In the lead up to the release of her highly anticipated debut album The Eldest Daughter (October 3rd), rising alt pop force Gatlin teases fans with not one, but two singles from the upcoming collection. Following the success of her recent offering ‘Jesus Christ & Country Clubs’ she drops ‘Happy’ and ‘Pipe Dream’ on August 13th via Dualtone Records.
Leading the charge is ‘Happy,’ a powerful ballad that builds anthemically, carried by Gatlin’s wistful vocals as she confronts her struggles with depression. The Florida-born artist transforms personal darkness into universal connection, creating a vulnerable yet soaring piece of songcraft that showcases her evolution as both songwriter and performer.
“I started writing this song with my friend Carrie K a couple years ago about my depression,” Gatlin explains. “It started when I was talking about how I would sometimes daydream about ending up in the hospital so then this guy I liked would come visit me and realize he was desperately in love with me – and also would remember to text me back. Peak of delusion!!! Yeah, this song is just about good ole depression. I was listening to a lot of Avril Lavigne and Mazzy Star when we were doing the production on this song – so it was heavily influenced by that.”
Accompanying ‘Happy’ is ‘Pipe Dream,’ a bite-sized masterpiece at just 1:26 minutes that packs an emotional punch through synths and vocal effects that elevate the simple yet impactful composition. This marks Gatlin’s first fully self-produced track, a creative milestone that feels both intimate and infinitely expansive.
“This was the first track I ever self-produced,” she shares. “I had the idea of ‘smoking from a pipe dream’ for months and one day just decided it was time to write it. I had hit a point in my career where I was comparing everything to the success of my song ‘What If I Love You’. Nothing was even coming close to touching it and my value and worth as a creative was very tied up in that. It’s a song where I’m just looking at my life and realizing I’ve put all my eggs in this music basket… and what happens if all of this doesn’t work out.”
Both tracks come with striking visualisers that reflect the themes of The Eldest Daughter and Gatlin’s journey of breaking away from her conservative upbringing. ‘Happy’ unfolds like a fever dream of Americana—windshield views of endless highways punctuated by soaring eagles, Christ imagery, gun advertisements, and religious iconography that collectively paint a haunting portrait of the conservative world Gatlin escaped. Meanwhile, ‘Pipe Dream’ strips everything back to raw intimacy: just Gatlin in the bed of an open truck, wind-whipped and contemplative as miles of road disappear beneath her.
On her upcoming debut The Eldest Daughter, Gatlin delivers her most intimate, defiant, and emotionally raw work to date — a record that navigates identity, independence, and the legacy of growing up under the weight of expectation. Both a reclamation of self and a fearless confrontation of her past, the album chronicles Gatlin’s journey through queerness, mental health, familial relationships, gender confidence, and creative self-discovery, all with unflinching honesty and cathartic wit.
The album chronicles Gatlin’s journey from her conservative Christian upbringing in Florida to her current life as an out queer artist in Los Angeles. Across ten thoughtful tracks, she confronts her past with unflinching honesty—revisiting formative romances, instances of rejection, and the complex emotions that accompany personal transformation.
The album showcases impressive collaborations with talented women across the industry, including producer Jennifer Decilveo (Miley Cyrus, Lucius, Hozier), singer-songwriter Liza Owen, and indie rocker Tessa Mouzourakis of English duo Tommy Lefroy. Beyond collaboration, The Eldest Daughter represents Gatlin taking creative control of her narrative. Having produced or co-produced most tracks herself, she’s crafted an album that makes bold, vulnerable choices showcasing her evolution as both songwriter and artist.
With over 150 million streams already under her belt, Gatlin has established herself as a formidable presence in the alt pop landscape. Her sound draws comparisons to recent successes like Chappell Roan and Phoebe Bridgers, positioning her to make significant waves with this unapologetically authentic debut.“This record is me exploring distance and perspective from my past, of owning the good and the bad and how they both informed the way I’ve made my own life,” Gatlin reflects. “I know now who I am, where I’m from, and where I’m going.”
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