A Chat with Austyn Gillette (23.06.26)
Austyn Gillette’s latest EP, Moments, is a deeply reflective collection shaped by personal loss, major life transitions, and the perspective gained through travel. We chat with Austyn Gillette to discuss the inspiration behind the EP, the influence of European culture and the philosophy of lagom, and the experiences that helped shape some of his most personal songwriting to date.
OSR: Congratulations on the release of Moments. Looking back on the project now, what emotions do you feel most strongly about this collection of songs?
Austyn Gillette: Well, thank you! I set a goal to release a collection of songs this year, and the hard deadline was in February. There’s a lot of emotions and feelings weaved into all of the songs. I guess it was an introspective time for me, and was filled with a lot of changes in my life. I moved back from France, separated from a partner, lost my dog of fifteen years, my knee was injured, and I really didn’t know what to do moving forward. Looking back, the emotion I probably feel the most is being proud. Proud to have made the decision to carry on, not be scared of what the future holds, look forward and continue on the path of creativity. I’m also very grateful for the friends that I spoke to almost every day and checked in on me. They influenced this record and helped sprinkle optimism through the words and conversations that were had.
OSR: The EP was inspired in part by your travels across Europe. How did those experiences shape the themes and atmosphere of the record?
Austyn Gillette: There’s this lightness that you feel when you get to Europe, and it’s hard to put your finger on it as an American. It’s always felt like that since I started travelling there for skateboarding when I was sixteen. Something as simple as seeing an old woman sitting outside a cafe reading by herself with what seems like no agenda for the day. Watching kids run around the tables outside of restaurants at eleven at night without a care in the world from their parents. Another thing I noticed was the fact that you can’t really see wealth in the same ways, which can lead to comparison or envy, which cripples a lot of Americans. Everyone is walking around, riding bikes, living in apartment buildings, so you can’t see their cars or houses to size up what their life might be like. When I was a kid, my mom would take me to nice neighborhoods and we would sit in the car imagining what it would be like to have that much. I think it was quite toxic and maybe clouded my view of success or what was important. The theme of some of these songs are just imaginations of a future life not clouded by topical or monetary concerns. Just living freely and choosing to be happy.
OSR: The Swedish concept of lagom plays an important role in Moments. When did that philosophy first resonate with you, and how did it influence your songwriting?
Austyn Gillette: Lagom means knowing what is “just the right amount”. I was reading this book called the five types of wealth last year, and it was more or less a breakdown of time, social, physical, mental and financial wealth. At the beginning of the book, the author wrote that he had interviewed thousands of people from every socioeconomic scale, ranging from tech millionaires to people in much tougher financial positions, and he asked them all the same question. The question was “ how much would you need to make to be happier?” Everyone said two to three times more. I was shocked when I read this, and it made me reevaluate the things that we want in life. Once we have climbed the summit of success, we want more. I don’t know if it’s specific to just America, but a lot of people I know feel this way and very close people. I saw their unhappiness, stress, unworthiness, and it’s been hard to watch. I feel knowing what is enough for you is an important thing to consider, and to know this while traveling on the path to your goals. More of a life bumper, so you can evaluate if you’re doing something for the right reason. Time, social, physical and mental wealth seem to be a much more controllable or achievable goal on a day-to-day basis that will compound into a much more fulfilling life.
OSR: ‘Is It Enough’ opens the EP by exploring fulfilment and ambition. Was there a particular moment or realisation that inspired the song?
Austyn Gillette: At the time of writing this song, I was with someone that had this overwhelming feeling of never being enough, never doing enough or making enough money. My brother actually was another person that sets very high goals and had ultimately come to a breaking point in his life where his time with his newborn son was being compromised so much that he wasn’t happy. We were chatting one day when I came back from France, and I asked him if he thought he was ever going to arrive at happiness. Are the things he’s doing actually making him happy? He started crying and sent me a nice message later about our conversation. I flew back to France and wrote that song in a day, and since then, my brother has actively shifted careers to spend more time with his family and son. It’s quite beautiful how a simple question from someone can change your life. We hear about it sometimes, but it makes me very happy to see him on the path of a better quality of life.
