(Natalie Sandlow/ Staff Photographer)
“Cool, indie, and edgy!” GAYLE called her crowd as she opened up the second to last show of her headlining “scared but trying” tour at The Loft on Nov. 14.
GAYLE kicked off the show with her song “indieedgycool” (2022) that featured her punk rock side and a shining electric guitar performance. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter stunned with an extensive setlist of 18 tracks for the next two hours, including some bonus covers. GAYLE’s undying energy was truly impressive, and her renditions of Fergie’s “London Bridge” (2006), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ’N Roll” (1981) and Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle” (2014) had the audience in a frenzy.
In an interview with The Emory Wheel in October, GAYLE mentioned that one of the things she was most looking forward to on her tour was the experimental element of playing around with her bandmates on stage. After performing her latest single “leave me for dead” with rocking body movements and guitar strumming, GAYLE introduced her guitarist and drummer to the audience. She playfully encouraged the audience to boo her guitarist, whose wife was in attendance that night. The close bond between the members of the band and their willingness to make fun of each other amused fans throughout the night. GAYLE messed with her bandmates in between songs, invited them to sing the last melodies of “don’t call me pretty” and the trio rocked their heads together on their fanatical instrumental plays.
GAYLE was also a master of conversationally navigating through her setlist. She asked members of Generation Z in the audience to raise their hands, explaining that “z” is a song that pokes fun at the way people talk about our generation. Introducing “god has a sense of humor,” which was inspired by some inconsolable moments in her life, GAYLE shared how the song looks at life’s negatives in a positive light. Fans followed, surprising GAYLE with paper signs that read “I’ll Cry With You” and soaking up the song’s comforting lyrics.
(Natalie Sandlow/ Staff Photographer)
During her performance of another lyrical song, “kiddie pool” (2022), GAYLE showed her incredible love for her fans. With sweet gazes, she gestured hearts with hands towards her audience, while reciting the lyrics “I’ma call it love.” As she sang the calm and melodious song, the crowd swayed their bodies, and GAYLE accompanied it with her deeply-layered vocals pouring into the mic stand that she leaned on.
As much as she was playful with her bandmates, GAYLE was also playful with her fans. Before singing her song “ALEX” (2022), she asked the audience if they, their significant others, or their ex-partners are named Alex. GAYLE then struck up conversations on stage, telling the crowd to break up with Alex for the next three minutes. Lights around the room turned on to show whose hands were up, and the whole room burst into laughter, marking the night’s one of the most humorous moments.
GAYLE previously named “snow angels” (2022) and “butterflies” as the two songs she most looked forward to performing on tour in her interview with the Wheel. As expected, her expressive performance stood out during those stages. On “snow angels,” she jumped around the stage with her guitar held up high at the mic and “Barbie”-themed pink and purple lights beamed around the room for “butterflies.”
GAYLE’s immense gratitude for her listeners exuded through the room, as she talked about her spectacular journey to be featured on the “Barbie” album, perform for Taylor Swift and make her successful two-year-long professional break into the industry. GAYLE demonstrated her sincerity towards her music and fans through her crowd engagement and energetic performance. She thanked the crowd, even if they had only a little knowledge about her songs, and shared her excitement for her upcoming album.
Introducing the song “everybody hates me,” GAYLE also shared the distress that she felt from gaining such a huge amount of attention and judgment for her creations at a young age.
“But do I still like it?” GAYLE asked herself on stage, referring to her life as an artist and who she is becoming.
The answer is yes, she does. As she began “everybody hates me,” GAYLE’s tireless spins on the stage with her guitar proved her enthusiasm as a songwriter, singer and a performer.
GAYLE drenched herself in the crowd’s sing-along to her hit song “abcdefu” (2021) to close off the night. She said she wanted to startle Peachtree Street with the room shouting, “F*** off.” In contrast to this, GAYLE didn’t forget to show love to her fans with a spirited smile until the very last moment on the stage that she exited.
(Natalie Sandlow/ Staff Photographer)
Ellen Choi (25B, 23Ox) is a native of both South Korea and San Jose, California, currently studying Marketing and Film & Media Management with a minor in East Asian Studies. Her multicultural background fuels her passion for entertainment and marketing, inspiring her to craft compelling narratives that offer unique perspectives for The Wheel. She also serves as a Sponsored Content Coordinator for The Wheel, combining her writing talents with her marketing expertise. Outside of her professional pursuits, Ellen enjoys narrating creative music playlists on WMRE, Emory's student radio, dancing with her BlaeZ Dance Team teammates, and savoring culinary delights.
