New Music: Paper Citizen ‘Over The Moon’

Indie-rock project Paper Citizen, led by out singer/songwriter/producer Claire Gohst, blends crisp vocals with lyrical intimacy, spacious guitars, and organic rhythms on her new single, “Over the Moon.” “Just like a balloon, letting go was the only way to fly,” shares the artist. “‘Over the Moon’ is a song about knowing of a love that has been there since the beginning, the type that showed you strength and held you grounded in the moments that you needed in order to grow.” “The music is a mix of melancholy and hopefulness, expressing the tension and fear of leaping into the great unknown,” she adds. “It feels like you’re losing grip of a memory that was once held so tightly, and floating into a world of new possibilities.” The beautiful, airy electro-pop track has a light, sensual aura with just the right amount of passionate build. Gohst’s shimmering vocals are intimate and tranquil. ‘Over The Moon’ is quite the contrast from Paper Citizen’s earlier 2022 single – the gritty, driving ‘Heart On Fire’ – which I covered here. At 17, Gohst was kicked out of her home when her family found out she was gay. She eventually left school to pursue music as a full-time career. Thriving in the local live music scene around Singapore, playing the violin, and singing in bars, clubs, and restaurants, she realized she needed to grow to become a better artist. Soon after, she moved to Boston to pursue training in the recording arts and jazz violin at Berklee College of Music. Her artistic message, honed with musical influences, such as Wilco, St. Vincent, and Andrew Bird, combined with both analog and digital recording technology, resulted in her project, Paper Citizen. The track is a follow up to her acclaimed 2021 album Wandering Gohst.