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Still On A Wanderland High: Our Sit Down With Gabrielle Aplin

Still On A Wanderland High: Our Sit Down With Gabrielle Aplin

Believe it or not, Gabrielle Aplin was wowed by us

 

 

At this point, you probably know that Wanderland happened a weekend ago. You’ve seen the videos, probably liked a few OOTDs and wished you were there to listen to the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, Honne, Gabrilelle Aplin, Reese Lansangan, The Kooks, Masego, Sandwich, Nathan & Mercury and so many more.

 

Suffice to say that the weekend that was was an overwhelming experience—and we’re still not over it. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to speak with Saturday performer Gabrielle Aplin before she flew home.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq7frN-nXXk/

 

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What was it like to upload your first YouTube video? What was your intention?

Gabrielle: I had no intentions at all. I kind of just did it because I was learning to do songs and I just wanted to share that with friends and family. I didn’t really think anyone outside of [that circle] would see it really. I didn’t hide it or anything, but I didn’t expect it to travel in the way it did. And I just loved it; I just rode with it!

 

So it was kind of unintentional?

Gabrielle: Yeah, kind of. I always knew I wanted to work in music, but I just thought maybe I’d work in publishing; I wanted to be a song writer and then the opportunities presented themselves and I just went along with them.

 

And what happened after that?

Gabrielle: I was just making the most out of every free opportunity and resource I had—Myspace, YouTube. At the time, that’s when I started going, “Okay, I want to be an artist and I want to be taken seriously.” But at the time, YouTube artists weren’t necessarily commercially successful and weren’t taken seriously and I really wanted to be taken seriously. I was writing my own songs, so I said maybe I should but [those] up as well.

 

What did you mean in “My Mistake” when you said “There's magic in this misery”?

Gabrielle: It’s just about wallowing in self-pity [laughs]—literally. You know, when you feel awful and [your friends] are just like, “Come on, let’s go outside” and you’re just, “No, I want to be sad.” It’s just about procrastinating and being happy.

 

It sounds a lot sadder than it actually is. It’s just about saying, “Yup, this is how it is. I can’t be bothered today.”

 

What is your favorite lyric from your own library?

Gabrielle: Oh, I’ve never been asked that before…You know, I always just love the most recent thing that I released because whatever I release next, I just want it to be the best song I have. So I really love, actually in My Mistake, “I’m such a loser, getting beat at my own game.”

 

To me it’s just owning your misery for a second.

 

Is there a theme you haven't touched before that you'd really like to get into?

Gabrielle: Uhm…maybe? I have no specifics. I try to write about things that I’m aware of, things that I’ve experienced or friends’ experiences or [what is] socially going on. I haven’t really written about more social events and politics and things like that.

 

A lot of the artists I’m inspired by kind of came through that revolution in the 60s and 70s. They were writing about war and politics and things that were affecting people, so I feel like in this time when the world’s just a little bit crazy, I think that will be happening soon.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br-REEunJPJ/

 

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What was the best part about playing at Wanderland?

Gabrielle: Everyone knows the songs! And people actually turning up [laughs]. You know, [Wanderland] is on the other side of the world so you never know what’s gonna happen. I loved it. It’s amazing that people actually know the songs.

 

Were you able to see any of the local acts? Who caught your ear in particular?

Gabrielle: Ugh, there was a lady! I can’t remember her name…she was really sweet. She has an EP called Arigato Internet. She was cool and she had like glittery makeup and she played with the ukulele. I saw a bit of her and thought she was really good.

 

Was it Reese Lansangan?

Gabrielle: Reese! It was Reese!

 

If you could spend a little more time in the Philippines, what would you do? Is there any particular place you'd like to see?

Gabrielle: I’ve heard a lot about the smaller islands and the beaches are incredible, so I’d love to do a bit of that. But I did a classic tourist thing and visited old Manila on a bike. I learned so much! I learned about the Spanish and the Japanese and the Americans coming here and I was like, “Oh! That’s why; I get [the influences] now.”

 

What's the best part of your career? The worst?

Gabrielle: The best part of my career is when you have a number 1, but in a country that you’ve never been to. That’s always mind-blowing. It happened in Brazil a couple years ago and that was just insane. I definitely think that was a highlight for me.

 

I don’t think there’s anything worst or bad…I do find travel really hard sometimes though. It’s hard but like playing the gig completely makes it worth it.

 

What's your message to your Filipino fans? We're hoping it's a “See you again soon!”

Gabrielle: Oh yeah, absolutely! I would love to go back. I was just really thankful for the opportunity and to be booked for this festival because my fans on Twitter, every day, were just, “Come to the Philippines, come to the Philippines!”

 

I hope to be back soon and I’d like to thank them for really welcoming me here.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuOPcXpHEGm/

 

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The plans aren’t set in stone, but at this point, we’re just thrilled that Gabrielle is very much willing to come back. And if you still want to hear more from here, she does have dozens of videos up on YouTube and some songs on Spotify.

 

 

Art Alexandra Lara

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