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GFOTY

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Polly-Louisa Salmon (born 19 July 1990), better known by her stage name GFOTY, an abbreviation of Girlfriend of the Year, is a British pop singer. From 2013 to 2018, she released music through the PC Music label. She now independently releases her music. Much of her work has been in the form of mini-mixes.[3]

GFOTY
Birth namePolly-Louisa Salmon[1]
Born (1990-07-19) 19 July 1990 (age 34)[2]
OriginLondon, England, United Kingdom
GenresAvant-pop
OccupationVocalist
Years active2012–present
Labels
Websitegfoty.com

Biography

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GFOTY is the daughter of art dealer Jeff Salmon.[4] She grew up in London, England and ran a blog.[2][5] Her earliest songs include "Take a Picture", which includes rap group Serious Thugs, and "Friday Night", which is a darkly-comical take on pop clichés about partying teenagers.[6][7] A remix of the latter was incorporated into the DJ sets of the producer Sophie.[8]

Her debut single, "Bobby", was released in 2013 via the PC Music record label and collective. It describes feelings of futility after a breakup.[5][9] GFOTY uses a spoken word delivery over a tense, synthesised wall of sound.[9][10] She released Secret Mix in March 2014. It includes cover versions of songs by Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, and Carly Simon. Tiny Mix Tapes named Secret Mix the third best music release of 2014.[11] She also appeared on PC Music's mix for DIS Magazine's DISown. Focusing on the relationship between art and commerce, her contribution includes conspicuous product placement for Red Bull.[9] One of the songs from her mix became her second single "Don't Wanna / Let's Do It".[12] It creates an uneasy mood by taking two conflicting phrases and frantically sampling them.[13]

 
GFOTY's "My Song" was inspired by the hex triplet FFB6C1.[14]

GFOTY contributed vocals to "Hard", the B-side to Sophie's "Lemonade" single.[15] In September 2014, producer Ryan Hemsworth released the compilation EP shh#ffb6c1 on his pseudo-label Secret Songs, which included a GFOTY-featured track named "My Song".[14] Shortly after, she collaborated with PC Music artist Maxo on "Not That Bad".[15]

For Halloween in 2014, GFOTY appeared alongside fellow label artists including A. G. Cook and Danny L Harle for a single, special live Halloween webcast named Dead or Alive. All of the PC Music artists appeared in the webcast, portraying spooky alter egos of themselves. GFOTY's persona was "Ghoulfriend of the Year". The show was broadcast in the UK, USA, Denmark and Japan.[16]

In 2015 GFOTY released a mix titled Cake Mix. It is composed of bright, saccharine songs interspersed with buzzing, glitchy breakdowns.[17][18] The mix includes an adaptation of Peter Andre's 1996 single "Mysterious Girl" featuring Bubbler Ranx and a cover of Blink-182's 2000 single "All the Small Things".[19] In March 2015, a mix titled Dog Food Mix 1 with PC Music artist Spinee was released, as a reworking of GFOTY's earlier songs.[20] A second mix, Dog Food Mix 2, was released in May 2015.[21]

March 2015 saw GFOTY head to the USA to play the PC Music showcase at the Empire Garage in Austin, Texas as part of SXSW. Her performance was well received, with Exclaim! writing that it was a "fascinating set"[22] and Noisey saying "Here's what I did when I saw GFOTY, which was probably the best thing I've seen all week: I fucking lost my mind. I loved it. I was ecstatic."[23] On 8 May 2015, GFOTY performed as part of a PC Music show at BRIC House in Brooklyn, New York as part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival. The show was billed as the premiere of Pop Cube, "a multimedia reality network".[24]

On 25 October 2016, GFOTY released a glitch pop-influenced pop rock[25] EP titled Call Him A Doctor,[26] which is presumed to be a continuation of her previous EP, VIPOTY.[27]

On 9 November 2017, the single "Tongue" was released with an accompanying joint music video for "Tongue" and the VIPOTY track "Poison".[28] "Tongue" is a single from her "greatest hits" compilation called GFOTYBUCKS - which contains 19 tracks from VIPOTY, Call Him A Doctor, past mixes, and various singles - was released on 17 November 2017. On the same date, a "32 page magazine created by GFOTY with exclusive GFOTYBUCKS recipes, lyrics and artwork by various GFOTY approved artists" is available to buy as a bundle with the GFOTYBUCKS CD.[29]

On 14 December 2018, GFOTY confirmed that she had left the PC Music label to become an indie artist. She released her single "Boy Next Door" under her own label "GIRLFRIEND RECORDS."[30] Via Twitter,[31] she announced that she will be releasing her new EP If You Think I'm A Bitch You Should Meet GFOTY in March 2019.

