Years ago a mutual online friend introduced us: "Gwen is moving to Amsterdam," she said "you guys should meet up". We did, and the rest as they say, is history. Gwen, also known as G.T. Thomas, is a very talented artist, producer and singer. A couple of weeks ago she released her new single called 'Theater of Mirrors'. It is part of an art project Gwen is seeking backers for via Kickstarter, called an 'interactive music adventure capsule: postcards from your mind featuring eight exotic pop songs on collectible vinyl postcards. "There's a line from a rare Steely Dan demo that has stuck with me for years," Gwen explains, "Try to design a postcard from your mind. I couldn't help but take that advice and this is what I came up with."
At the release party for the ‘Theater of Mirrors’ single you said: "If you’re attentive you can find mirrors on every corner, reflecting back at you parts of yourself." Is that what you would like the music capsule to be in the end as well: a reflection of the person looking in the mirror?
Maybe all art is a kind of Rorschach test. The way you experience or interpret a work of art 100% reflects who you are and what your outlook is on the world. Or in some cases, what you need me (or the music capsule) to be in order to make your picture of reality fall into place in a way that feels correct to you. Wouldn’t be surprised if more often than not that interpretation is way off from the original meaning the artist had in mind.
Some say “we rise to the occasion” but I’m saying… what if the occasion rises to meet you exactly where you're at?
One of my favourite lines from the 'Theater of Mirrors' single is ‘Does a chameleon change to the scene, or the other way around?’ Can you elaborate?
The chameleon line has to do with the idea that you make your world the place you want or need it to be. And I'm not talking about conscious wants/ needs. But the reality you need, for example, in order to keep doing what your subconscious feels is nonthreatening for you, or that provides you some situation your subconscious thinks is opportune for you to go through for whatever reason. Some say “we rise to the occasion” but I’m saying… what if the occasion rises to meet you exactly where you're at? In that case you would have to change yourself from within before you could expect to see changes to your external surroundings and situation. This puts the power in your hands, which can be both empowering and petrifying.
Does a chameleon change to the scene, or is it the other way around?
“It doesn’t matter. At least that’s what studies have found.” If you’ve got a thing that is camouflaged to like another thing, then sitting around questioning how it got that way can be interesting, but the more important issue might be something else, e.g., let’s put all that thinking energy toward going about our lives in kindness toward each other instead.
For this project you’re collaborating with a diverse team, ranging from an award-winning producer to an illustrator and videographer. What is it like to work with different people and disciplines?
I’m highly experienced in the areas of writing, arranging, producing, and singing so to be honest there’s a lot I’m capable of doing myself in terms of just making a great musical product. But working with artists in other disciplines creates new possibilities for the project, which are totally outside my area of expertise. That's thrilling. It makes it easier for me to open up to ideas outside myself. I can still use my leadership skills to be a creative director, bringing the ideas toward a unified goal, but I don’t have to be hands-on in the manifestation of things outside my discipline and it is SO nice to just know you’ve chosen people who you can trust to do what they do best and that they will not disappoint.
It’s no wonder so many people don’t want to pay for music. Who buys a slice of top-quality cake when you’re already feeling a little sick off too many Tootsie Roll knockoffs you got for free?
Do you think the role music plays in people’s lives has changed in the digital age?
Definitely. Think of the sheer quantity of lower-quality stuff that manages to reach the public. Basically, we are all on the brink of being stuffed to the brim with what boils down to mainly junk food. It’s no wonder so many people don’t want to pay for music. Who buys a slice of top-quality cake when you’re already feeling a little sick off too many Tootsie Roll knockoffs you got for free from the front-desk candy jar?
What part does music play in your everyday life?
I listen to music 3 - 4 times a week, max. Always intentionally, except when it can't be avoided (e.g., in public spaces or when it’s someone else in my home’s choice). I listen to music to meet specific needs (King Crimson’s “Discipline” soothes when I have migraines, Ian Dury for when I need to do an "I love life" dance – the kind where your arms are over your head like a Charlie Brown kid, Steely Dan* or Walter Becker’s or Donald Fagen’s solo stuff for routine nourishment and soul upkeep, etc.), and I only go looking into new music when I got goosebumps or felt something I liked after hearing a bit or seeing the way it was presented. What need can this new music fill in my life? That’s important to me.
To learn more about Gwen's project & music and how even in the age of digital downloads it is still possible for art and music to show op in your life in a transformative way, visit her Kickstarter page or go to www.gtthomas.com
You can listen to her new single 'Theater of Mirrors' here!
*Steely Dan is an American band from the ‘70s known for their unparalleled mixing of elements of pop, rock, jazz, funk and R&B. Gwen: "My favourite description comes from the founders of the band itself, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who once called their music “fake fake-jazz."
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