Gus Dapperton’s Individuality Effects on Society

Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen a sudden shift in the landscape of music. “Pop-stars” are being redefined every day. Not too long ago, musicians were rewarded for being the same and for putting out the same vapid songs that topped the charts over and over again. Whether this is an actual paradigm shift or me just blocking out unimaginative pop music of today, it seems as if people are starting to be rewarded for being themselves.

The reason this idea has caught my attention is because individuality is something inspiring to me. Someone who embodies this value to his absolute core is songwriter Gus Dapperton. Seemingly everything about him stands out. Gus is 6’3, sporting a bowl cut with shaved sides that he cuts himself. The singer often rocks blue eyeshadow and peach nail polish, and his go to wardrobe includes high water pants to show off his white socks and an all around feel that a Vogue writer described as “90’s normcore meets Balenciaga.”

But his look is not the only part about Gus that makes him stand out from the rest. His music blends pop and alternative rock together to create this sort of 80’s inspired psychedelic dream. My favourite thing about Gus’s sound has to be his incredibly unique voice, not finely tuned and a bit nasally. It’s refreshing to hear a singing voice like his. It is unlike any I have ever heard. Gus’s voice and his view is just perfect for me. He talks about the idea of having a perfect today. In an interview he did with pigeons and planes, he said, ”someone who doesn’t sound like normal singer, like someone has a very unique voice... It’s kind of like people can change the tone of their instruments, but you can’t really change the tone of their voice. it’s just whatever voice you have.”

This recurring theme of individuality and self-expression truly follows Gus everywhere. The cinematic quality of his videos is insane when you realize Gus isn’t a big artist whatsoever. The ultra specific color of pallets, the location scouting and the production of it all is just incredible. His two biggest videos “I’m Just Snacking” and “Prune, You Talk Funny” look like short films in comparison to the mundane boring music videos that we often see from so many mainstream artists.

Another thing is Gus’s dancing. He’s not formally trained or anything, he’s just a kid who loves dancing. Not only is it his music, but that extra layer of hearing the music and watching the creator dance that gives the song more and more personality. The concept of Gus normalizing the idea of being yourself sounds like a perfect world in my head.

Gus Dapperton rocking highlight and eye-shadow with some dangling earrings showing his own style out through every single one of his expressional faces.

Gus Dapperton rocking highlight and eye-shadow with some dangling earrings showing his own style out through every single one of his expressional faces.

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