Albums, it turns out, can be a bit like buses. You wait for one, then two – even three in the case of the latest work from GRLWood – come along almost all at once. Rej Forrester wrote, recorded and produced all three albums on their own, releasing ‘BLOOD’ earlier this year, ‘SWEAT’ last month, and the final collection ‘TEARS’ drops in a few weeks.
With 2024 being a busy and productive year for them, Rej tells XSNoize how the three albums highlight their artistic evolution, shares which GRLWood song is a fan favourite at their gigs, and teases what’s ahead in 2025.
For anyone unfamiliar with you, who exactly is GRLwood?
I’m GRLwood. I go by Rej (pronounced Ray). And I love creating music…very much.
You’ve recently dropped the second in your trilogy of albums, ‘SWEAT’, which was preceded by ‘BLOOD’ and will be followed by ‘TEARS.’ How does this second album differ from the first, and what do you want the album to ‘say’ to those who hear it?
The second album lays off of the seriousness that ‘BLOOD’ had. It’s a little looser, more silly. Some songs have no deep meaning…whatsoever – whereas most of ‘BLOOD’ has quite a serious tone. I want ‘SWEAT’ to feel more fun and not as heavy.
Which songs on ‘SWEAT’ are you most proud of and why? Is there a track that you connect more deeply to than any other or that you feel is a standout track on the collection?
Ooooooohhh. Hmmm…I love the song, “Hey.” Cus I think it’s funny. There wasn’t a moment I wasn’t laughing at it, from conception to the last mix through; I thought it was delightful.
How would you say this trilogy of albums, with a particular focus on ‘SWEAT’ at the moment, highlights your growth and evolution as an artist since you first made your mark on the music scene nearly a decade ago?
I formed GRLwood and started playing shows and selling my first GRLwood EP in 2016. The first song I EVER put out was a pop song, and I’ve always left it up on SoundCloud as like a little Easter egg because it sounds so different from the sound I’m most known for. I’ve always been writing and recording pop songs of a very different flavour than the rock music I play live. But it’s awesome to finally have the time to really work them and put them out, ya know..get ‘em OUT of my head and OUT of my computer, so I can finally feel like I can separate from them and make something new.
More pop stuff comes on ‘TEARS’, which doesn’t have a single rock song on it. But back to SWEAT. It’s been great to have enough time and confidence to really build out full structures, add bass, add keys, add vocal layering, and complex bridges. I felt so trapped in writing only punk rock songs, mostly pressure to be constantly performing and pressure from the label where I feel more free from those pressures now.
This trio of albums is being released after a five-year hiatus. Can you share how that time away and events that occurred during it (such as the pandemic) impacted and influenced their creation?
I wouldn’t consider it a hiatus…I dropped an EP in 2020, released the “Pay the Rent” single in 2021/2022 and have been teasing out singles from the trilogy since. Covid hit and that put a halt on performing and it’s what gave me the time to really process through my MOUNTAINS of demos I had yet to record and focus on recording properly. So without that forced pause on performing, I wouldn’t have had the time to put it all down. I can’t do both I’ve learned. I can’t tour and write/record/produce/digital design/animate/videography/social media. It’s like…either I’m in performing mode, or basement mode. Can’t really do both well.
You have amassed millions upon millions of streams on Spotify, earning yourself attention and acclaim from music fans and critics alike all over the world. You also have a following of over 100K on Instagram alone. How do you handle the pressure and attention that can come with so many people paying close attention to your work and your life? Is being socially interactive something you enjoy or understand to be part of the job description?
How do I handle the pressure…I just do. I’m sure we all feel great pressure in our lives in one way or another. I’ve had to learn some different ways to communicate when I need to be polite but ask for a boundary. The most challenging thing is not being treated like a person and handling interactions like that with kindness. Being socially interactive is something that is absolutely part of my job, and I want to do a good job.
What are your current/upcoming tour plans in support of these three albums?
Well, I’m currently in the airport about to fly out to London, where I’ll be doing some UK/EU dates, including Pitchfork, Paris.
How would you describe a GRLwood live show?
The set I’ve been focused on lately has two flavours; we have the gay and angry flavour. Then we have the sad and melancholic flavor. I think they pair well. I can’t burn yall out with just fast in your face all the time, gotta add the FlAvOrS
Which of your songs have you found to be fan-favourites at live shows, and why do you think that is?
“I’m yer dad” for sure. Even before it went viral, it was the song in the set that brought the crowd to life. It’s a fun, fast, and cathartic catchy screamy song. It’s fun.
Of all the shows you’ve played in your career, is there one you look back on with the most fondness?
Ooo…mmm…ya know I kind of don’t keep these things in my mind so much. So I guess the most recent past one was Los Angeles. I love them there. Really awesome dudes out there.
If you could play anywhere in the world with any other band or artist, where would it be and who would you pick?
My “on brand pick” that would make a lot of sense would be like… destroy boys prolly. But my unhinged personal fulfilment pick would be BILLIE. Aim high, right? Haha. I also feel like a JoJo Siwa x GRLwood show could be bananas. And where? Aonno.
As a queer woman yourself, how proud are you to see other queer artists succeeding both in their lives and the music industry in recent times – the most current example being Chapell Roan?
Hell yeah brother, hell yeah. It’s a rad event taking place, I must say. When I was a sad gay kid, thirsty for gay content to relate to, there wasn’t much, fr. So it’s cool to see this happening in such a mainstream scale.
What advice would you give to any aspiring artists – queer or otherwise – out there looking to forge their path in the music world?
My advice is don’t listen to advice. Do what you want. If I listened to people’s advice, I deff wouldn’t be when I am now. It’s a real test to believe in yourself, but you have to. And don’t stop.
Finally, then, after a busy and productive year with the release of these albums – what’s next? Where will GRLwood go in 2025, and what’s still left for you to achieve, creatively, both as an individual and as an artist?
Dude, imma keep putting stuff out there way I have been. There is one more album, TEARS coming. And honestly, my end goal isn’t primarily GRLwood, my end goal is to be a ghost writer and write songs for artists that are much larger than me. I feel I have so many genres/songs squished inside of me that would shine their brightest with someone else’s voice/face/flavor.
I’ve never wanted to be a rockstar who gets all the focus. I’ve always wanted to be behind the face and make things that other people could deliver more powerfully than me. That’s my real goal in music, and I’m hoping after releasing one entire pop album, it’ll help open some of those doors. But also my shit is kinda weird, so maybe I’ll just keep doing like…fraternal twin albums, one rock, one pop with each release. Who knows. I’ll be making stuff either way.
Listen to ‘Sweat’ – BELOW:
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