Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabby Case.
Gabby, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. My earliest childhood memory is of me singing on the staircase of my first home as my father recorded me before going to Sunday school. I was around 4 years old, and I have been singing ever since. I began songwriting at age 6; it has always been an emotional outlet for me through the rollercoaster ride of constant ups and downs of my life. I always knew I was meant to sing, write songs, and create whatever my heart desired. However, that was considered taboo and unacceptable in my foreign household, and I was expected to work in the medical field or be a lawyer when I got older. That was the beginning of the stifling of my authentic self.
Around 10 years old, I started to struggle with insecurity and being mistreated at school. It caused me to silence myself and my gifts because I often heard that I was “too weird”, “too smart”, “too dumb”, “too quiet”, “too loud”, “too black”, “too white”, “too much”, and “too little.” It paralyzed me because a part of me was tired of the hurts of other’s words and expectations of me, but another part of me knew I could be nothing but myself. Any facade I attempted to portray would never last long. Nonetheless, I was afraid to share my gifts, because they were one of the few things that brought me joy, and I was afraid of them being tainted by the world around me that seemed to criticize more than encouraging.
At the time, the only people who would hear me sing, play piano and guitar, were my mom and the few people that would come to my class recitals. It wasn’t until I was 16, that I decided to finally let go of my fears, and release what God has given me, rebelling against what has been fed to me. I was afraid and nowhere near confident, but I felt an urgency to do so. I was tired of the cage I had allowed to grow around me. I acknowledged that I was made to be a musician and to share my voice, and saw that the only thing holding me back was myself, not the opinions of others. If I wanted my dream to become a reality, it could no longer be just a dream. So, I posted a video of me singing on my Instagram. It wasn’t a big deal, but for me, at that time, it was a huge step. I didn’t get much interaction on it, but the little that I did was positive. The feedback wasn’t what was important, the fact that I did it tore down a wall. I decided to keep on sharing, both on Instagram and Youtube. At first, it was covered because I felt insecure about my originals. But, one day about a year and a half later, after hundreds of original songs, I wrote a song on my guitar that I really loved and felt like I could share. I remember praying and saying “God, write this song. Let it be something you want me to sing.” It was called “Let the World Go.” The song was the exact moment and season that my life was in. It felt empowering to sing. I shared it in person to close friends, and they showered me with genuine encouragement and told me that I needed to share it with more people. They asked me if I had written any other songs, so I played more for them. They told me how in love with the songs they were, and from that day on they pushed me to share with others.
About a week later, I posted the song online and got the most positive interaction I had ever received. Friends and strangers alike told me that my song helped them to let go and be authentic. It validated that it wasn’t just my voice that needed to be heard, but the words that I had inside of me. It also confirmed that my friends weren’t just being biased good friends. After a year of continuing to write and share, both online and in-person, I decided to do my first show at my favorite coffee shop at the time. I loved every moment of it, and I had never felt more full of purpose and life. I believe that after that show, I shed off a good layer of the insecurity that held me back. Fast forward two years, and I just performed my first show at a venue in Atlanta, and I just released my first single “Tides” on all platforms. I’ve written more songs than I can possibly love, and sang in front of more people than I ever thought I could. My parents eventually came around and now truly support my life trajectory, despite me having no plans of being in the medical field or being a lawyer. It took a while, but it wasn’t my arguments that moved them, but my passionate pursuit and seeing how my music affected other people. I helped them realize that music changes lives, too, just like doctors and lawyers can, just in a different, equally important way. Most importantly I’m not holding back. I’m committed to doing what I was put here to do, and I’m committed to being the most authentic version of myself at all times. I hope I can help other caged in creatives be free for themselves, too.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a singer-songwriter. I sing, write songs, play guitar, piano, and ukulele. I want my music to be a place to be free and feel all emotions, but ultimately to bridge the gap between faith in God and humanity. I want my music to show, or question, where God is in the midst of all of what being human entails. I want my music to let people feel seen, understood, and free to be themselves. That’s what I want my music to do for myself.
Who have you been inspired by?
My biggest advice for other artists will always be to boldly be who you are. Let go of your fears and do what you know you’re here to do. If you’re not sure of who you are or what you’re here to do, that’s okay, but make sure you’re making a deep effort to discover what those things are, for your career and for yourself. Believe in yourself and know the weight and power of your gift. If you feel your dreams and styles changing, know that you change and it’s okay. Allow the change to happen, it is good and beautiful. Never confine yourself and force yourself into a box. Never compare your creative processes to anyone else’s. Never compare your art to anyone else’s, it is unique and unlike anything else, just like you. Your art is not meant to be compared to other people, your art simply is, just like you. Don’t overthink the process of creating. Remember that at the end of it all, creating is supposed to be fun and enjoyable to you, and if it’s not then something needs to change so that it can be those things again. These are all pieces of advice that I wished I had learned earlier. I’m still in the process of fully learning these things.
Contact Info:
- Email: gabbycasemusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbycase/
Image Credit:
Gabrielle Case
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