Devon Gilfillian’s new record is all about love and different ways to share it. On the title track, the Nashville-based soul artist addresses the sometimes difficult notion of reaching peace with loved ones who may disagree with you on issues you hold dear. It’s a topic that many people deal with and Gilfillian approaches it with an open heart and kindness.
Gilfillian recently caught up with WUNC Music’s Brian Burns before a gig at Carrboro’s Cat’s Cradle Back Room.
This is an excerpt of an edited transcript of that conversation. You can hear the full interview by clicking the LISTEN button at the top of this post.
What was the process for recording the new record?
Most of the songs came from the pandemic. “All I Really Wanna Do” I started writing back in 2018 with my buddy Ran Jackson, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Finally, I was like, “Alright, we gotta finish this.” And the rest of the songs came out during the pandemic while I was reflecting and figuring out who I was and what I wanted to say and becoming more awake to everything happening around me.
What inspired you to write the title track ‘Love You Anyway’ and how are audiences connecting with it?
My Nana, I love her to death and she voted for Trump. She’s an amazing woman and if she votes again I’m probably going to hound her a lot. But at the end of the day, we can’t villainize our family and our friends. They’re not the enemies.
Can you give us an overview of the music scene in Nashville right now?
The music scene is angry, the artists are angry in Nashville. I feel like the artists are so important right now, like Allison Russell, Ruby Amanfu, Margo Price, they’re all in the room with Governor Bill Lee. It’s truly amazing to watch and see how important our voices are.
Devon Gilfillian's new album Love You Anyway is available now on Fantasy Records.