Artistry

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Music

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Secret Mix (2014)
A cover of "Un-Break My Heart" deteriorates into feedback.[9] It leads into "Kiss", which constructs a frenetic beat from pitch-shifted tongue clicks.[32]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

GFOTY's music favours tense, bouncy beats with pounding drums.[33] Her style of sing-speaking gives her a more coarse, human quality compared to the rest of the PC Music roster.[34] Describing her singing as "child like", GFOTY often manipulates her words by twisting an individual syllable.[2][34] Her spoken word vocals are supported by distorted, high-pitched backing vocals.[1][34] GFOTY's more sentimental songs are offshoots of bittersweet power ballads by singers like Celine Dion and Toni Braxton.[9] She has cited R. Kelly as an influence, calling him "either the most clever guy in the universe or a complete moron, and I love that I can't figure it out."[2][9]

Public image

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GFOTY has been characterised as "the most obviously political" act on the PC Music label.[6] Her persona is animated and loudmouthed,[7][35] as a lampoon of club culture.[36] GFOTY's comments regarding race have been criticised, with Noisey removing some of her remarks from its site.[4] She has likened herself to a female version of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists.[37] GFOTY's lyrics detail nights of drinking and casual sex.[38] Sporting a sweatsuit for her live performances, she describes her fashion as "a pink onesie covered in Swarovski crystals with loads of money coming out the pockets and Ugg boots".[9][36] GFOTY uses an exaggeratedly feminine style similar to the cute aesthetic of her contemporaries. However, this is often used to conceal a more sinister element, and she has commented that she doesn't "particularly think gfoty [sic] is cute".[9]

With low-quality selfies, photo manipulation, and the use of wigs, GFOTY shrouds her image and identity.[39][40] Her facetious interviews with press often blur the line between her real life and the GFOTY character.[35] She characterised GFOTY as "a state of mind which can only be achieved by the deepest level of meditation on a beach in Barbados surrounded by cute jetski instructors."[5] GFOTY often discusses having trained as a chef and baking desserts.[2][35][41] She maintains an Instagram profile of inspirational quotes.[33]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details
FEMMEDORM

Mini-albums

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Title Album details
GFOTV

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
GFOTYBUCKS

Extended plays

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Title Album details
VIPOTY
Dog Food (with Spinee)
Call Him a Doctor
GFOTYBUCKS : REDCUPS
If You Think I'm A Bitch, You Should Meet GFOTY
Ham Chunks and Wine

Mixes

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Title Year Label
'V DAY MIX' 2012 —
'Secret Mix' 2014 PC Music
'PC Music x DISown Radio' (with A. G. Cook, Danny L Harle, Kane West, Lil Data and Nu New Edition)
'Dead or Alive' (with A. G. Cook, Danny L Harle, Kane West, Life Sim, Lil Data, Lipgloss Twins, Spinee and Thy Slaughter)
'Cake Mix' 2015
'Dog Food Mix 1' (with Spinee)
'Boiler Room x SXSW DJ Set' Boiler Room
'Dog Food Mix 2' (with Spinee) PC Music
'Pop City RBMA Mix' (with A. G. Cook, EASYFUN, felicita, Hannah Diamond, Lil Data and Spinee) 2016
'01: Holy Place of Madness Live Mix: dome of doom / begin your journey' (with Spinee as Holy Place of Madness) —
'02 Holy Place of Madness Halloween Mix: rip the veil and disguise yourself' (with Spinee as Holy Place of Madness)
'The Way I Rock' 2017
'Club Repz Promo Mix '
'COTTON EYED GF-j-O-e-TY'
'Down It Fresherz Promo Mix'
'HUGE GFOTY'S HUGE MIX'
'BANGFACE Takeover' 2019 Rinse FM
'GFOTY Mix 4 Turban | Radiowave' TURBAN RADIOWAVE
'MINEGALA SET' —
'SPINEE & GFOTY'S HALLOWEENIE 2019 PARTY MIX - NTS' (with Spinee)

