Singer-songwriter Goldie Vargas has been teasing a new release all summer! From single to single, Goldie has cultivated a sound that leads up to her summer project, a five-track EP titled Golden. A diary of reflective songs and bittersweet reminiscing created over the past two years, Goldie calls Golden “truly a short story on what I was going through during that time.”
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Goldie shared that she has always been surrounded by art and artists. “I grew up with instruments in my house, but was always the most curious about my mom’s piano—one of my earliest memories is trying to reach the keys.” It’s no surprise that, along with hours spent watching online piano tutorials, Goldie found herself in piano lessons and later vocal lessons, too.
Along with her more recent reflections, that dedication and love for sound and lyrics flow through Golden. In love with the classic rock that often filled her childhood home, Goldie references Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones as her lyrical inspirations. “Music has always been an outlet for me to create and channel my energy and feelings into an incredibly beautiful form. I think that was my initial love for it from the start.”
Goldie told us that when she’s writing, she wants to create lyrics that “come from the most authentic, vulnerable place while songwriting.” She gets this from rock & roll, too. “That era of ‘rock star’ was full of so much vulnerability which I think attracts me so much to that genre.”
From bouncing guitar riffs on “Strawberry Kisses” to the mellow sound of Goldie’s latest single “Canyon,” the singer and producer Adam Gurr worked together to create the “world” of Golden, and it is a beautiful world. Whether she’s singing about fleeting weekends or lost selves, there’s a dreamy quality to Goldie’s lyrics. The world of Golden is one where you can get lost for a minute and wander through your own experiences as well as hers. On this, Goldie said, “My number one goal in releasing my music is being able to make someone feel less alone, whether they are going through good times or bad times.”
Working on Golden was a slow process. In fact, it took two years to create the EP we’re hearing now. “I definitely feel like it is a time capsule of my life,” Goldie says about the final project. “I did so much growing through the entire writing and recording process. It feels so freeing to be able to release it to the world and have everyone be able to listen to a part of my life.”
We had to ask Goldie about her favorite song on Golden. It might have been unfair, but we had to know! “It’s so difficult to pick!” She told us. Right now, she’s stuck between “Strawberry Kisses” (a summer favorite for many of her friends as well) and her most recent “Canyon.”
While both of those songs have been out ahead of the EP, one track stands out to Goldie. “I think the one I wrote last, ‘Gravity,’ is the one I am most excited for everyone to hear,” she shared. “It’s a lot different that my usual writing style, but it was so much fun to create. Adam and I played around with it so much, and I’m pretty sure we finished it in one session.”
Dressed in cover art inspired by Slim Aarons’ photography and 90s clothing ads, Golden has a falling-down-the-rabbit-hole vibe. It’s no wonder that Goldie wanted an aesthetic that can “transport you to the imaginary world where Golden exists.”
Golden is streaming now on Apple Music and Spotify. Goldie said she hopes “everyone finds comfort, love, and reliability in Golden as much as I do.”
