Gayance says “hellooooo????”

Debut Tru Thoughts single ‘hellooooo????’ is co-produced by funkywhat and features fellow Montréal mainstay Magi Merlin, the track serves as a playful middle finger to the self-seriousness of the music industry. By shifting the focus from an expansive search for belonging to the familiar, glitchy connection of cell phone data, ‘hellooooo????’ transforms the mundane language of cellular connectivity into a profound statement on being present.

Operating in two distinct modes, ‘hellooooo????’ opens with an inclusive anthem of agency, a call to “push until we get our way.” It then pivots into an unapologetic celebration of success, acting as a proactive mantra of gratitude for everything earned and yet to come. Sonically, the track is steeped in tech-nostalgia, utilising vintage Nokia ringtone motifs to channel what Gayance describes as “immigrant uncle” aesthetics, a nod to the Bluetooth and WhatsApp-forward culture that defines connection for so many in the diaspora. This “Sassy Sovereignty” is a direct manifestation of Gayance’s star sign, Sagittarius, in Mercury; in astrology, this placement drives a blunt, expansive, and hilariously honest communication style.

The collaboration with Magi Merlin is rooted in a newly discovered ancestral link. During a 2024 trip to Rio, the two artists discovered that their families share deep roots in Les Cayes, Haiti. This “Les Cayes Connection” grounds the rhythmic elasticity in a lived diasporic lineage, blending elements of Drum & Bass, Jungle, and Dancehall to honor the history of soundsystem culture, while pushing it into modern territory with technical precision.

Gayance’s path to this moment is defined by a decade of multidisciplinary work. She began as a documentary filmmaker and archivist, capturing the raw emergence of Montréal’s beat scene, before evolving into a producer and DJ. Her 2023 debut Mascarade earned a Polaris Music Prize shortlist nomination and solidified her status as a vital voice in the electronic landscape.