INJI talks her debut single, “GASLIGHT”
“GASLIGHT” is a hit. It’s a song that screams listen to me on repeat, which is exactly what Twenty Minutes Later did when we first heard a clip of the song on TikTok. After listening to the clip on loop, we waited patiently for its release. Then we played the song everywhere—at the pregame, on the way to the club, at the club, and on the way home. We recently got the chance to ask INJI a few questions about the track via email. Read our interview below.
“GASLIGHT” IS YOUR FIRST RELEASE, BUT HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MAKING MUSIC?
I've been writing music for the past 3 years, but my musical background goes way back! I am a classically trained pianist—I went to the conservatory my whole life in Turkey and spent many years traveling around Europe doing competitions. I then got into jazz singing in high school and have been writing songs ever since.
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST GOT THE IDEA FOR THE SONG?
I was on TikTok when I saw a video explaining what gaslighting meant. It was at that time in internet history when the term was really trending. I then thought that a song that went "Gaslight, Gatekeep" could be hilarious! I recorded a voice note of me just going “Gaslight! Gatekeep!” and there it was.
HOW LONG DID “GASLIGHT” TAKE YOU TO MAKE? WHO HELPED YOU MAKE IT?
We basically made "GASLIGHT" in a week. I was working with a producer who also goes to UPenn, Alex Graf. We were working on R&B and soul type of music, which is what I like singing the most. One day, I asked him to show me old beats he had made. We were going through his music when we came by the beat that would later become "GASLIGHT." I just went, "STOP. This is it. This is my debut single." I was also making music with Jonah Jurick at the time - he goes by Hei$t on Spotify. We had met up to finish something else and I showed him the idea for "GASLIGHT." That night we wrote the entire song! Next day I recorded it with Alex and ta da!
WAS THERE A SPECIFIC CLUB THAT YOU WROTE THE SONG ABOUT?
The song is about Paul's Baby Grand in New York. It just fits the vibe perfectly and I was thinking of a night out there when it all came together.
WHERE ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO GO OUT?
My favorite places to go out are actually in London! I lived there for two years when I was a teenager and had the best nights of my life.
YOU EXPERIMENTED WITH SINGING THE SONG IN A BRITISH ACCENT. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO NOT INCLUDE THE ACCENT IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THE SONG?
The story about the British accent touches back to when I used to live in the UK. I went to boarding school there, so for a period in my life I had a British accent. However, I'm from Turkey and when I moved to the US for college, I slowly lost that accent. We were experimenting because a British accent just sounds amazing with any song. I actually left the British accent takes in "GASLIGHT's" final recording - it's just not as obvious. Honestly, I felt weird using an accent that wasn't how I would naturally speak. I wanted to keep the song true to myself.
HAVE YOU EVER GASLIGHTED SOMEONE? IF SO, HOW?
Never. I'm not actually toxic. The whole song is a joke lmao.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PLAY THE SONG AT WEBSTER HALL?
It was incredible! I walked into the green room and could not believe that I was in the same room that almost every major musician has been in at such an early stage in my career. The performance was crazy fun.
HOW DID THAT PERFORMANCE COME ABOUT?
Basically—the people running the program in Webster Hall came across me on TikTok and vibed with the song. That's how it all happened.
YOU’RE STILL IN SCHOOL. HOW DO YOU BALANCE SCHOOL AND MUSIC?
It's been a little difficult! I did not expect anything like this to happen when I was making the song! Final's season was a little tough, but I'm used to hard work, so it's just been a lot of all nighters!
WHAT DO YOUR COLLEGE FRIENDS THINK ABOUT THE TRACK?
It's one of the things that makes me the happiest—that every single frat at UPenn now plays “GASLIGHT” at every party they throw. It's also spread to local bars around Philly. There was a point where I could not enter a classroom or cross the street without people yelling “Gaslight! Gatekeep!” at me!!
IF YOU COULD PLAY “GASLIGHT” FOR ANY CELEBRITY, WHO WOULD YOU PLAY IT FOR?
Sofi Tukker!!!
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THIS SONG?
I really think that "GASLIGHT" could be a summer anthem for a lot of people. I hope that as many people as possible can vibe to it, feel empowered, dance and scream along. I'd also love to hear it played across clubs in New York and London. And maybe one day, at festivals!
YOU CAN LISTEN TO “GASLIGHT” BY INJI ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. GO STREAM AND MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW @twentyminuteslater TO STAY UPDATED ON FUTURE POSTS.
