Photo by Jenn Curtis

Every week, we’re here to remind you of the Boston artists we love and think you oughta know.

Since the age of four, Gillian has been creating music, but now, at sixteen, she has officially released her first professional single. She’s on the rise to become a pop icon in the Boston music scene. Shortly after the release of “high,” she sat down with Allston Pudding to talk about the new single and dreams for the future. 

Gillian’s musical journey started early. Like most vocalists, she remembers always singing, but her instrumental career started when her brother took up piano lessons. And like most younger siblings who look up to their older siblings, she decided to take up the instrument too. What really got her into creating music, however, was Taylor Swift. “When I was seven, I heard ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift and it changed my life forever, “ Gillian says. Even though that was almost ten years ago, Swift’s influence is still heard through Gillian’s expert use of storytelling in her latest single, “high.”

“I wrote ‘high’ during a time in my life where I was talking to this wild child who partied a lot. I’m not anything like that, so there was a real disconnect between us because I couldn’t experience drinking and smoking with him. This song came from a real place of desperation and sadness,” Gillian says. “After I released ‘high,’ I felt like I was giving a piece of myself to the world. It was difficult. I was definitely super excited because this is one of my favorite songs, but it felt like the world was reading my diary.” 

Gillian’s latest single pulls influences from another pop queen. The opening piano instrumental is very reminiscent of Billie Eilish, who Gillian also notes as a major influence in her songwriting, along with H.E.R., Ella Mai, and Amy Winehouse. The soft harmonies mixed with the sweet main vocals also gives me Tory Kelly vibes too.  Gillian has a wonderful talent for conveying such raw emotion in her voice throughout the song that it transported me back to when I was sixteen. 

So what’s next for Gillian? She says a new single in June and hopefully an album in the coming future. This girl’s going places, so you don’t want to miss out. 

Take a listen to “high” below. You can also stream it on all music platforms.