"This is the first chapter," reads the IG bio of newcomer Giift, who's releasing today her first single off an EP she wrote, recorded and produced herself. It's also the 18-year-old DIY artist's birthday, celebrating adulthood with "Fed Up," an acoustic guitar-led song that came about a year ago when "a lot had happened in my life at the same time," as she explains.
For fans of SZA's Ctrl, "Fed Up" is an introspective, intimate love song that clocks in at just under two minutes. "I recorded me singing the melody on my iPhone in memos," Giift says. "The song is so honest and straight up, so it took me one take and about 30 minutes to make."
Music has always been an active part of Giift's life, born in South Africa and adopted to Denmark as a small child where her father was a jazz musician. "I think that's what has inspired a lot of my music, from the way I sing to the way I produce my music," she says of his influence.
The accompanying "Fed Up" visual shows Giift playing guitar alone in her room, reimagining what the music-making process looks like for her. Its simplicity is reflected in the unassuming quality of her sound: like "Fed Up," most songs begin with voice memos and "guitar chords that I just start vibin’ over," she says, "or melodies in my head that I put into words."
"Fed Up" might sound chill in its delivery, but the content itself is intense, as Giift sings about wanting to be a priority in her relationship. "You've ruined everything that we created," she blames, telling her love that they're over. "No, I ain't coming back/ I am first, ain't no second/ I'm done with that."
So watch the PAPER premiere of "Fed Up" and stream Giift's breakout single, below. "I have gone through a lot over the last year," she says, introducing this next era in her life and career. "I hope to use music as an creative space where I can express myself in the future."
Photos courtesy of Mikaela Grogan