+ GIA FEATURED IN CALVIN KLEIN’S DEBUT PRIDE COLLECTION CAMPAIGN
+ “CUT SEASON” EP FORTHCOMING
Queer Persian pop artist Gia Woods shares the music video to her latest single “Naive,” a track that sees Woods going back to her guitar and what made her fall in love with making music. Over a crooning electric guitar melody and crisp percussion, Woods breathlessly exclaims, “I’ll love you, but let me do it recklessly.”
Woods co-directed with Jenna Marsh (Kanye, Beyonce, Dua Lipa) with overall creative direction by Joe Perez (Beyonce, Kanye West). Stylistically, the clip takes inspirations from Marylin Monroe’s “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend,” and the movies Eyes Wide Shut and Moulin Rogue.
Woods has been tapped to be an ambassador for Savage X Fenty and was also recently featured in Calvin Klein’s Pride collection campaign alongside Brazilian drag star Pabllo Vittar and 13 Reasons Why actor Tommy Dorfman. #PROUDINMYCALVINS celebrates self-expression and the full spectrum of LGTBQ+ identities. Shot by Ryan McGinley, the series of stills and videos stars nine total talents from around the world.
More about Gia:
As a queer, Persian woman, Gia Woods has become an emerging voice in the LGBTQ+ community. Born into a traditional Persian household in Los Angeles, Woods’ parents saw music as a fleeting hobby rather than a promising career. Woods therefore grew up a loner, picking up guitar and violin on her own and listening to everything from Green Day and Björk to Radiohead and Madonna. It was in high school when Woods wrote what would be her first single, “Only A Girl,” perhaps the most emotional song she’s ever penned. Released in 2016, the breathy pop track was also her bold, coming out anthem — to her parents, friends and everyone who didn’t know that part of her before. Since its release, the impact of “Only A Girl” has continued to grow — it’s since reached over 10 million views on YouTube and Woods gained over 100,000 subscribers.
As someone who felt she had to hide the parts of herself that fell outside what her Persian family and community felt was ‘appropriate,’ Woods wanted to be unapologetically herself in her artistry. While Woods has released only singles so far, her “CUT SEASON” EP is a culmination of Woods’ creative self-actualization throughout the past four years.
In “CUT SEASON,” the 23-year-old singer has curated eight tracks that sum up all of the reasons she needed to dispose of not only the toxic people she had in her life, but also the cycles she had with herself: egos, naivety, self-sabotage. What prompted the mental and social deep clean was the end of a four-year relationship and the loss of her father. As Woods dealt with the fallout, she began eliminating the old habits she knew she needed to break.
“Hungry,” the first single from “CUT SEASON,” was what prompted the EP’s powerful theme. Growing up in celeb-centric world of Los Angeles, Woods has always been surrounded by people starved for attention. On “Hungry” she addresses it and focuses instead on the importance of trusting your own taste and belief system. Channeling a “Tragic Kingdom”-era Gwen Stefani, Woods’ punk-tinged vocals seethe over nostalgic guitars as she delivers the ultimate kiss-off: “I get a stomachache when I’m seeing you on my phone/ I’m not hungry, bitch, leave me alone.”
Her next single “Ego” continues the “CUT SEASON” narrative, and lyrically touches on how the need for control can poison a relationship. The accompanying music video depicts Woods as a modern ‘Alice In Wonderland’ and sees her chasing the proverbial rabbit – in this case a diamond necklace – at the expense of her surroundings and reality.
“Naive” is the latest installment in Woods’ EP story where she pairs the darkest parts of her life and herself to create a world of cinematic pop songs.
Gia Woods – Ego (Music Video)
Gia Woods – Ego
Gia Woods – Hungry (Music Video)
Gia Woods – Hungry
GIA WOODS SOCIALS:
Spotify / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Soundcloud
