You might not know singer-songwriter GAYLE yet, but you have *definitely* heard her viral TikTok song “abcdefu.” The song blew up in 2022, and was even nominated for a Grammy! GAYLE, whose real name is Taylor Gayle Rutherford, is also set to open for Taylor Swift‘s 2023 Eras Tour throughout the month of May. Keep reading for everything we know on GAYLE.
Who Is GAYLE?
GAYLE, 18, was first discovered by former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi after releasing several self-produced singles in 2021, and was later signed to Atlantic Records. From there, she released her first major label debut, “abcdefu” on August 13, 2021, which immediately topped the charts.
Not only is GAYLE opening for Taylor for her Eras Tour, she is also the supporting act on the European leg of Pink’s Pink Summer Carnival tour.
GAYLE released her debut EP A Study of the Human Experience Volume One in March 2022.
“Sometimes people think I hadn’t done music until ‘Abc,’ which I get because I didn’t exist in people’s minds until this song, but, like, I existed before that,” she told Rolling Stone in February 2022. “I was doing music before that.”
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock (13842775di)
Gayle
Taylor Swift ‘The Eras Tour’ concert at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – 24 Mar 2023 Shutterstock
While she was barely a teenager, GAYLE and her family uprooted from Texas in order for her to pursue a career in music in Nashville, Tennessee. She’d sit at bars with her mom, waiting to see if she’d get a chance to perform following other singer-songwriter performances.
“I’d ask if I could sing a couple of songs so they could take a bathroom break or eat a burger,” she said. “The biggest thing I learned is that when people are going to a bar, they’re not going to pay attention to you. Trying to figure out what to say and how to sing to make people pay attention was a big lesson for me.”
She admitted to the outlet that since she’s still so young, the singer is still figuring out exactly who she is and what music to make.
I’m not necessarily set on ‘This is who I am,’” she explained. “I’ve gotten really comfortable with who I am as a person and what I want. But I know I’m going to change. I know that the things I want are going to change. And that’s OK.”
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