It seems like everyone wants a little bit of G Flip in their lives right now. The Melbourne-based singer dropped a sweet collab with Illy in late 2020, performed at the Australian Open just last week and on 6 March, they’ll be taking centre stage on the TikTok float at the Mardi Gras parade blessing our ears once again with another sweet live gig.
A bringer of good vibes and incredible pipes, we’re absolutely joining the G Flip fan train and we’ll be riding it all the way to Mardi Gras. Ahead of their performance, and just days before getting deep into rehearsals, we caught up with the singer to chat about her latest track Queens, the epic remix and what Mardi Gras means to them.
First of all your latest single, Queen—what a tune—what was the inspo behind it?
It's a song about the legit queens in my life, so my mum, my sister and my nana come to the forefront of my mind when I think about the queens I grew up with. But also it's an anthem for anyone and the queens in their life, so they can sing it and think of those people who have been strong and bold for them. It's for those boss ass men or women in your life.
And the music video was very special too, how involved in that process where you?
When it comes to the videos my team will come to me and ask what I'm thinking about for the film clip. For this song, I just wanted a film clip that shows different adaptations of queens. Whether that be a mum and her daughter or dancers in heels—I had all these different ideas that I wrote down and they went out to the producers and the concept came up about this apartment block with the camera going into each apartment, showing the different stories behind the door.
I feel like because we spent so much of last year indoors, it felt extra special. And you had little easter eggs hidden throughout the video of crowns...
We were trying to work out what could be the easter egg queen crown in my scene and I'm the type of person who just gets anything tattooed to be honest (laughs) so I straight away was like oh ‘I'll just go to a tattoo place and get a crown queen tattoo on my arm’. What's been really special is that some of the fans have gotten the crown tattoo. This beautiful man sent me a letter about the beautiful queens in his life—his two daughters and his wife—and he got a crown tattooed for them. It was just so sweet.
The remix by producer Touch Sensitive is such a vibe—talk to me about how that came about?
Touch Sensitive and I are both with Future Classic so he's always been in the family and I've met him a couple of times in LA too. We wanted to get a really awesome, party, Mardi Gras-vibe remix and he's got such a great bass flow and everything about Touch is just the exact right vibe.
How did you feel when you first heard it?
Honestly, all I thought about was Mardi Gras! The song screams Mardi Gras. Straight away I was envisioning rainbows and fireworks and streamers and dancers. It was everything.
I loved seeing all the people on TikTok dancing to it. How do you feel when you see them all dancing it out to your song?
It's so cool. You hope people will listen to your songs and enjoy them but the fact that people are actually creating content using your sound is super cool. Especially when I'm just scrolling through TikTok and I'll be like 'hey that's my song, that's my voice' and someone has just made a really cool dance video. It kinda takes me back to the same feelings I get when I hear my song on the radio for the first time—it’s really special.
What are some TikTok accounts you’re loving right now?
I always love Peach PRC's stuff. I just find her so fucking hilarious, I'm always watching her shit. I think she's dropping a song soon which I'm so excited to hear, she's really talented. I also really like some of Charlie Puth's stuff. He'll make random little songs and sounds that people can use. I guess me and him are a little bit similar in that we are both solo artists but also produce. I should take a leaf out of Charlie's books and make TikToks like that.
Mardi Gras is such a fabulous time of year, I’d love to know what it means to you?
I went to Mardi Gras for the first time last year and it was the most euphoric, invigorating experience of my whole life. The power of love in the air took over everyone like a drug. It was pure happiness. You know when you catch a train or something and no one talks to each other? Everyone at Mardi Gras is looking at each other in the eyes, everyone is embracing and hugging each other—they're all just so authentically themselves. I just remember standing on a float last year and thinking this is one of the highlights of my entire life, this is incredible. The feeling in your body, soul and heart is awesome.
This year you’re performing on the TikTok float, how are you feeling about it?
That euphoric feeling has always stuck with me so performing this year with TikTok is another level—we're going up a notch now (laughs). Last year I was waving at people and this year I'm performing a song with TikTok. I'm just so stoked.
Can you give away any hints at what we can expect?
Lots of colour, good vibes, energy and love. I remember the first time I had a Zoom meeting with TikTok and they showed me sketches of what we are going to do and I was almost laughing my head off in excitement thinking, this is insane! This is giving me ‘the highlight of my career’ kinda vibes.
Do you have any pre gig rituals that you always follow?
I normally run around a bit and warm up my body and then do some vocal warm-ups. And then I'll hug my friends and family.
Do you still get nervous or it is now just pure excitement?
I don't normally get nervous but I am nervous for this Mardi Gras performance because it's in the middle of the SCG. And I've never done a performance with dancers or anything so I'm like, nervous as shit (laughs). But I can't wait to get to rehearsals and just sort it all out.
Aside from your performance, what are you most looking forward to at Mardi Gras?
Just the energy and all the people that I'm going to meet and party with. Also, to be there with my family will be amazing. Last year I was there by myself and this year my family and my closest loved ones are all coming to share the experience with me, so that will be very special for me.
For those who can’t make it on the day, how do you recommend we celebrate at home?
I've always got together with a little group of my closest queer friends and queer allies and got dressed up, put rainbow flag tattoos on our faces and had a few drinks while watching the live stream. I know this year we're going to do some live streaming on TikTok as well so there's still a lot of ways you can feel a part of it even though you might not be at the arena.
And finally, what’s 2021 looking like for you after the shit show that was 2020?
I feel like this year shows are starting to come back a little bit, I've got some coming up which I'm really excited about because I like being on stage and I kinda feel a bit weird not running around and getting rid of all of this energy that I have. I also feel like everyone in the music industry has gone through this thing where COVID has made us have a bit more self-care in our lives. I just feel so much healthier in the head to just have a good time and not take shit too seriously and every day make memories, living life to the fullest.
Next up, mark your calendars for the best albums dropping in 2021.
Image Credit: Marcus Coblyn, Jo Duck, Supplied