It’s impossible not to become infatuated with Gavin Turek.
A disco queen for the modern era, Gavin Turek makes dance music that trades escapism for alchemy, transforming heartbreak and hurt into moments of absolute glory. Since first breaking through with her 2017 EP Good Look For You (hailed by Stereogum as “Studio 54-core for the 21st century”), the L.A.-born artist has matched her magnetic presence and mesmerizing vocals with songwriting that speaks an unguarded truth about her inner life—all while dazzling audiences across the globe with her deeply communal and party-like live show. For the latest chapter in a vibrant career that’s included collaborating with such eclectic artists as TOKiMONSTA and Mayer Hawthorne, touring with the likes of Hayley Kiyoko, and earning lavish acclaim from leading outlets like Rolling Stone, Vogue, NPR, and Spin, Gavin is now gearing up for the release of Diva of the People, her highly anticipated sophomore album and most visionary work to date.
Raised on a melting pot of genres that still informs her sound today (classic soul and R&B, disco, ’70s funk, ’80s pop), Gavin grew up in a musical household and first started creating her own songs at age six. An accomplished dancer who incorporates plenty of free-flowing choreography into her live show (and who also DJs disco and house), Gavin lived abroad in India and Africa as part of her extensive dance training, but eventually returned to her lifelong passion for music. As she immersed herself in refining her vision, she put out Good Look For You via her own label Madame Gold Records, shared a series of one-off singles (including 2019’s “2AM” and its Lena Waithe-produced video), then made her full-length debut with the high-concept and boldly experimental Madame Gold (a critically lauded album produced by Childish Gambino collaborator Chris Hartz).
With its title taken from a nickname bestowed on Gavin by a friend, Diva of the People wholly reflects the force-of-nature personality and intense sensitivity of an artist who identifies as “sonically nostalgic but emotionally available.” All throughout the album, Gavin brings the pure simplicity of timeless pop and groove-driven sound of disco to songs examining everything from the madness of technology addiction to the frustrations of dating in a culture bent on perfectibility. The result: an emotionally raw but wildly radiant body of work that leans into disco’s legacy as a conduit for empowerment, ultimately delivering all the joyful catharsis we need right now.
Photography by Jason Thomas Geering. Creative Direction, Styling by Caitlin Hickey.