Album art provided by artist. Polaroids by Nicole Miller
There are not very many people who can name Sharon Van Etten as a mentor. Something that’s maybe more relatable about artist Scout Gillett is the onslaught of emotions upon returning home in search of comfort and the startling reality that that sense of “home” no longer existed. Residing now in Brooklyn-via-Kansas, Scout Gillett’s time in various DIY scenes and collected life experiences has shaped her musical perspective — it’s on view in full form on her debut album no roof no floor.
To get to know Scout a little better, we asked for a few of her favorite things — check out her responses and music below.
Elvis
Scout Gillett: Elvis means a lot to me! He is the king of rock and roll! I have always been drawn to Elvis’s voice and his vocal delivery. As soon as Elvis sings a note in a song – you know it’s him. His voice is so desperate, expressive, and every note hits differently. My connection to Elvis became stronger after I had an inside joke with a former loved one where we called each other after our heroes names. I would call him Elvis and he would call me Debbie (Blondie). He passed away in June of 2018. Ever since, Elvis has been a veil and his voice connects me to them. Elvis’ “Live at Sun” is my favorite record with “Blue Moon” being my favorite track.
Trees
SG: Since I was young, I have been drawn to trees. Growing up in rural Missouri, I spent days and nights barefoot in the woods, running through fields, and climbing trees. I grew more interested and passionate about trees after a tree saved my life. In April 2022, I was in West Virginia to “relax.” An opportunity came up with one of my singles, “come on lets go” to be in Rolling Stone. I was asked if I had any video content for the song – I told them to give me two days to make a video. I was so inspired and driven with tunnel vision to get the right shots at the right time. While shooting in the woods at night, with sparklers, where we had ten minutes to capture the shot at the blue hour. Carmel, who I was staying with was helping me with the headlamp, I had duct taped my phone to a tripod, and hit record. Then, as I walked backwards off of a ten foot cliff, I landed on a broken tree. The tree punctured my lung, the corner of my eye, and fractured my ribs. I could not breathe. Carmel came around, threw me on her back, and took me to the Emergency Room. Eventually, we later found out that this tree actually saved my life. Underneath the tree I had fallen onto, there were a bunch of broken rocks – the outcome would’ve been much worse, if not deadly. I couldn’t sing for over a month and was terrified that I would never be able to sing again. Since then, I started practicing tree meditations and have been taking time to appreciate what trees do for us.
Narcan, Condoms, and Safe Sex
SG: Firstly, I have lost far too many people in my life to fentanyl overdoses. My former loved one that I was dating in 2018 was one of those that I lost. In 2020, I wanted to find a way to get more involved with harm reduction awareness, with the goal of normalizing the discussion. I found a non-profit in Bushwick called La Nueva Esperanza. There I learned how to do Narcan training and how to talk about safe sex. I did a lot of street outreach, started organizing shows, and pop ups where people could get narcan training as well as take some home.
My Journal
SG: I have been actively journaling since I was 10 years old. It is the most reliable way for me to clear my mind and relieve stress. I write all my lyrics, poems, short stories, ideas, doodles, and to-do lists in my journal. It is a tangible portal to my songs, life, and dreams.
You can keep up with Scout Gillett on Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify
