Stripped- Back and Raw: A Tender Tribute to “Healing Feelings”.
Fashion Industry Broadcast was lucky enough to sit down and chat with Australian Music producer and DJ GEM. After the release of her new dreamy, electro-pop ep; Gem gives us the low down on her unique producing style and cosmically-lush uplifting frequencies. Her down-to-earth nature reflects in what is a deeply personal reflection and a heartfelt journey that bleeds onto each track.
With soft swooning melodies and graceful undertones, Gem guides us through navigating our own feelings. The six-track EP looks at how to heal from heartache while also discovering yourself along the way.
“My First Sad Song, I Feel Liberated”
Building gently with echoing chords layered with Gem’s soft ethereal voice, the fourth track “Ruins” is a heart-wrenching tale that delicately assembles its simplistic textures alongside its subtle synth tones. The Australian Producer and Dj share what this tender track means to her. She says:
Ruins is such a deeply personal song to me. It was the first song that I’ve released of this kind. My first sad song, everything else has been pretty fly–by and happy. It means the world to be to have released something of that kind.
I feel liberated actually– whether I should or not, because it was so far different from everything else… and I think it corresponds to knowing that it can be so open and just so honest and have it connect with people. It really meant the world to me and is so important to artistry that you can be yourself and truly represent where you are at that moment quite authentically.
A Healing Journey
Gem opens up about what sparked the emotion behind the song; detailing she was in a place where she was feeling all kinds of emotions after a breakup. The Australian artist says;
““it was about a relationship; I was like 9000 miles away from where I wanted to be feeling very sad and very lonely and really missing that person… knowing that the distance and the weight of my dream was the cause of it breaking down. I was just feeling all those emotions around that, and I remember Getting back from a studio session, I just sat on my apartment floor in LA and the lyrics just flooded out- definitely the quickest song I’ve ever written.
Definetly a true story of what I was going through at the time”
In contrast to other tracks within the EP, “Ruins” didn’t incorporate the method of using 432hz. If you aren’t familiar with this technique, recording songs at 432 Hz frequency is commonly used for producing meditation music. As a result, the frequencies help to relax the body and mind. Gem details that when “Ruins” came out, she was in the midst of creating a disco house record.
She muses that when “Ruins” came out, she found she had to face her emotions head-on. Gem says;
I thought this is what I’ve been called to do right now, I just couldn’t really summon the energy to create this fly- by happy electronic disco house record.
I think thats the way healing starts sometimes… you go through something and then you think “OK I have heal this”. And so, Ruins was my healing journey.
Producing in Alternate Frequencies
Healing Feelings boasts an innovative diverse selection of instruments used to produce its unique sound. Gems’ incorporation of gongs, sound bowls, chimes, wave drums, synths and acoustic instruments is nothing short of impressive. However, Gem shares the adversities faced along the way when producing this EP. She says;
“I faced so many technical challenges. When producing alternate frequencies, you’re making sure that you put the right mathematics in. That means you’re de-tuning all of the instruments, which makes musicians not that excited to work with you because it is more challenging.
Also just doing something that’s a little bit different, and the challenge of just my own self-doubt as well”
The Australian Producer’s Ep “Healing Feelings” is a meditative experience with each track purposefully positioned to help cleanse and affirm yourself. Gem mentions a lot of her inspiration for the record comes from her morning affirmation and gratitude journal. She says;
“I’ve been meditating ever since I was little. When I was about 8 years old I started meditating, but I think from there it really led to a deep appreciation to be able to have those moments wherever I am with solitude and gratitude.
I wanted to bring a lot of my knowledge from meditating to the record. I really love the response that I’ve been getting, a morning affirmation song I think is a beautiful way to start the day with that flow of energy and intentional and grounding affirmations. Lyrics such as “I feel good and I feel free, I’m living intentionally”. I love that I can put that musically as well as lyrically. “
Opening up the World with Collaborations
Alongside spoken affirmations, the eccentric producing style of Gem speaks of other forms of inspiration. Such as ambience and old traditional eastern instruments. Aspects of live instrumentation stemming from popular elements of yoga tracks infused with modern electronic sounds sonically combine together throughout the record.
