Queer Dance-Pop Star Gia Woods Talks TIDAL SESSIONS, ‘Heartbreak County Vol. 2’ And More

You were discovered during your senior year in high school. Tell me more about how this happened. Was this known among your classmates? Were you the cool senior of the year? Haha! I definitely was not the cool girl in high school or senior year. Part of the reason why my older sister pushed me to join my high school choir was because I was so quiet and shy, but she knew joining would force me to be social. She also wanted me to be involved in music because she was my number one supporter. Coincidentally, my choir had a night called “coffee shop nights,” and one student performed a solo each night. The night I was up to perform it was a Beatles tribute night so I sang “Nowhere Man,” and there was a girl in the audience who was there to scout talent. She ended up being the reason I got my first shot in music. She became my manager and put me in the studio where I recorded my first song, “Only A Girl,” that went viral on YouTube.

I love how you made your first single (in 2015) about your first same-sex relationship and have since appeared in Calvin Klein’s 2019 Pride campaign and even performed for a few pride festivals. Why do you feel it’s important to use your platform to represent the LGBTQ community? As much as it’s been great to see a lot of LGBTQ voices rising recently and seeing Pride being celebrated, we still have so much more work to do. For me especially, I grew up in an old-fashioned Persian household where I wasn’t even aware of the LGBTQ community because I was sheltered, and that was really isolating. I think that’s why I’m very loud and unapologetic now because I wasn’t like that growing up, and I feel like that is my purpose in this crazy job I’ve chosen. I didn’t see much representation growing up; I’m a representation of myself and all the girls who are gay and feminine, and I hope that it makes people aware that they aren’t alone and to know they can be themselves. I want to create a community around me where everyone can come together with me and know we’re the same. 

You recently released your SESSIONS feature with Tidal, which showcased four of your songs Spend It, Lesbionic, Pretty Cold Heart and Cruel Intentions. How was it working with Tidal? TIDAL is great. They’ve always been a big supporter of my music from the beginning and I feel like they really understand where this is going. They gave full creative support to us on the SESSIONS video. 

As you already know, TIDAL RISING is focused on helping artists reach their full potential through education and connections and so they can just make music! In what ways has Tidal helped you elevate? TIDAL really means it when they say they want to support rising artists, from playlisting, to covers to SESSIONS. They allow me to have a platform to share my vision in so many ways.