Gia Ford doesn’t shy away from the murkier corners of existence. Her debut album, Transparent Things, plunges into a world of outcasts and misfits, with songs that probe the uneasy complexities of life on the margins.
Her music isn’t just moody – it’s a forensic examination of the human condition, where every note reflects her keen, almost surgical, observation. Navigating the music industry’s choppy waters, Gia remains unwaveringly herself: curious, introspective, and stubbornly independent.
In this conversation with whynow, the Sheffield native unearths the inspirations behind her new album, the personal experiences that shape her sound, and the tightrope walk between artistic integrity and the pressures of the business.
With Transparent Things on the brink of release, Gia is ready to pull back the curtain on her world.
Harvey (interviewer): Gia, let’s dive into the personal side of your music. When you were making this record, especially with tracks like ‘Try Changing,’ did you find that the process gave you any new insights into your relationships, particularly with your parents?
Gia Ford: Yeah, ‘Try Changing’ is an unusual song for me. I don’t typically write songs that are overly personal, especially about people in my life. “Try Changing” is one of only two songs on the album that are like that. I wouldn’t say it necessarily revealed anything new during the writing process. A lot of people feel some kind of catharsis when they write songs of that nature, but I’m really close to my parents, so everything discussed in the song had already been talked about with them.
It was actually inspired by my mum going through a challenging relationship. She’s always taught me to honour myself, as has my dad, but as you get older, you find yourself wanting to share that wisdom back with them. It’s interesting how the parent-child relationship can become cyclical – where you end up teaching your parents things you’ve learned. That’s what the song is about, really. The concept is quite vague, but it touches on the fear of change and how my mum was afraid of it at the time. Despite that, she’s always encouraged me to embrace change, which is where the inspiration came from.
Harvey: That cyclical nature of wisdom between generations is fascinating. How did your mum react when you played the song for her?
Gia Ford: She rolled her eyes a bit, I think! Sometimes, she feels like I’m preaching at her, even though I’m not. I just try my best to share my thoughts without being judgmental. It’s funny with parents; you can communicate so much through a simple smirk or a look. That’s how she reacted – like a little exchange across the room. We’ve already had all those deep, emotional conversations, so there wasn’t anything new to be uncovered. But I think she appreciates that I think about these things and that they end up in my songs.
Harvey: Moving on to your debut album, Transparent Things, it’s been described as having a “mythical quality” and being an “odyssey of outcasts.” What led you to create such a conceptually rich album for your debut?
Gia Ford: It might be slightly disappointing to hear, but I didn’t set out to write a concept album. That’s something I’ve learned through the process of making the record – it just sort of unfolds in front of you. I treat each song like a separate entity, and when I put them together on the album, it revealed what I was interested in at that time. Most of the characters in these songs feel alienated or separate from society. They’re outcasts in their own right.
For example, the song ‘Paint Me Like a Woman’ is based on Eileen Wuornos, played by Charlize Theron in the film Monster. Her story is tragic, and it made me think about the complexity of the human condition – how life experiences can shape someone in ways that lead to dark places. I wanted to explore that, the way society can label someone as a monster without considering the events that led them there.
Harvey: That’s quite a heavy subject to tackle, especially in your debut. What drew you to these darker, more introspective themes? Was it something from your childhood?
Gia Ford: I wouldn’t say I was peculiar, but I was definitely introspective. I was well-liked and had friends in different circles, but I always felt like I was observing from the outside. I was quite bookish and preferred my own company. When I moved from Sheffield to Cheshire as a kid, I never really felt like I belonged there. I was always between places, spending weekends and holidays in Sheffield with my dad, so I never felt solidified in one spot. I think that outsider perspective has always been a part of me, and it’s reflected in the characters I write about.
Harvey: That sense of being an outsider must have influenced your music significantly. When did you first start exploring music, and did it always have this darker tone?
Gia Ford: I’ve always been drawn to the morbid and depressing, even though I’m not like that in real life. One of my first songs was about the Aokigahara Forest in Japan, known for being a place where people go to commit suicide. It wasn’t because I was depressed – I just found the space between reality and whatever’s beyond it interesting. I’ve always liked those liminal spaces, where things feel a bit off or eerie. I think that’s where my music’s darker tone comes from.
Harvey: You mentioned those strange spaces earlier, like airports or those places around airports – what you’re describing reminds me of psychogeography. Have you heard of it? It’s exactly what you’re talking about – how certain environments, those in-between spaces, can influence our thoughts and feelings. Do you think those kinds of places inspire your work?
