Meet Goldie Vargas | Singer/songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Goldie Vargas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Goldie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I have always loved to entertain people ever since I was a child. I came to the realisation that through pursuing music I would be able to not only entertain but to make others feel a deep sense of emotion and transport them to a space and time of familiarity. Whether that be happiness, sadness, empowerment or even healing. All of my biggest inspirations (Stevie Nicks, David bowie) have been able to create songs that almost give the listener an out of body experience and I knew I wanted to be able to create something like that for others in my generation.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I feel like what sets me apart most from other artists my age is that my influence is majority classic rock, which is not something you hear from a 20 year old. I love the psychedelic sounds and how mystical everything was lyrically in the 70s. Artists from that time were able to create music that was both innocent, sexy, and free and that is something I strive to do with my own music. I’m most excited and proud of my Single that will be out by the end of May! As well as my EP that will follow shortly after the release of the single!

As far as how I got to where I am professionally, it definitely was not easy! and it still isn’t easy! I’m 100% still in the beginning phase of my career and learning things along the way as I go. There is always more I need to figure out about the business side of this industry and I feel really lucky to have a producer who is incredibly involved in every aspect since I am currently unmanaged and unsigned.
The biggest life lesson Ive learned so far is that you need to be your own biggest fan and to not be afraid to speak up and say your opinion. This lesson was incredibly hard for me to learn because I’m naturally very self critical and very much a perfectionist. I’m also incredibly empathetic towards others feelings and how much work people put into a song so this combination made it hard for me to speak my opinions and thoughts. After many trials and tribulations (like releasing a song, then re-recording a month later) I learned it’s best to speak the truth, even if that means you have to start from square one again which was a hard but long lesson for me to learn. At the end of the day, if the song isn’t sounding like something my friends and I would listen to in our free time or if my friends don’t immediately get chills while listening, then I know something needs to be changed. I want to create music that makes people feel a deep sense of emotion and transports them to a different place while listening, that is and always will be the main goal.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is so fun to plan because my best friend is actually coming into town in 2 weeks for my birthday, so I’ve basically already planned this! Definitely would start off early Sunday morning at a flea market! I love going to rose bowl, Santa Monica, or long beach. There is so much inspiration around every corner at a flea market! Everyone is dressed so cool and there is a place for every aesthetic, plus I love catching up with all the vintage dealers, everyone is so incredibly sweet! If you can’t make it to a flea market there are so many vintage places in West Hollywood and silver lake! Jet rag and wasteland are my favourites to go to.
Then I’d head to cha cha matcha or Mavro Kafe for some matcha and a quick bite to eat.
Driving is one of my new favorite things to do in LA since the pandemic has made LA sort of traffic free. Driving up and down PCH in Malibu is so incredibly fun and relaxing and there are so many cool places in Topanga and Malibu to stop by. I love moon star collective and hidden treasures in Topanga, there is always something special to find there. Sunlife smoothies is just a classic LA place if you are a Malibu or Manhattan beach kid. I’ve been going to Sunlife forever and their smoothies and açai bowls are what I lived off of in highschool so definitely recommend going there for a quick bite or breakfast. Erewhon is great for a quick bite as well, I’m embarrassed to say that I love that place so incredibly much but my wallet does not.
For dinner I love de buena planta on abbot Kinney! Night + market on Lincoln is also really fun to go to. Figaro or Café Stella are really cozy french bistros. Monty’s Good Burger is great when you are really really craving fast food but don’t want to feel bad about it since it’s all vegan!
If the pandemic wasn’t happening I’d probably take my friends to a good show at the echo, Teragram or some small little venue or house show. There used to be great live music in LA and always something to do, but unfortunately with the pandemic everything is at a stand still. After a show my friends and I usually would go to the 101 dinner (which unfortunately shut down because of the pandemic) or Mels Drive-in in West Hollywood for some greasy fries. It’s always fun to people watch at 1am, you never know who you will meet at those places.
If you are coming to LA going to a crystal shop!
I love right tribe in Manhattan beach, soothe your soul in hermosa is so fun because you walk barefoot throughout the store since the floors are painted, and sacred light in Los Feliz is out of this world.
Also getting out of town to Joshua tree or ojai for a little night away is so much fun!
There are so many things to do in LA, just have a care free attitude and do not be afraid of traffic!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This Is so hard because there are so many people who have contributed so deeply in my life! My parents being the first, they always told me I could pursue anything I wanted to and have been so incredibly supportive in everything I do. They were also very involved in subconsciously forming my sound, My dad loves classic rock so I grew up listening to a lot of the hits from that era like Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie. Stevie And Bowie have always been big influences in my life and their otherworldly sounds are definitely what inspired me to create music in the first place.
My middle school teacher Mr. John was also incredibly into classic rock, so the entire sound track of my middle school experience primarily consists of the Beatles early albums. We dove deep into music history and lyrics in our classes, almost anything we learned about, music was paired with it. Without his teachings I don’t think my lyrics and music history knowledge would be as strong as it is.
Lastly, would like to give a huge shout out to my vocal teacher Michelle Akeley and my producer Adam Gurr, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without them. They both have contributed so much in not only shaping my sound, but continuously helping me become a stronger vocalist and writer.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielle.vargas/?hl=en

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCX7j52HWOai8i7kolBO72SA

Image Credits
Terry Cruz Aracely Sotelo Andi Contreras Laura Odermatt