Singles

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Title Year Label Album
"Take a Picture" (featuring $eriou$ †hug$) 2012 Gamsonite Non-album single
"Friday Night" GFOTYBUCKS
"First Date With a Demon" (featuring DJ BELLZZ) Non-album singles
"Dating Call"
"Bobby" 2013 PC Music
"Don't Wanna / Let's Do It" 2014 PC Music, Vol. 1 and GFOTYBUCKS
"My Song" Secret Songs shh#ffb6c1 and GFOTYBUCKS
"Christmas Day" PC Music GFOTYBUCKS
"USA" 2015 PC Music, Vol. 1 and GFOTYBUCKS
"Amazing" 2016 VIPOTY
"Month of Mayhem" 2017 Month of Mayhem
"Tongue" GFOTYBUCKS
"Boy Next Door" 2018 GIRLFRIEND RECORDS If You Think I'm A Bitch, You Should Meet GFOTY
"CREEP(UR A)" 2019 — Non-album singles
"Flippy Wonderland" GIRLFRIEND RECORDS
"I AM THE CHAMPION" —
"EX-MAS IN THE WOODS"
"Destroy U" (with Shirobon) 2020 Hyperwave Records
"Here With Me" Pretty Wavvy Ham Chunks and Wine
"FISH IN LAKE" 2021 GIRLFRIEND RECORDS FEMMEDORM
"KOOKS SONG"
"CONGRATS.." 2024 TBA
"YOU CARE" TBA
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Title Year Label Album
"Not That Bad" (Maxo featuring GFOTY) 2014 — Non-album singles
"DogofMoon" (Asian Jewel featuring GFOTY) 2018
"GTFO" (Justin Abisror featuring GFOTY) 2019 Swag Money 3
"Mile High" (Rony Rex & Laz Perkins featuring GFOTY) 2020 Youth Control Non-album single
"Stupid Horse (Remix)" (100 gecs featuring GFOTY and Count Baldor) Dog Show Records 1000 gecs & The Tree of Clues
"Tamagotchi" (Putochinomaricón featuring GFOTY) 2022 Elefant Records JÁJÁ ÉQÚÍSDÉ (Distopía Aburrida)

Other appearances

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Title Year Label Album
"I'm Pretty" (Lil Gash featuring GFOTY) 2012 Gamsonite King of Fiji Vol. 1
"Half Pint" (Powermilk) Non-album single
"HARD" (SOPHIE) 2014 Numbers PRODUCT
"John White Christmas Man" 2016 — Non-album singles
"GFOTY IS COMING HOME (three lions)" 2018
"feels so good" (recovery girl featuring Space Candy, GFOTY, Lil Mariko & Diana Starshine) 2021 recovery girl & friends MIXTAPE

Music videos

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Title Year
"Bobby" 2013
VIPOTY 2016
"Heaven"
"The Argument" 2017
"Month of Mayhem"
"Poison/Tongue"
"Lemsip"
"USA" (Lyric video)
"Don't Wanna / Let's Do It" (Lyric video)
"Boy Next Door" 2018
GFOTV 2019
"I Am The Champion"
"Here With Me" 2020
"Stupid Horse (Remix)" (100 gecs featuring GFOTY and Count Baldor)
"Rid of All" (featuring Count Baldor)
"FISH IN LAKE" 2021
"KOOKS SONG"
"BRAND NEW BRA"
"Tamagotchi" (PUTOCHINOMARICÓN featuring GFOTY) 2022

