Davis Gestiehr is a twenty-three-year-old, Nashville-based singer-songwriter. Born to punk parents, his formative years were spent immersed in the discographies of bands like The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop. His early exposure to music resulted in Gestiehr now crafting a sound that melds brooding rock and punk textures, creating a distinct, yet familiar wall-of-sound. As he continues to develop his song-craft while exploring sounds reminiscent of The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Arctic Monkeys, with every song, Davis provides an expansive artistic statement, which combines palpable pain and poignant songwriting, to produce a dark yet palatable landscape.
His latest single “High” narrates being an anxious person and smoking to remedy it. Gestiehr explains, “I think it’s a very universal experience to feel as if you’re wasting your life away and watching as experiences and opportunities pass you by. I feel like this song portrays the idea that it’s easier to face those realities when high, rather than when sober.”
Featuring upbeat percussion and fuzzy guitars underpinned by Gestiehr’s gravelly vocals, “High” evokes an addictive and energetic feeling. The songwriter shares, “I’ve always been a fan of the relationship between cynical, depressing lyrics paired with an upbeat, optimistic soundscape. I grew up listening to bands like The Cure who are masters of that. To me there has always been something so fascinating about pain being a semblance to driving drums and jangly guitars.”
“High” is the perfect soundtrack for those moments where you just want to laugh at how pointless it all feels. The sonic embodiment of “if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry,” Gestiehr is here to remind listeners that when life gets you down, sometimes the only way to get through it is by fucking around.
To date, Gestiehr’s music has amassed over two million streams on Spotify alone. With more music slated for release this year, Davis Gestiehr continues to forge ahead.
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