By Jocelle Koh
Inspired intimately by her Japanese-Irish roots, singer Cecilia Gault has seamlessly incorporated her mishmash of influences both cultural and musical into new slickly produced sensual pop single ‘Hanasuto‘. Best known for co-writing and featuring on Kaskade‘s “Love me like you used to“, the singer-songwriter has been making waves for her polished pop sound that often comes with a unique twist.
Composed of playful, colourful J-pop inspired beats, Gault’s sultry vocals stand out on this tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the male gaze and how it contributes to the fetishization of the stereotypical Japanese schoolgirl. We spoke with Gault about her influences and inspired her to write about the areas where her culture and gender perspectives intersect.
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Q: Hi Cecilia, could you introduce yourself to our listeners?
A: Hi! I’m Cecilia, an artist from and based in New York! I was born and raised in lower Manhattan.
Q: We love your latest single “Hanasuto”. What is it that inspired you to write about the Japanese school girl fantasy?
A: The “Otaku” culture has seeped into American culture. Especially on the internet and social media, you constantly come across images which are somewhat related to Japanese anime.
Q: Why is voicing a critique on the male gaze so important to you?
A: In the song I wasn’t necessarily attempting to critique it but just poke fun at it and acknowledge it.
Q: Your music truly blends the east and the west. Can you share a little about your influences growing up? What inspires you to blend Japanese and English into your lyrics and music?
A: I grew up speaking both Japanese and English at home. I was also super close to my grandparents in Japan and visited them often. My identity of being biracial definitely influences my lyrics and music.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a woman in 2020?
A: Empowerment! I want to raise as many girl’s voices as possible and I want to have fun while doing it. I don’t want to be preachy, I want to approach this with positivity and enlightenment.
Q: You have a multicultural background. How has your Irish and Japanese heritage as well as growing up in New York informed your art and worldviews?
A: New York City is such a diverse and open place. Most of the time I feel very welcomed. More specifically in our generation here in New York, there is so much more acceptance and collaborative energy among us.
Q: Most of your music is electronic based. What is it about the genre that draws you to it?
A: Music has evolved as anything else, rotary phones to cell phones. I find electronic music is the music of our time.
Q: You are best known for co-writing and performing “Love me like you used to” with Kaskade. What was it like working together on the song?
A: It was a great experience! Kaskade really brought the song to life with his production.
Q: What’s next on the cards for you?
A: Releasing more and more music! And to get everyone’s ears on me worldwide!
‘Hanasuto’ is now out on all streaming platforms. Follow Cecilia on Instagram for more information about the new single.