Like many artists, Gem mentions the struggles of creating music throughout Covid. However, despite the struggles that many went through, the Australian producer was able to find the beauty in how the world was able to open up to collaborations. She says;
“I have been working with a lot of people since covid with a lot of people who aren’t in my same physical space. For example, one of the collaborators was in Milan, and when you’re on Zoom and online with people it has its own set of challenges. It’s beautiful too and I think it has opened the world for collaboration.
Traditionally, we used to think we had to be in the same room... we know that’s not the case anymore. We can still make music with people who are on the other side of the world now. I think that’s very remarkable, and that’s something that was different about this EP, just the level of international collaborations with live instrumentation whilst being in places like Milan. “
Intentions for the Record
Gem shares that aspects of the record such as the gong artist is reflective of a practice found in yoga that opens your heart. Transposing this through her music, the innovative producer seamlessly blends these techniques within her opening song “Soul Bath”. Gem discusses this element, she says;
“That song came from a yoga class where I met the gong artist. Yoga starts the practice with a heart opening. I thought that was such a beautiful practice and thought ‘what if I did that for music?’ Not only are there frequencies you can use but instruments to this. You hear in that first track, it was recorded live at Village Studios in Los Angeles, there’s a gong artist called Barry whom I met in this yoga class playing. I asked him what instrument he was using, and we sort of collaborated on what we’d like to achieve, and I think that’s such a nice different way of producing. Having all live instrumentation to something that would have traditionally been electronic.
It set the intention for the EP, we are here to heal, we are here to clense.”
Connecting with Yourself
The unique mix of live instrumentation and lush vocals that Gem incorporates into her productions sets her apart from many others in the industry. Healing many through her music, she opens up about what she hopes listeners connect with through her music. She says;
“I hope they connect with themselves. Healing is a pretty soliditary journey, I really wanted to open it up so that you can be on that journey wherever you are. Sometimes we may think ‘ oh i’ll do it when im healthier, when I have a better state of mind, when I have more time.’ We put these things infront of ourselves, and its always in the furture. I think big thing for me was that it wasnt a convient time for me to go through my healing and I dont think there ever is for anybody.
I think for people to just connect with themselves and take a little peice of it each day and can just help your over-all wellness. Thats the main thing i want people to take. We are our own worst citics and give ourselves such a hard time. So I hope we can just give ourselves a break. “
The final track “debris” is an uplifting track and a reminder that “just because you might be sad today, doesn’t mean you’ll be sad tomorrow”. Gem shares that she wanted to represent the full scale of emotions within the last track.
What to Expect Next
Fans can expect to enjoy Gem live as she tours at the moment. However, the Australian Dj and producer shared that she’s excited to experiment and apply the healing process to different music and frequencies. Gem gushes how incredibly open she is to everything that is coming her way with sentiments that her favourite song she worked on the record was “heartfelt”.
With nervous excitement, she shares that with such a spoken-word track she worried it would affect her Dj gigs. However, to her relief, the song has been warmly received, as she expresses her love for people enjoying the more authentic parts of her.
Gem hopes as a long-term goal to bring these frequencies and make them a touch more mainstream. She says;
My main goal is that I can bring these frequencies and make them a little more mainstream so it isn’t called; ” Yoga music” or “Spiritual music”. I’d love for this to just be music. So that we can start thinking of these frequencies as a wellness tour for our everday life. Not only heard by communities, I’d love to see these kind of songs in more major playlists and taking up space in more major areanas. Where people learn about them because part of this is educational.
I love helping people understand what they can do with their imput to improve their health. That would be my goal this year to increase awarness to frequencies and have them out for the world.
A gentle reminder about the tenderness felt when healing, Australian producer and Dj Gem, sonically opens you up to transcend and positively affirm your everyday life.
“Healing Feelings” Ep is available on all streaming platforms to be listened to now.
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