OSR: Each track feels reflective yet hopeful. Did the songs emerge from a similar period in your life, or do they represent different chapters and experiences?
Austyn Gillette: That’s a very accurate take on the songs, so thanks for noticing! All of these songs were written during that very recent transitional time in my life from November to February 2026. A lot of the words were stream of consciousness, so what was coming out was probably more of a prescription to myself to be hopeful during a difficult time. Observe it, move through it, talk to people about it and don’t be scared of the unknown.
OSR: You recorded Moments at Rancho Deluxe in Nashville. What was the recording process like, and how did that environment contribute to the final sound?
Austyn Gillette: So I’ve known Jesse Wilson for many years now, and he has become a dear friend. He moved to Nashville about seven years ago and built a beautiful studio on his property with his girlfriend. It’s one of those magical places that I think about and just smile. We would wake up every morning, walk the perimeter of their property that’s nestled up against a state park and then start recording. The morning nature stroll became mandatory for us, and I think it set the tone for the process. Dominic Billett, who played percussion, synth, piano and guitar on most of the tracks, is violently talented. He just gets it, as does Jesse. I told them the sonic world I wanted to create and let them take the reins. I had already written and arranged the songs, but was quite scared to present them because they are professionals, haha. To my surprise, we kept everything just about the same and just added new instrumentation to it all. They are entirely the creators of that world that you hear on this record, and couldn’t have been done without them.
OSR: ‘Moments Last’ captures the excitement and vulnerability of new love. How important is personal experience in your songwriting?
Austyn Gillette: Personal experience is completely necessary for me to write. I have a hard time making up stories from scratch. For this song in particular, I was writing up the coast for the month and would be driving down the highway at sunset after surfing and imagining what my future life would look like. Driving down the highway, oddly warm air for that time of year, windows down, listening to beautiful music and staring at the hills moving by. I was very content sharing this with myself, but the thought of sharing that moment with someone made for easy writing material.
OSR: Having lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Paris, how have those cities influenced your artistic perspective?
Austyn Gillette: I know it’s quite daunting being in those cities filled with such greatness. With incredible art, food, music and endless culture, it’s hard not to get the itch to contribute or partake in some ways. I think making those choices over the years to change my environment has given me the gift of adaptability, which I’m very grateful for. It’s become quite easy to move around the world and find ways to enjoy the culture, even if it’s for a short period of time. I love all these cities for their own reasons, and they have offered experiences and inspiration that would have otherwise not come to life.
OSR: Compared to Words We Won’t Wear, what do you think has changed most in your approach to writing and recording music?
Austyn Gillette: I would say that the process is the same, but how I play is evolving in some way. Once you’ve used all the shapes you know on piano, it starts to get boring, and the only way is to start understanding how other people structure their songs. Old songs, new songs, try to learn them by ear and look at the shapes that appear and in what order. It’s a puzzle piece and a fun one to practice. I’d also say my voice is a bit different since then, because I don’t smoke anymore. Maybe I have a bit more range and much easier to get vocal takes that sound naturally like my voice.
OSR: What do you hope listeners take away from Moments after spending time with the EP?
Austyn Gillette: The goal was to make a seamless listening experience that you drift off into. Songs that you listen to with the window rolled down while looking at your hand move through the wind. I’m a big fan of cooking as well, and as much as I like upbeat or even pop music from time to time, I really like gentle music with melodies that you find yourself humming to while cooking. I hope that people can take this EP away and find their own perfect place to listen to these tracks. Maybe find their own perfect person to share it with, or their own road to drive down and appreciate being alive.
Many thanks to Austyn Gillette for speaking with us. Find out more about Austyn Gillette on his Instagram and Spotify.
