Gemma Navarrete
Photo credit: Shen Osaki
I decided to interview Gemma Navarrete on my blog for several reasons. First, she’s from Australia, and I love Australian artists. Second, she has a BEAUTIFUL voice. Third, her debut single “Older” has a lot of potential and last but not least, I believe she will keep on getting better and better as the years go by and I want to be here to support her for the beginning of this journey. Like I said earlier, “Older” has a lot of potential. It is beautiful, honest, soulful and r&b and it just feels great to get to feature artists like her. I usually feature pop artists (and I adore them !!) but it’s always really cool to feature other genres :)
Anyway, “Older” is out now - go stream it and go support Gemma !! :)
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I’m Gemma! I’m a twenty year old singer/ songwriter from Sydney, Australia. I began singing when I was around eight, but only started taking it more seriously when I was ten and began getting lessons.
When did you know you could sing?
Funny story! According to my mum, when I was born I was humming along to the television at one point - the song was ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ by Kylie Minogue. As far as I can remember however, I realised I could sing after visiting a few Karaoke bars during a holiday in Queensland and receiving compliments from family and strangers - it made me question, “was I good at this?” Then I got an ego as an eight year old blah blah blah ;).
What did you grow up listening to?
Pre cell phone / iPod - I would listen to what my parents did. This ranged from Latin American music, The Police, hits on the radio and Italian opera. Once I began listening to my own music however, it ranged from the top 40 chart toppers, techno music, pop and oddly enough I used to download anime theme songs and listen to them constantly.
When did you start writing songs? What made you want to write in the first place?
I began writing when I was eight I believe. They were very cringe and not good - to be expected, right? I think I began taking writing more seriously when I was sixteen or seventeen. I wrote my first love song which ended up earning me second place in a small Australian songwriting competition. I think I was very confused in high school on what it was I wanted to do. Once I began writing more I decided this was what I wanted to do. I just didn’t know how - and frankly still somewhat don’t! I loved how it made me feel, and the way it allowed me to vent and express myself in away no one around me was.
You are currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music - how does it impact your artistry? What's your favourite thing about studying out there?
I really like studying at the Conservatorium. It has vastly impacted my artistry by pushing me to expand my musical knowledge, which has positively impacted my songwriting and overall artistry. It also has allowed me to meet so many other creatives, being in a pool of like- minded thinkers really pushes me to work hard at what I do. My favorite thing is definitely the people I’ve met as well as the intricate things I never would or learned outside of University.
You recently released your debut single "Older" - how did it feel like to release music for the first time?
Releasing music is so scary! I don’t know if many other people relate, but as an independent artist who is only just finding their footing - I’ve found it exciting but also frightening due to not knowing the feedback the track would get. Aside from that, it’s crazy hearing people tell me how much they like the track, have added it to their playlists and have already memorised it. I’m so used to being a fan, so when the tables are turned it’s a funny feeling. Now that I’ve released music for the first time,I have so much more knowledge on how to make sure my next track reaches more people and is marketed, etc.
What's the inspiration behind "Older"?
Older is my manifestation of a clearer and positive future. I was lost in highschool, filled with dread on what it was I was doing, and how I wanted to achieve my goals. I wrote this track when I was around seventeen and would of just entered my final few years of highschool - explains the dread!!!! I wrote this song as an uplifting message for myself and anyone else out there who is just as confused and hopeful as I am.
Could you describe the songwriting/production behind "Older"? Who helped you create it?
The songwriting process for Older began in May of 2018 - it was very different from the finalised version but the skeleton is there in a voice memo! From here, it was actually finished in one night in 2019, I was going to use it for a uni assignment. I tweaked it for some months and had some friends (Kris Crouch and Chelsea Warner) help me create a demo. After this, in 2020, I decided to finish up Older with the help of Chelsea Warner (production,) Jerome Blazé (mixing), and Xiro Fioravanti (mastering.)
What made you want to release "Older" as your debut single?
I had a connection to it I think - I also just really love this song. It was also the track that had the most work done on it, so it made sense. I don’t think I even really thought about it, to be honest. I just knew Older would be my first single. It really gives a good glimpse of me as an artist too, I believe.
What does singing make you feel?
It makes me feel confident, happy and exhilarated. Singing on stage is such an addicting experience, performing overall is for me. I love being able to expose myself in such a vulnerable and personal way - it makes me feel understood.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I think we’re getting closer to a more diverse industry… but festivals and venue bookers needs to make sure these artists are on line ups! I also adore how many female rappers there are nowadays! About time females began owning their sexuality rather than having it illustrated through men. I think as an industry, especially the Australian industry, we can always strive to be as diverse as possible and create as many opportunities as possible to elevate minorities voices.
What major life lessons have you learnt so far?
In a brief summary:
Be careful who you trust
Always listen to your gut instinct
Loving yourself = survival
Therapy is essential :))
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
More open mindedness, more conversations where both sides listen to each other.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
This is a heavy question! I’m definitely still figuring that out, but I know for the time being I’m focused on uplifting women, people from my hometown + surrounding suburbs and overall hoping to make listeners feel content within themselves and their identities.
Connect with Gemma: