Salt Lake City art-pop outfit Die Shiny return with 'Gold Star, Good Citizen', their most emotionally direct and politically charged release to date. Trading their usual synth-driven dancefloor energy for atmospheric guitars, militaristic percussion and soaring vocals, the track explores solidarity, responsibility and the role individuals play during uncertain times.
Written by vocalist Callie Crofts in a single morning and first performed at a protest outside the Utah State Capitol just days later, the song captures a moment of urgency while asking larger questions about community, resistance and collective action.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The bass guitar (my current instrument). My big brother is a bass player, and he was my idol growing up. I started playing bass at age 12 just a few months before I picked up the guitar and started writing songs. For a long while I neglected the bass thinking that guitar was the obvious choice for constructing songs. When I finally decided to use the bass as my main songwriting tool, all of the Die Shiny songs were born.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I grew up in the 90s and was heavily shaped by its alt rock and pop culture. I also had the influence of older siblings who loved different genres and eras of music. Some notable influences include: Poe, Fiona Apple, Tool, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, The Police, Pink Floyd, Gorillaz… I’m grateful to have been exposed to so much variety, including a dad who played western swing and Bluegrass.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Live - The Distance To Here. My crush gave it to me for my birthday on the same day I got my first boombox.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Afraid of Americans - David Bowie/NIN
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Melody and lyrics always hit me first as at the same time. I’ve just learned to drop everything when inspiration strikes, even if that just means finding a quiet room for a minute to capture an idea in the voice memos on my phone. I have a phone full of song fragments that I sort through whenever I have time to sit and put intentional effort into finishing a song. Sometimes I get lucky and an entire song just writes itself from start to finish in one sitting - I call it a song attack, because it honestly feels like it’s just happening to me.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Hayley Williams’ new solo album is blowing my mind right now. The songwriting, production, and melodies of Everything Everything are always top shelf inspiration. I’m also really vibing with Kneecap, Damag3, and Ren lately.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Hayley Williams
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
When I’m on stage and I can clearly see on someone’s face that they are feeling intensely seen and held by the song I’m performing. Especially if that person is a queer kid. Nothing is better than validating someone's existence through art.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The romanticization of my job - Since being an artist for a living looks fun and glamorous, people generally forget that artists are workers. We get overly criticized for monetizing our skills, we don’t feel free to complain when we had a hard day at work for fear of looking ungrateful, and our pain is utterly unwelcome by the world unless it is put into art and glorified as our greatest attribute. The world has abused countless artists by gaslighting them into believing that their pain is their only valid source of inspiration.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Don’t be too precious about a song. Do your best, finish it, and move on to the next one. I’ve written hundreds of songs since I started at age 12. I’ve written a fair amount of bad songs. There isn't just a magical muse that strikes the gifted - songwriting is a skill that needs exercise and gets so much better with practice.
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Die Shiny's new single 'Gold Star, Good Citizen' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.