A decade on from his debut LP, Gavin James returns with his fourth studio album Goldrush - a glowing testament to growth, gratitude, and the people who've kept him grounded.
Audibly buzzing with energy - much like the hornet’s nest near him during our sun-soaked Zoom call in Greece (no Gavins were harmed in the making of this story) - it’s clear that family, friends, and devoted fans have remained the bedrock of his inspiration.
"People are coming to my shows now with kids that are into the music. It makes me feel very young," he laughed. "But it's lovely though, it's really nice to see. We do loads of meet-and-greets for families and it's just lovely," he told RTÉ Entertainment.
Now in his thirties, Gavin has taken time to appreciate what really matters and the people who've always been there.
"My mam and dad are the best. I'm very lucky to have such beautiful parents. They’ve always been so supportive. They have the radio on every day back in Wexford, and anytime something of mine comes on, they still freak out - I think they love it more than I do," he laughed.
"My brother, my sister, and my missus are great too - I’m actually in Greece at the minute visiting her family. I have such a nice base at home, and I’m really grateful for it," he said.
"I spent a lot of time away from home in my twenties, missing out on weddings and babies being born. Now I’m 34, and just very thankful for what I have," he added.
The Dublin native burst onto the scene in 2015 with this debut record Bitter Pill. It was followed by his 2018 album Only Ticket Home, featuring Always, which reached number #1 in the Irish charts.
His fourth offering with Goldrush consists of 13 tracks, structured in two distinct halves divided by an interlude. The first half is filled with upbeat, high-energy anthems, while the second half showcases a raw and emotional side to the project.
The title track was released earlier this year and his most recent single from the project, Cherry Cola, came out in June.
But, the album isn't just a milestone for the 34-year-old singer-songwriter, it's a celebration of connection and a lifetime of stories.
Describing how the album is thoughtfully split into two sections, he said: "It's like two halves. The first half is definitely more upbeat - more of a celebration, and more fun to play live. Then the second half is a lot more personal - it's about my friends and relationships."
"Two years of hard work have gone into this album. The first part was written in just ten days in Kilkenny. For the second half, I worked on it by myself - it's more acoustic and stripped back," Gavin said. "I'm glad it’s coming out now because I’ve written so many more songs since, and I really needed to get this one out."
So how has his writing evolved since he launched onto the music scene in his early twenties?
"I'm writing a lot more than I used to. For my first album, I had maybe 30 songs written. For the second album, I wrote around 18 or 19 - and 16 of them ended up getting released.
"After that, I started writing a lot more with other people. For my first album, I just wrote by myself in my mam and dad's house. The second one, I worked with my friend Ollie Green. The third album, I wrote with a bunch of friends - and this album is similar.
"It's my fourth record, and I wrote it with all of my best buddies. It's nice to have that, and then there’s also some stuff I wrote by myself toward the end," he said.
To celebrate the release of his new album, Gavin will perform a special four-night run residency at his Dublin pub, Doyle's Corner, beginning 18 September 2025.
"I'm absolutely buzzing. I can't wait - it's going to be class. I'm doing four gigs, and I'm building a stage - which will be the first time a stage has ever been in there. We're going to slowly turn it into a venue afterwards. Hopefully, before Christmas, we'll have it as a full-fledged venue, so this will be a nice tester to see how it works.
"It's going to be great. I've got four gigs - they're all gone - so I'm going to put on another one the week after, and maybe even one in between."
Goldrush is out now.
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