References

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  1. ^ a b Hunt, El (11 June 2014). "Inside the hard drive of PC Music". DIY. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e Weinstock, Tish (12 February 2015). "hannah diamond and gfoty's beginner's guide to pc music". i-D. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  3. ^ "PC Music regular GFOTY shares Cake Mix, featuring an apropos Blink-182 cover". Fact. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  4. ^ a b Cliff, Aimee (15 June 2015). "PC Music And The Limitations Of Parody". The Fader. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Bassil, Ryan (23 May 2014). "Trying to Make Sense of Hannah Diamond and Post-Ringtone Music". Vice. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  6. ^ a b Weiss, Dan (17 December 2014). "Trend of the Year: How PC Music Chewed Up Pop Conventions". Spin. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  7. ^ a b Barchi, Aly (12 December 2014). "CMU Artists Of The Year 2014: PC Music". Complete Music Update. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Aurora (29 October 2014). "Festival review: Simple Things 2014". Dummy. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Kretowicz, Steph (26 June 2014). "You're Too Cute: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Sophie, PC Music and the Aesthetic of Excess". The Fader. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  10. ^ Millard, Drew (19 September 2014). "Staff Picks and Good Shit for the Week of September 19, Featuring Dylan Walker of Full of Hell". Vice. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  11. ^ Zetina, Ariel (December 2014). "2014: Favorite 50 Music Releases of 2014". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  12. ^ Bowe, Miles (9 July 2014). "GFOTY – 'Don't Wanna / Let's Do It'". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  13. ^ Joyce, Colin (9 July 2014). "GFOTY Battles Indecision on 'Don't Wanna / Let's Do It'". The Fader. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  14. ^ a b Joyce, Colin (30 September 2014). "GFOTY: 'My Song'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  15. ^ a b Liu, Nelson (2 October 2014). "Maxo 'Not That Bad' ft. GFOTY". Mass Appeal. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  16. ^ Dream Baby (27 October 2014). "PC Music Wants You To Spend Your Halloween Alone With Them". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  17. ^ McDermott, Patrick D. (27 January 2015). "Download GFOTY's Cover Of Blink-182's 'All The Small Things'". The Fader. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  18. ^ Rettig, James (27 January 2015). "GFOTY – 'All The Small Things' (Blink-182 Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  19. ^ "GFOTY drops 'Cake Mix'". Dummy. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  20. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (5 March 2015). "PC Music's GFOTY and Spinee Unleash Their 'Dog Food Mix 1'". Spin. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  21. ^ Carley, Brennan (26 May 2015). "GFOTY and Spinee Get Pointedly Weird on Their 'Dog Food Mix 2'". Spin. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  22. ^ "GFOTY Empire Garage, Austin TX, March 19". exclaim.ca.
  23. ^ Kramer, Kyle (20 March 2015). "Just Let Go and Enjoy PC Music, OK?".
  24. ^ Pareles, Jon (10 May 2015). "Review: PC Music and Sophie in a High-Concept Extravaganza at BRIC House". The New York Times.
  25. ^ Rettig, James (25 October 2016). "Stream GFOTY Call Him A Doctor". Stereogum. SpinMedia. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  26. ^ "GFOTY - Call Him A Doctor (pc-r7)". Soundcloud.com.
  27. ^ Music, P. C. (24 October 2016). "What ever happened to Chad?".
  28. ^ "GFOTY – "Poison/Tongue" Video". 9 November 2017.
  29. ^ "GFOTYBUCKS Zine + CD - PC Music (HomePage)". 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  30. ^ Boy Next Door - Single by GFOTY, 14 December 2018, retrieved 27 February 2019
  31. ^ GFOTY (31 January 2019). "If you thought BOY NEXT DOOR was a banger.. just you wait for my Whole Entire EP #ifyouthinkimabitchyoushouldmeetGFOTY !!!". Twitter.com. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  32. ^ Moynihan, Joe (13 August 2014). "PC Music: the 10 best tracks so far from 2014's most divisive record label". Fact. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  33. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip (17 September 2014). "PC Music's Twisted Electronic Pop: A User's Manual". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  34. ^ a b c Bowe, Miles (2 October 2014). "Maxo – 'Not That Bad' (Feat. GFOTY)". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  35. ^ a b c Raiss, Liz (3 February 2015). "How I Live: GFOTY". The Fader. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  36. ^ a b Kramer, Kyle (20 March 2015). "Just Let Go and Enjoy PC Music, OK?". Vice. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  37. ^ Wolfson, Sam (2 May 2015). "PC Music: the future of pop or 'contemptuous parody'?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  38. ^ Bassil, Ryan (16 December 2014). "Even If They're an Elaborate Joke, PC Music Dominated 2014". Vice. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  39. ^ Jones, Charlie Robin (11 September 2014). "PC Music's digital dreams". Dazed & Confused. 4: 178–183. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  40. ^ Frank, Alex (19 September 2014). "A Visual Primer on PC Music, London's Weirdest New Subculture". Vogue. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  41. ^ Hemsworth, Ryan (22 September 2014). "GFOTY & Ryan Hemsworth's ShhSecret date". Logo Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
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