Gia Ford (Hallamshire Hotel)

How often do we hear from the outsider’s perspective? For rising new artist Gia Ford, those figures on the fringes of society are by far the most fascinating. Her songs tell the stories of the downtrodden to the downright dangerous. And through them, we begin to hear familiar, uncomfortable truths about ourselves.

Raised between Sheffield and Cheshire after her parents divorced, Ford developed an early passion for both poetry and original songs. “I’ve always loved writing creatively, and poetry is something I do for my own pleasure,” she says. “The two come together quite naturally, to the point that I end up writing these short stories that happen to be set to music.” This culminated in her spectacular debut album, Transparent Things, which was released in 2024 and is a collection of songs that demonstrates Ford’s signature Sheffield swagger, burnished with nods to alt-pop and psychedelic sleaze. Most of all, her debut album shows how Ford is able to craft songs like no other artist of her generation.

Speaking about her writing style, Ford said “I think there’s a particular style of being very literal in a lot of modern lyrics, but I don’t find any joy in writing like that […] It’s so morose talking about myself all the time.” Growing up, she found herself drawn to artists such as Kate Bush, Bjork, The Rolling Stones and Dusty Springfield: all enigmatic artists whose multi-layered songwriting only added to their allure. “What I’ve discovered through writing this album is, in a way, I am still writing about myself,” she says. “A few themes have come through that really surprised me.”

Following the release of Transparent Things, Ford received huge critical success, with CLASH Magazine called her a “striking indie it-girl to watch” in an 8/10 review whilst The Line of Best Fit said “Gia Ford’s debut record is a triumph of perseverance, of artistic integrity, and of what can happen when you stick to your guns”. Ford has also received additional support from a wealth of titles including NME, DIY, WhyNow, Rolling Stone UK, Polyester, and Wonderland, to name a few.

Now, Ford is turning to the next chapter in her burgeoning career, with fresh singles set for the end of 2025 and plenty more music to come in 2026.