Stella Rose Gahan believes deeply in standing on the shoulders of the artists who came before her. There was Patti Smith, the ultimate downtown beatnik: “I read all of her books, I dressed like her, I sat in cafés and wrote for hours, the whole thing,” Gahan, a New York City native herself, tells me on a recent afternoon from her apartment in Manhattan. And there was Nick Cave, the English Goth-rock singer with the baritone voice whose 2016 album with the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree, made her “sob.” “I’ve processed a lot of things in my life through music,” she adds. “I followed the lead of those musicians and artists who I looked up to, and then I found my own self within.”
Gahan, 23, has plenty of creative folks to revere—her father, Dave Gahan, is the frontman for the 1980s and ’90s electronic band Depeche Mode; her mother, Jennifer Sklias-Gahan, is a filmmaker and the founder of the production company 18 Bleecker Films. But the musician is on her own sonic journey. She’s set to release her debut album, Eyes of Glass, in April, and has put out two singles, “Angel” and “Muddled Man” with her band, The Dead Language, after years of playing in coffee shops, dive bars, and local venues across the city. This week, she’s coming out with a new single, “Faithful,” a track which speaks to the range of her musical abilities. Where “Angel” is a quiet, vulnerable ballad and “Muddled Man” contains hints of electronica beneath punk rock guitar licks, “Faithful” is a dark, heavy metal song through and through.
“You were chosen as the protagonist of Ann Demeulemeester’s new project “A Kid of New York”. What impact has this experience had on you?
It was a complete honor to be invited to collaborate on this project with the team at Ann Demeulemeester. I have been an admirer of Ann Demeulemeester’s work for some time. So to be asked to be a small part of that history was very special. I adore Stefano and the whole team, looking forward to seeing what they have up their sleeve for the future.
Where do you hang out in NYC in terms of neighborhoods? Which ones are the coolest spots for a night out at the moment according to you?
I grew up and have always lived below 14th street. So it’s really what I know and love. My favorite spot at the moment is Eel Bar on Broome. Love slipping in for a few drinks and a bite. I did go for a drink at Bemelman’s uptown once. I felt very out of place and underdressed. But it was fun to sit back and watch those uptown New York City night crawlers. It’s good to go somewhere unfamiliar, the same places can be stagnant.”
REF: W Magazine
Sacramento’s K-ZAP 93.3 FM plays Stella Rose-All part of 50 years of Rock, Blues and More, 24-7 on our station’s stream at K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN/
Check out Stella Rose: