Q&A With Singer Ruby Gill
Debut single Your Mum is an alluring introduction into rapidly growing artist Ruby Gill (@rubymarygill). Melbourne-based, last year she completed a sold-out national tour of South Africa. A melancholic tone supported by hearty vocals and indie-folk sway, Your Mum possesses charm, intrigue, and emotional complexity. How can someone sound both hollow and energised, despaired yet contented? Phoebe asked Ruby five questions, and captured five photos, to learn more.
Film photography by Phoebe Faye
What emotional state do you go into when you’re writing a song?
Lord, not a good one haha. It’s like a gross version of zoning out, but instead I’m zoning in, often on difficult or complex thoughts and feelings, trying to extract some form of sense out of them. If you walked in on me I’d probably be in some ridiculous position splayed out on the floor half-asleep and incredibly grumpy. But it’s the space where I feel most human and most alive, grappling with shit that I probably wouldn’t want to face in the normal daylight, and letting it form vaguely coherent sentences.
2. Who/What do you look to for inspiration?
Birds, all species. People who are not afraid to be themselves, wholly and complicatedly. And poetry or literature that says profound things concisely. Mostly Mary Oliver. Actually I probably exist purely on Mary Oliver haha.
3. You recently completed a sold-out national tour of South Africa, which is your home country. What was your favourite on-tour moment?
It was actually a year ago now, I should probably update my bio - time flies when you’re stressed. So much has happened since those shows, but I’m still finding bits of them in my luggage and sunsets and dusty clothes. It was so good to be on home soil, whistling under an acacia tree, singing to vervet monkeys in Durban and packing out ridiculous old city theatres in Joburg.
More recently I went across Australia with Bob Evans (ex Jebediah). The best part was definitely when Kevin (Bob) got out the car to chase a lizard.
4. Which recent release do you have on repeat?
Ooh, tricky. I’ve had “No Difference” by Jess Cornelius on my shuffle almost daily. It’s exactly what’s going on in my head, and she’s the coolest songwriter, such ease and grit and power. Ex:Re’s recentish album is also up there, “The Dazzler” in particular. There’s this line where she says “I look like I’m 24 before I caught your coldness / god I’m gorgeous” and I just self-combust and panic and die. Plus anything Leif Vollebeck ever releases, ever.
5. What do you hope people feel when they listen to Your Mum?
I don’t mind what they feel, but I do hope they feel like they’re allowed to feel whatever that feeling is. That song for me was the first time I’d let rip about things that had been weighing so heavy in my little arms and legs and feeling able and welcome to share them was a big, big thing for me. So whatever it is, whatever’s not feeling heard, I hear ya, you’re not crazy, you’re allowed to be this complex crying crumply mess of a being sometimes. Then you’re allowed to get up and tell someone about it.
