With only a handful of songs available on streaming services, I was skeptical as I went to listen to gcmayn’s latest work. That is… until I pressed play. The 21 year old Seattle native comes out swinging in his 4th official release, “someone else.” Combining car-shaking 808’s, angsty vocals, and heart-felt lyrics, the singer/songwriter delivers his best song to date: a catchy and emotional hit.

gcmayn, whose stage name abbreviates his legal name, Gavin Cole Maynard, told me that he still doesn’t get tired of the track. He feels the song is miles ahead of his others, and I can’t help but agree. Maynard deviated from his usual style of self-produced beats, and enlisted friends Korosu, Pluma, and Michael Warren for the production and engineering of this release. As you’ll see, the end result is nuts. By the time the final chorus came around, I had the volume as high as it could go. My AirPods and audiologist will not thank me for that, but it’s a problem for another day.

A self-admitted “terrible math student,” Maynard never found much success in a classroom setting. He was more interested in words and sounds. We discussed his early desires to write novels and the guitar obsession he developed at age six, but surprisingly, he didn’t start recording original music until recently. After an agonizing breakup and in the middle of an ongoing battle with mental health, he decided enough was enough. He had so much to say but until that moment, didn’t have a way to say it. He started taking music seriously in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. 

Drawing inspiration from artists like Nirvana, Dominic Fike, and Lil Peep, gcmayn is beginning to find a sound that he loves... and one that fans love too. His following continues to grow with each new release, and it’s only a matter of time before he fully hits his stride. When discussing his creative process, Maynard noted that he’s never found songwriting all that difficult. It’s more about waiting for inspiration to come to him at the right time. He takes after Matty Healy of The 1975 and tries to let his ‘stream of consciousness’ guide his work. 

“Music is easy for me. Life is hard.” 

He chose his words carefully as he opened up about struggles with anxiety and depression, something he was admirably transparent about. He recognizes that although the music comes effortlessly, he sees a gap between his online and in-person personas. “It’s like I’m living two different lives,” he acknowledged. Fans see him carrying himself confidently in songs and social media, but it’s difficult for him to act the part in person. Past traumas and a troubled upbringing continue to weigh on him, and he often finds it difficult to speak up and put himself in vulnerable situations. Surely though, as his music develops, so will his self-confidence. 

Maynard makes music for people going through what he’s been through. He makes music for the hurt, confused, and lost. He makes music you can feel. When asked what he wants listeners to take away from his music, he said he wants them to feel “warmth. Like there’s someone right there on the other end of the speakers.” Just typing that gave me chills. 

gcmayn is four songs into what is bound to be a long and successful career in music. Don’t be late to the party. Stream “someone else'' below.

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