Music Review

Miami - Gabi Sklar

By: Emma Shi

Gabi Sklar is a New York-based pop artist who was born on November 23, 1999. Known for her dynamic melodies and vocals, her notable songs include Pardon My French, Oh No!, and Lonely Times. After meeting her agent at the age of 13, she went on to release her first song, Liberteens, five years later. Since then, she has released two different albums and over 30 singles, also amassing over one million followers on Instagram.

In an interview with Portraits Digital, Gabi says, “It’s important to recognize the weight of the narrative and what you want that narrative to say. At this point in my journey, I view music more as a lifeline than a hobby.” This is deeply reflected in her music, which covers many genres rather than just one. Some of her music, like Thank God and Here Goes Nothing are centered around emotional lyrics and rhythmic guitar chords, while others are loud, pop-styled, and aggressive. As a new artist, it makes sense for her to explore different music genres before settling on the most successful one, but Gabi seems to have twisted it into a style of her own. 

Her most recent release, Miami–named after her childhood hometown–has already gained over 600,000 streams on Spotify. The song tells the story of a girl struggling with a breakup while getting lost in the lights of the city, using synth beats and off-beat echoes to emphasize the message of the song.

Overall, Miami is a well-written gem of a song, good for chilling to on rainy days. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a catchy pop song that isn't overplayed.