Gavin Turek truly is that girl. Her video for “Disco Boots” feels immediately nostalgic, her rhinestone boots hitting the pavement, panning up to sequined shorts and a bright yellow fur coat; it’s clear she owns the scene. The video is a remake of the iconic Saturday Night Fever intro, her vocals starting as a whisper and building into the triumphant chorus. Her ability to translate disco in a modern way is a testament to her artistry. It feels like the kind of feel-good anthem everyone needs. Gavin knows that the best remedy for a bad day is putting on a killer outfit and leaving it all on the dance floor, even if it’s just for the night.
What are your earliest musical memories?
I remember watching my mother practice in her “practice room,” which was the guest room in our house when I was really little. She would sing for at least 2 hours a day, practicing for the 4-hour-long sets that she would do on the weekends. Because my whole family sang, we would always be singing to whatever was on the radio at the time, but seeing my mom sing daily is my earliest poignant memory. One day, when I was about 4 or 5 years old, I remember grabbing her mic and singing one of the songs I’d heard her sing a million times. To her surprise, I knew the whole song.
What was a major turning point in your career?
It was a personal moment that turned into a career-turning point for me…In August of 2022, I went to Italy for a month to actually work on a non-music-related project. The time alone in another country, allowing myself to indulge in the food, the sunsets, the art, etc, felt like the reset I desperately needed that I didn’t even know I needed! When I came back to LA, I got right back in the studio (after literally months of not being in the studio at all) and ended up writing the majority of the new album within a few months. For me, it was a turning point because, for the first time in years, I allowed myself to enjoy the process without so much self-pressure, resulting in an unserious and joyful body of work.
Tell me about Disco Boots and the story behind it.
The song came along so organically. I had been trying to work with a phenomenal house/disco producer named Art of Tones for a few months, and we had sent a few ideas back and forth that I really liked, and it made me want to do more with him. At the same time, I had been talking to my agent about doing a disco/house party in LA. Anyway, long story short, Art of Tones sent me this funk track, and immediately me and one of my writing partners, Cor.Ece, came up with the hook and melody. I remember singing, “Your disco boots, your disco boots!” It was like the song concept and the title of the party I wanted to throw all came together at that moment. We sketched out the song that night and then ended up writing more at the gym on the stairmaster. I just love it, though, because it feels like a celebration of both funk and disco but so fresh and modern at the same time. That’s kind of how I want everything to sound.
What else has been inspiring you lately outside the traditional musical realm?
If you know me, you know I love to visit museums and galleries all the time. If there’s an art opening near me, I’m usually there. I’m so inspired by paintings, sculpture, mixed media, etc, because visual artists start with nothing but their hands and their imaginations and create worlds that I then can escape into. I often hear visual artists talk about their dependence on music to inspire them, but I’m always saying that their expression inspires me!
I LOVE the video!! Why did you want to recreate Saturday Night Fever?
Thank you! I love it. I can’t take any credit for that idea. My really good friend and director, Kyle Thomas Shea, had been telling me for months that he wanted to recreate the opening of Saturday Night Fever with me. When he heard “Disco Boots,” he was like, we are doing this to that song now! Because we’ve worked together for so many years, I just trusted his vision completely. He happened to live in the same Brooklyn neighborhood that Saturday Night Fever was shot in, and shooting it was so fun and truly effortless. I think it captured the vibe of the song perfectly while paying homage to an iconic cultural moment in history and reminding people that disco is BLACK! And we wouldn’t have disco without the many Black women who pioneered the genre and movement!
I feel like Disco is having a big comeback. Can you tell me about the importance of the genre to you?
I do agree that more mainstream pop artists are having disco moments or making disco sounding songs or projects. So, in that sense, I guess it is! I started making music in the genre in 2014, so it’s crazy to think that it did become more popular in recent years. My music obviously borrows from many different genres, including disco, funk, pop, R&B, soul, and dance, but my look and spirit have always linked me to disco because it’s an entire culture in itself – the style, the swag, the dancing, the opulence! I love how disco music can’t be sad. The tempo, chord progressions, and sweeping string arrangements just won’t allow it! Even when you hear a song like “Young Hearts Run Free,” which is a very sad song about a woman trapped in the prison of a marriage, it manages to uplift the listener at the same time. I think that’s why people come back to the genre and those classic songs. It’s that spirit that also keeps me loyal to the genre and what it represents.
What has been one of the biggest challenges in your career?
Myself! I can really get in my own way. Whether it’s fear, self-doubt, or my need for external validation, I can really be my biggest obstacle if I’m not careful. In a more practical sense, being an indie artist is very expensive because we are funding everything ourselves (the mixing, mastering, tour expenses, studios, music videos, and photo shoots). It’s all expensive! I wish more music lovers understood that sometimes the financial costs are what’s preventing the next tour or the next project from being released.
What keeps you motivated?
The people that reach out to me and say they love the new song or just take a moment to encourage me. Knowing that someone out there that’s not part of my family or my friends, taking the time to support me is priceless.
Can you tell me about Diva Of The People, both as your nickname and the album?
My good friend Justen gave me that nickname one day, and I thought it was so funny that the next time I saw him, I asked him to film me doing street interviews about people’s perceptions of Divas. It just stuck, and it made me laugh because I truly am that girl – both fabulous and awkward, love sweats as much as I love a sequin gown moment, a diva on stage but a nerd in real life, the list goes on. I decided to name the album Diva of the People because every song really captures that theme of being both extraordinary and ordinary – whether in dating, in career, in public, in private, we all have that high/low juxtaposition going on within us and I think it’s hilarious.
WORDS // EMILY TREADGOLD
PHOTOS / / MALLORY TURNER
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