Either she’s frolicking somewhere in The Garden, sneaking backstage to catch Sombr hit the stage after she’s opened for him, or she’s holed up in the studio, penning diary ballads that poke at the big, bruisy questions every 20-something trips over at 2 a.m.: can exes actually be friends, or are we all just lying to ourselves? Devon Gabriella has a flower crown for every delicate feeling you didn’t know you needed permission to have. She’s the kind of artist who makes vulnerability feel like a superpower rather than an overshare.
We caught up with her about her latest tune, ‘Miss Us,’ her first headline tour—a delicate, acoustic migration from San Francisco up through Portland and Seattle this past May, less tour bus chaos, more melodious butterfly effect—and how she’s been quietly, intentionally pulling her fans deeper into her world, one honest lyric at a time.
When we last spoke in April, you were gearing up for your first headline tour. We’ve loved seeing fans show up in flower crowns and carry on your band’s tradition—it’s genuinely sweet. What do you miss most about that run of dates?
That acoustic run was so much fun! Seeing the fans and singing with them in person will always be what I miss most about tour. I really got to hone in on the audience since we were playing such intimate venues. It was so special.
You’ve been on a run—the sombr tour, the headlining dates, ‘Old Time’s Sake,’ and now ‘Miss Us.’ At what point in that stretch did you start to feel like this era had a real shape to it, like you could see what it was becoming?
I love this question. On my headline tour, I added a new song I had been working on to each city’s set list. Singing those live on stage after spending countless hours in the studio writing them was a definite turning point. It really brought the new era to life.
Walk us through how ‘Miss Us’ came to life—from the first voice memo to the final studio session. What did that journey look like?
I made ‘Miss Us’ with a good friend of mine named PJ. I love working with my friends because the environment is immediately comfortable and familiar, which is so important in a session. I had recently ended a relationship of mine (a recurring theme in this new batch of songs) and was talking to PJ about wanting to catch up with my ex as a friend and nothing else. I definitely have a voice memo of us just riffing melodies and lyrics and getting excited floating around on my phone. Everything came together seamlessly. The chorus took a lot of different shapes until we landed on something that just felt right. The final session was so exciting, especially after seeing it resonate so deeply with my audience after posting a studio snippet.
This song takes on one of the great unresolved questions: can exes actually be friends? Did writing it shift your own stance at all?
I’m really not sure. I think it depends on your definition of “friends”. I’m still hopeful. Relationships are so complicated, and we’re all just learning how to navigate them in real time.
Half past ten is a very specific—and very loaded—hour to be reaching for your phone. When you’re not dialing the one that got away, who are you calling? Are you a late-night Uber Eats orderer, or more of a “need to debrief with a friend after a big night out” kind of person?
I’d have to say… I’m either FaceTiming my best friend or DoorDashing Taco Bell. Maybe doomscrolling? I’m a night owl for sure.
There are some incredible a cappella moments woven through this track—instruments dropping out, clapping taking over, and that choice to end not on a note but on your voice alone. What draws you to those kinds of production choices, and what do you love most about leaning into them?
Thank you so much! I love working as close as possible with the producer to bring out the best in my songs. The chorus of ‘Miss Us’ feels inherently singable, so gang vocals were a no-brainer. The dropouts were used to highlight the lyrics and emotion behind them.
You’ve talked about your visuals for this next era—vintage home, ethereal lighting, nostalgic charm. How does ‘Miss Us’ fit into that world aesthetically? Did the mood of the song pull you toward that look, or did the look come first?
I was immediately drawn to ethereal and vintage elements during this era. Something about it feels inherently nostalgic. I don’t remember necessarily “choosing” an aesthetic for these songs—one of the coolest parts about world-building around your music is allowing the sonic space to naturally influence the visual one.
Something exciting happens when your music starts to break through—sites like Genius begin posting lyric snippets almost as soon as you’ve teased anything. What does it mean to you to have that kind of platform picking up what you’re putting down?
I didn’t know it had a Genius tab! That’s so cool. It means the world to be seen and heard by platforms like that.
You’ve been frequently doing these Zoom calls with your fans where you do Q&As, listening parties, and just overall provide a wholesome environment for them. Do you have a favorite moment from the Zoom you did recently for this song, and what’s your interpretation of being a comfort artist for these young girls?
It’s my favorite thing!! It’d be impossible for me to pick just one moment, but on the recent Zoom, someone held a sign that said something along the lines of my music being home for them. I had to hold back tears, of course. There are really no words to describe what it means to be a comfort artist to someone. I know how important it was to me to confide in and find community in music artists, and it’s unreal that it’s now me providing that for someone. It’s a dream come true and why I do what I do.
The Garden started as a name for your monthly Zoom calls with fans and then became an EP, and now it sounds like it’s become a whole world. At what point did you realize this wasn’t just a community tag—it was genuinely its own era?
I think it took me seeing the fans wearing flower crowns to my shows to understand the weight it held. It was so special to see. I think “The Garden” is the most fitting name for this dream-like community we’ve built, and I hope it continues to live on as we enter this new era.
What’s your favorite lyric off ‘Miss Us?’ Let us know on our socials—Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter—and don’t let the loop linger too long, or the track just might end up missing you.
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