Documenting life from 17-21, Gayle captures a lively lament of love, heartbreak and coming-of-age on her debut record, “Observing Chaos.”
In the five years since Gayle released her breakout pop-rock single “abcdefu,” she’s been living a life that many don’t reach until much later in their career. She’s been nominated for a Grammy, amassed billions of streams and has toured with Taylor Swift and My Chemical Romance. It might make sense that the 22-year-old pop singer would rush to drop an album as soon as possible, but that isn’t how Gayle operates. Instead, the Nashville-based singer takes time to experience and understand life, whether that be on the road or with her family in Texas. In between cherishing live music, writing songs with close friends and curating her own fan community — cheekily titled “The G Spot” — she’s been able to create from a space of groundedness and youth.
This year, she finally released her anticipated debut album, “Observing Chaos,” on Sept. 18. Seperated into two discs, the record spans styles from pop-rock, acoustic and alternative as she recounts teenage memories with fervent energy. Whether she’s gushing over a new love in “junebug!” or reflecting on the bittersweet past in “arkansas,” the album feels truly alive as a comprehensive product of years of work.
Speaking with The Knockturnal, Gayle opens up about the album’s creation, speaking about everything from producing her own work to the most important takeaways from her whirlwind career.
