Meet gobbinjr

The first time I ever saw Gobbinjr was on a weeknight at Mercury Lounge or some place in the lower east side last year. This lady took center stage in the comfiest pair of sweat pants and sneaks I ever did see.

This girl knows what’s up.

Just the right amount of whimsy with just the right amount of depressing (but poignant!) lyrics, Gobbinjr delivers some excellently relatable and upbeat indie pop.

Below, she recalls some wonderfully affecting lyrics, reveals her affection for snack-named pets, and reminds us to just be nice, damnit.

Give her good words a listen and a read. Then go give a stranger a compliment. Do it, please!

A Self-Portrait by, gobbinjr

Would You Rather…

be stuck in an elevator with three of your exes, or sharing an Uber with all of their mothers?

Fun fact: I don’t have any exes. So I guess I’d rather be in an Uber alone than stuck in an elevator alone.

Some Questions with gobbinjr

Where does the name gobbinjr come from?

I named my first bong “gobbin” around the same time I realized I needed a band name and didn’t want to name my band the same thing as my bong so by some stroke of genius I added the “jr”.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Living somewhere with a backyard and working a dog job (job involving dogs).

As mostly a solo project, how do you balance collaboration with a live band with your own creative direction?

I mostly just pick players that I really trust and let them do their thing in interpretting the songs. Sometimes when the riffs are important, I’ll ask they learn it note for note.

What is your favorite park in NYC? Why?

Prospect Park! I used to walk dogs around different areas of it every day. But it’s one of the few places in NYC that doesn’t feel like NYC, so I love it.

What was the last fight you had about / with?

I fight myself about my social responsibilities and capabilities every day. Can’t remember the most recent external fight I’ve been a part of.

What is your favorite lyric you have ever written? What is your favorite lyric you have ever heard?

I still really like the lyric I wrote for “don’tchya know” off my first album “the corners of your lips are the sails to sinking ships”. I’ve always felt like more of a melody-over-lyrics kind of songwriter though. The most stricken I’ve been by a song’s lyrics that I can think of is Broadcast’s “Until Then” : “If you think nothing is yours / And I think everything belongs to me / How wrong I’ll be / None of us have anything”.

What are your thoughts on the current DIY scene within Brooklyn, and the city at large?

It’s a real bummer dude. There’s no spots I enjoy hanging out at. I don’t know what bands are poppin’ anymore cause I hardly go out. I feel like the community is gone, although I know it’s not. I just don’t know where to go to be a part of it anymore.

Did you study music in school or as a kid? If so, how has it shaped your current work and sound?

I took lots of music lessons as a kid and went to college for music but dropped out. I think the 12 years of classical piano lessons shaped my music more than anything else. I tend to look at it a little clinically sometimes but I think my best work comes from when I let that go and allow the simple feelings involved to take control.

What was the weirdest show you have ever played?

Once I had to open my crush’s release show a month after professing my love to him and he said he couldn’t do anything bout it. I would not recommend ever doing that. Also my friend made fun of my dance moves after my set :(

Who was the last person you kissed?

Pretzels the cat.

What is your morning routine?

Put clothes on, brush teeth, mouthwash, face wash, toner, moisturizer, walk to the train station and try to fight the urge to spend money on snackies at a deli on the way.

How do you feel about greyhounds in sweaters?

They are exceptional. Even more so if the sweaters are turtlenecks.

What has been the biggest highlight in your music career so far?

Going on a west coast tour was probably my favorite experience that I’ve had the opportunity to have because of this project. It was the first time I’d ever been to the west coast and it felt really magical.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

I know it’s like the most cliche thing to say, but try to be nice to people. You don’t know what people are going through. Even if you’re not great at it, just try. Also, try to be nice to yourself.

gobbinjr