Gatlin – If She Was A Boy

Gatlin has returned today with “If She Was A Boy,” a blend of reverb-drenched synths and lush indie-pop hooks that serve as the Los Angeles-via-Florida musician’s debut single for Dualtone Records.

Inspired by a line that she recently found in an old diary, Gatlin reminisces on a crush from early in her coming out journey: “if she was a boy I’d be in love.” The song and video are poignant, deeply moving snapshots of embracing those feelings, set against the backdrop of the religious and conservative community where she was raised (“If I was born another time, another state / Would I be torn between someone you love / and someone you tolerate”).

“I had misplaced my current journal, and the only one I had on hand that had blank pages was from years prior. And as I was flipping through the old pages, I found something I’d written about my first time having a crush on a girl,” says Gatlin. “I wanted this track to be the first single because there’s a naivete and lightness to it while still being freaking sad as heck. It feels like the one that’s closest to the old Gatlin, so was a nice little bridge to usher in the new era of music.”

“If She Was A Boy” finds Gatlin teaming with two fellow accomplished queer songwriters: Chloe Kraemer (Wet Leg, The Japanese House, mxmtoon) and Swedish-British artist Amanda Cy. “It’s not often I’ve gotten to make a track with all women,” she noted of what made the process so special. The song opens a bold new chapter in Gatlin’s emotionally raw, intimate, and defiant storytelling — one shaped by growth and healing — affirming the voice that’s earned her over 150 million streams across platforms from self-released singles and EPs. Now signed to Dualtone Records (flipturn, Jack Van Cleaf), “If She Was A Boy” serves as the first look at Gatlin’s debut full-length, coming later this year.

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