Free” and read through the press release, we felt that an interview would be appropriate, especially since you are hitting some issues that are quite relevant. You claim that the track sums up your “fiery rage at injustices.” Was that the goal when you began writing? Or did the lyrics happen at a later stage?

GLVES: Yes, it was always the goal. When I'm not making music, I work for a feminist legal organisation that deals with domestic and family violence. I work in that sector because I grew up impacted by those issues, and I am passionate about equality and inclusivity and everyone's ability to access justice, and the song reflects those themes.

UTH: There appears to be many layers to your traumatic past, but instead of writing novels, you’ve managed to produce music that is very cinematic and ethereal. It is difficult to imagine how a song like “Free” is born. Can you walk us through your writing process?

GLVES: I generally start with a theme I am thinking about, write lyrics, find the chords and basic beats, and mess around with a demo for a while. I also create a list of reference tracks I am inspired by, then I work collaboratively with my producer, and we bounce ideas around to shape the sound and feel and structure of the track. Then the vocal layers are their own process, and I have trusted artists and friends with whom I bounce and build vocal track ideas. For “Free,” in particular, my producer came up with some music based on my brief, and then we workshopped the sound and lyrics; it was a co-write. My tracks do take a while to take shape as I like to sit on them for a while and see how they make me feel. I like collaborating and bouncing off other people because it's a much more enjoyable process.

UTH: You are performing in Brisbane on August 5. How does a track like “Free” translate to a live setting? What does a performance like this entail?

GLVES: My music is also about the visual element; I put a lot of work into my music videos to tell the story. I plan to feature sections of my “Free” music video behind my live singing performance that evening and incorporate live female First Nations dancers.

If you cannot make it to Brisbane on August 5th, GLVES can be found on all major streaming services.