Gia Ford: Absolutely. Airports, service stations, those roadside motels you see in the middle of nowhere – those places are fascinating to me. They’re like pockets of nothingness, where time feels suspended. There’s so much going on, yet they feel so empty. It’s those kinds of environments that really spark my imagination. They’re liminal spaces – places that exist between one reality and another, where things feel a bit off. I’m drawn to that feeling, and it definitely influences my music. It’s like these places are alive with the silence and the absence of any real stimulation. They become a canvas for whatever’s going on inside your head.
Harvey: It sounds like your mum had a significant influence on your music taste. How did that shape your own sound?
Gia Ford: My mum has an eclectic taste in music – everything from Massive Attack and Portishead to Björk and Kate Bush. She introduced me to all that atmospheric stuff, which had a huge impact on me. I think she played me music that I felt I wanted to imitate for the first time. I was into dark folk when I was younger, artists like Tallest Man on Earth and Ben Howard. Their music connected with the landscape of Hope Valley, where I spent a lot of time. That connection to nature and the darkness it evokes has always been a big part of my sound.
Harvey: How do you balance the organic discovery of music with the algorithms that dominate platforms like Spotify?
Gia Ford: The algorithmic world of music discovery is terrifying to me. I really miss the days when Spotify had a good radio feature that introduced you to new music in a more organic way. Now, it just feels like I’m being second-guessed by the algorithm, and I end up hearing the same songs over and over. I try to avoid relying on it too much. Instead, I find music through other people – whether it’s someone on TikTok sharing vinyl records or meeting people like Tony Berg, who introduced me to so much music while I was in America. I’m always on the lookout for real human recommendations because they have a quality that algorithms just can’t replicate.
Harvey: Speaking of Tony Berg, what was it like working with him on your album? How did he influence the final product?
Gia Ford: Working with Tony was an incredible experience. He’s got so much knowledge and experience, and he really helped me refine my ideas. He’s like a mentor, but also a collaborator who respects your vision. When I went to America to make the record, he introduced me to a lot of music that I hadn’t been exposed to before. That broadened my horizons and allowed me to bring new influences into the album. He’s very intuitive, and he understands that music isn’t something you can overthink. It’s about capturing that initial spark and then shaping it into something cohesive.
Harvey: That’s brilliant. You’ve mentioned TikTok a few times – how do you navigate that platform as an artist?
Gia Ford: TikTok is a double-edged sword. It’s filled with algorithm-driven content, but if you interact with the right people, you can curate a feed that’s actually inspiring. I’ve found a lot of great music through people sharing their record collections or talking about obscure albums. But you have to be careful not to spend too much time on it, or your feed will get messed up. It’s all about finding the balance between using these platforms and staying true to organic discovery.
Harvey: You’ve touched on how your debut album came together organically, but can you talk a bit about the themes that emerged? What do you think ties the album together?
Gia Ford: The theme of alienation runs through the album. Most of the characters in these songs are outcasts, each feeling alienated in different ways. Whether it’s the woman in ‘Paint Me Like a Woman’ who’s based on Eileen Wuornos, or the unnamed characters who feel disconnected from society, there’s a sense of being on the periphery. The album didn’t start as a concept, but it ended up being about these characters who don’t fit in. I think that reflects a lot of my own feelings of being an outsider, even if I didn’t set out to make it so personal.
Harvey: It’s interesting that you explore these darker characters and themes. How do you approach writing about such complex and often uncomfortable subjects?
Gia Ford: It’s important to explore the darker sides of life because they’re just as real as the lighter ones. Writing about characters like Wuornos allows me to delve into those complexities without necessarily writing about myself. It’s a way of understanding the world and people around me. Plus, I think there’s a lot of beauty in the darkness. It’s not all doom and gloom – there’s something compelling about the tension between light and dark.
Harvey: You’ve mentioned that your songwriting is still evolving. Where do you see it going in the future? Do you think you’ll continue to explore these darker themes, or are there other directions you want to take?
Gia Ford: I think I’ll always be drawn to the darker themes, but I’m also interested in pushing myself to explore other areas. I’m still at the beginning of my songwriting journey, so there’s a lot of room for growth. I’d like to experiment with different sounds and maybe even write from a more personal place in the future. But for now, I’m comfortable exploring the lives of others and using that as a way to reflect on my own experiences. It’s a process, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
Harvey: It sounds like you have a strong sense of where you’re going, even if it’s still evolving. Finally, what do you hope people take away from Transparent Things?
Gia Ford: I hope people connect with the stories and characters in the songs. I think there’s something universal about feeling like an outsider, even if the specifics are different for everyone. If listeners can find a piece of themselves in these songs, or if the music helps them reflect on their own lives, then I’ll feel like I’ve done my job. Ultimately, I want the album to be a space where people can explore those darker, more introspective sides of themselves, just as I’ve done.
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