“I can’t think of one problem or life event that I’ve gone through that writing a song about hasn’t helped me immensely,” said 26-year-old musician and Grand Rapids Community College student Gee Herold.
In their interview, Herold spoke about mental health, creative identity, and their dream of building a more accessible and supportive music community.
Performing under the name “Gee (just like the letter),” Herold described songwriting as a deeply personal process that has helped them navigate through the highs and lows of life.
“I’m not really sure if it’s cathartic or if it helps to name the feelings, but music is like my long-term partner, my best confidant, my closest friend,” Herold said.
Themes of healing and emotional honesty weren’t confined to the interview. Herold’s newsroom performance blended intimate storytelling with a raw and stripped-back sound.
One song in particular, titled “Twenty,” told an emotional story that took place in Chicago.
“I went there for my birthday a couple years ago and got broken up with on my birthday,” Herold said. “So that’s what that song was about, that’s where Chicago comes into play.”
The story of “Twenty” reflects the crucial role that difficult memories play in Herold’s songwriting process, turning thoughts and emotions into something easier to process.
“It helps me through everything, and I would not be able to manage my mental health without it,” Herold explained. “It has been crucial in my healing and processing of trauma, feelings, breakups, happiness, sadness. All of that.”
Herold remembered how their relationship with music began in their childhood after watching “American Idol.”
“Since I was like 6 and saw ‘American Idol’ for the first time, my first goal or dream was to win ‘American Idol,’ which has not happened, unfortunately,” Herold said with a laugh.
Although that childhood has not yet happened, Herold has continued chasing a future in music.
Creating music professionally was not always an easy decision. After beginning college, Herold felt discouraged by warnings of the instability that comes with having a music career.
“There’s tons of voices that’ll be like, ‘You can’t make money doing this. Creative fields are risky. You should do something stable. You should do something accessible, normal, whatever,’” Herold said, “But I was so miserable studying anything else. I could get good grades, but my heart was not in it.”
Now a part of both the Recording Technology and Classical Guitar programs at GRCC, Herold explained how the college’s music program has helped them expand their approach to songwriting.
“I’ve been more melody-oriented rather than lyrical, which is normally my go-to comfort zone,” Herold said. “Learning music theory, and learning about what makes a song good or not, gives me all these tools that I can work with to create better music that’s more interesting and more engaging.”
Before learning music theory, Herold drew from other sources for inspiration. Though less technical, Herold credits several musicians with shaping their sound and creative identity.
“Super authentic artists with a really raw sound, (and) basically anything that’s super emotional is where I get a lot of my inspiration from,” Herold said while naming My Chemical Romance, Twenty One Pilots, Taylor Swift, and Victor Jones as figures of musical inspiration.
Herold expanded on their love for My Chemical Romance, and said, “I actually changed my name a while ago from my deadname to Gee, and it was super inspired by My Chemical Romance, which is a running theme in my life.”
For those who aren’t familiar with the band, Gerard Way is the frontman of My Chemical Romance, whose widely used nickname is “Gee”.
They use the name “Gee (just like the letter)” on SoundCloud, turning common questions about pronunciation into part of their artist identity.
“Every time I say my name is Gee, there’s always follow-up questions,” Herold said. “People think it’s ‘Gi’ or something, but I feel like it’s got a cool tagline.”
Beyond shaping their identity in the past, music continues to influence the future they hope to build within the industry. Herold aspires to build their career both as a performer and as someone working behind the scenes in the music industry.
“I would like to have a fully mixed and produced EP out, and within five years, I would like to be on a regular list of performers at local venues like The Pyramid Scheme, Mulligan’s Pub, places like that. That’s kind of my five-year plan,” Herold explained.
Beyond the five-year plan, Herold’s goals extend into the recording and production side of the field. As a recording technology student, they said they hope to someday create their own record company.
“My dream in maybe 10 or 20 years is creating a record company for minority groups that’s safe, ethical, and gives musicians healthcare and stuff like that,” Herold said.
Herold’s focus on accessibility shapes the advice they would give to aspiring musicians.
“I would say use what you can and DIY that,” Herold said. “If you have an iPhone and $200, you can get a guitar, record it, and put it on TikTok or SoundCloud. You don’t need fancy equipment, you don’t need a studio, and you don’t need a record deal. You just need yourself. Be patient and put yourself out there whenever you can.”
For Herold, connection is just as important as performing or professional success.
“Music requires community, and I want to be a part of that community, and that community should be accessible for everyone,” Herold said. “When we make music together, it’s like the best thing about being a human being.”
Listeners can stream Herold’s music on SoundCloud under the name “Gee (just like the letter).”
Editor’s Note: The Collegiate is looking to feature more GRCC musicians on The Paper Jam. If you’re interested in being featured, or want to nominate a friend, send us links to great music at collegiate@grcc.edu or DM us @thecollegiate on Instagram.
