ggwendolyn – Superstar Syndrome

The first words on ggwendolyn’s “Superstar Syndrome” speak of forthcoming greatness: “Superstar syndrome / Can’t get her off my mind / I can’t help the visions / Of how I see my life.”

For the LA-based superstar behind them, the lyrics are a self-fulfilling prophecy. After years of refining her sound, the singer-songwriter’s debut album Superstar Syndrome features eleven songs of pop-rock brilliance, landing somewhere akin to Gen-Z’s Sheryl Crow in its relatability, charm, and melodic sophistication.

The record isn’t ggwendolyn’s first foray into pop music; she’s been writing songs since the age of 16 for artists like Chappell Roan, FLETCHER, and Ryn Weaver, and previously released several EPs under the mononym wens. But even in her solo projects, she felt there was something impersonal about it all. “I fear that I became super jaded at an early age,” she said. “Who would I be today if I didn’t start writing songs at such an early age?”

Turning that question into kinetic inspiration, the result is something deeply felt and infinitely more personal. Superstar Syndrome came together over one week in January of last year, as she and collaborator Ryan Raines threw caution to the wind, with the intention of reintroducing herself to the world. It’s not the first ggwendolyn project – she’s released several EPs under the moniker – but it marks the beginning of a new era for the artist, one that features “the most authentic version” of herself.

As a result, identity is central on Superstar Syndrome; gg’s bubbly, lighthearted personality comes through on the bouncy, winking “Jock My Style,” and her Italian-Iranian background is foundational to “Don’t Break Up The Band” and “Tehran,” the latter fusing boom-bap drums with a Persian santoor.

Similarly, her lyrics come straight from the heart, in plaintive yet profound ways. Previous projects found her writing poetically, in sweeping metaphors. Here, she says, “I just wanna write exactly what I’m thinking and feeling. No fluff.” Thus, songs like “This So Called Life” contain a beautiful simplicity, as ggwendolyn sings of deep-seated emotion and insecurity: “I’m so scared that I’m letting myself down / I feel stuck in the back, in the background.”

The last song on the record, “I’m Not Leaving This Time,” speaks to that clarity. “I lied when I said I’m leaving / Honey I’m not leaving,” ggwendolyn croons. In a way, these lines reflect her trajectory as she releases Superstar Syndrome into the world. She’s stepping out into a brand-new sound, one that feels intimately more comfortable and real. In realizing the visions of how she sees her life, ggwendolyn is establishing herself as the next alt-pop superstar.

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