Melbourne-based hyper-pop artist Guard has been releasing music for the better part of a decade, oftentimes simultaneously working on projects for both himself and other well-known artists. Yet, despite these successes, self-doubt has been plaguing the singer-songwriter, causing him to question his place in the music industry. Devil’s Peak, Guard’s most recent single, taps into those feelings, taking listeners on a journey of self-(re)discovery.
“I had been complaining a little bit to my producer, Riverine, about my place in music, about feeling like I’m kind of throwing money at something that doesn’t give me much of a return,” Guard tells Not Safe For Queers. “And he was like, ‘why don’t you put that in a song?’”
After just one hour-and-a-half writing session, Guard had written the track completely. The result is a piece of work far more pared back than the singer’s other releases, with Guard placing greater emphasis on layering his vocals in an attempt to push his artistic limits.
“We spent almost three hours recording vocals (which I don’t usually do). We were just playing around with melodies and harmonies and really just stacking it, which is a really, really different way for me to approach music. It really opened up my creativity in another way, and I feel like I’ve become a bit of a better singer because of it,” Guard says.
Not only was Devil’s Peak a technical challenge for Guard—it was an emotional one, too. In the past, the singer reveals that there were times he’d avoided incorporating his emotions into his music. Now, however, he bares a newfound vulnerability.
“It’s really scary putting it out because my songs are my journal, and it’s so exposing. So, it definitely is vulnerable, and it is real what I’m writing about. It’s a moment in time for me that can hopefully connect with others,” he says.
For Guard, that connection is integral to his music as a whole. Despite the negative emotions associated with Devil’s Peak, the singer wants his listeners to feel the same catharsis he did while writing it.
“My music’s gone into some really depressing places,” he begins. “I grew up in a really devout Christian household where being gay was really tough. And that cognitive dissonance—feeling truly damned, where nothing I do makes me feel like I’m good enough—plays through into adulthood.”
He continues “but I think I’ve gotten to a point where I really truly accept myself for everything. So, it may be a bit of a cliché, but I want people to know it gets better. But it’s also a choice: you have to choose to love yourself. And that’s kind of what I’m expressing in this music.”
Moving forward, Guard is doing almost a complete 180, with his next track, Nitro. “I do have another song ready to go. I’m really excited about that one,” he reveals. “It’s pretty poppy, pretty upbeat—and my stuff is never upbeat. I’m just really trying to push myself, to push my artistry.”
“I just like starting a project fresh with, like, the most emotional song. After that, let’s get a little bit more fun, let’s get a little bit more slutty,” he laughs.
Guard’s newest single, Devil’s Peak, is out now.