{"id":1976187,"date":"2025-08-23T14:44:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1976187"},"modified":"2025-08-23T14:44:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:44:37","slug":"gus-dapperton-just-wants-you-to-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/gus-dapperton-just-wants-you-to-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Gus Dapperton Just Wants You to Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I recently met up with Gus Dapperton for sushi, where, between bites of his spicy tuna roll, he explained the difference between making music as Gus Dapperton and making music as Loose Goose. (Spoiler: They\u2019re the same person.) Initially jumping onto the scene after making beats for his friends to rap over, Gus is now a full-fledged solo artist. And after a decade on the scene, he\u2019s introducing fans to another side of himself through his most freewheeling, genre-swirling project to date: Shake Your Tailfeather Vol. 1. <\/p>\n

The collection of songs feels like a house party meets a late night in Washington Square Park<\/a>, and the new era looks good on him. His single \u201cDown Like This\u201d kicked it all off late last month, and he\u2019s following that up with \u201cShe Got The Funk\u201d (out today), a synth-y indie-dance bop that feels like pure fun. It\u2019s peak Gus as the 28-year-old continues to build a sonic universe where rules don\u2019t apply. Who needs rules anyway? We\u2019re just lucky to be dancing in it.<\/p>\n

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\"gus<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"gus<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Hey, Gus. So we\u2019re here to talk about your new dance EP <\/strong>Shake Your Tailfeather Vol. 1.<\/strong> Are you officially in that calm before every promotional storm? You\u2019ve put out one single so far.\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yeah, I\u2019m in full rollout mode right now, and I wouldn\u2019t say it\u2019s intense\u2026but it has definitely been my main focus for the last couple weeks and will probably remain my focus for the next couple months. <\/p>\n

What has the reception been like so far?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Honestly, really great. My fans have been stoked that I\u2019m making dance music again. When I used to make music, I\u2019d sort of make it for the small community of friends and people that were around me. So it\u2019s fun to be doing that again, in a way. Where, like, my friends are all bumping the new stuff, because it just feels like the right time and place for it.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re in the roaring \u201920s again! <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yeah, exactly, exactly. <\/p>\n

What was it like working with Lumia on \u201cDown like This<\/a>?\u201d Were you already friends before she came on the mix?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I actually just met Lumia<\/a> this past spring. I discovered her through the first song she put out called \u201cNew York.\u201d And I was like, Wow, this is awesome. This is her first song? So I hit her up because I was looking for people to remix some stuff, and she was down and gave it a try. I\u2019m really hyped on how it came out. <\/p>\n

So you were just like, \u201cHey, I have this single done. What do you think you can do with it?\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yeah! This EP is really house music\u2013focused, and oftentimes other DJs will make, like, edits and remixes sort of better suited for the club. And that\u2019s what she did. She remixed \u201cDown Like This\u201d for the club.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"gus<\/p>\n

Akram Shah<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The PR announcement that I was sent said you\u2019re stomping your goose tracks in a new direction. We haven\u2019t seen a ton about Loose Goose, so I want you to tell me about this moniker. Because you\u2019re crediting the project as Loose Goose, but that\u2019s fully you, right? Not a collaborator?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yeah, so Loose Goose is the new alias I\u2019ve created as I put all of this new dance music out sort of featuring Gus. Eventually, I think it will just be Loose Goose going forward though\u2014at least for this sort of music that I\u2019m interested in making. I\u2019ve made a couple videos talking about my reasoning behind this, but it\u2019s basically my way of breaking free from expectations. <\/p>\n

After making music for so long and having worked with different labels and having taken different journeys with touring, the songwriting process has come to feel like this hamster on a wheel thing where I\u2019m compelled to people-please a little bit. It\u2019s, like, I need to get new music and albums out within a certain time frame. And that pressure made me feel like I was making music for reasons other than just for fun and my passion. So what I did was basically kind of quit for a year and a half and just took a nice spiritual hiatus. I went offline and rediscovered that initial joy I had in creating music like I did when I first started in middle school, just uploading songs to SoundCloud. <\/p>\n

Then I came up with the name Loose Goose because a couple of my friends would say, \u201cThe goose is loose,\u201d whenever I was out drunk with them. And in different countries across Europe, they\u2019ll pronounce my name as \u201cGoose\u201d instead of \u201cGus.\u201d And together, it makes this moniker that allows me to create things from scratch with no preconceived notions or what my fans expect from me, like singer-songwriter ballads or that indie pop kind of thing. By becoming Loose Goose, I was like, \u201cLet\u2019s see what happens if I forget about all of that and just create.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"gus<\/p>\n

Akram Shah<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"gus<\/p>\n

Akram Shah<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Well, it\u2019s working! <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Thank you. And what ended up coming out of that exercise was this dance music. I took that idea of a new persona even further by distorting my voice too. Some of what I\u2019m putting out are actual songs. Some are beats for the club, and a lot of that has been some of my favorite stuff I\u2019ve ever made. I was able to strip away what I\u2019ve known people to like about my music. This whole project was about finding joy again. I\u2019m really, really stoked on how it\u2019s all come out. <\/p>\n

I love that you\u2019re breaking free of expectations and tapping back into why you got into this in the first place. It\u2019s been two years since the release of Henge. In addition to the dance vibe, what are some other sonic examples of what sets this new era apart?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Everything is a lot less structured. I\u2019ve been building upon that. Instead of sitting down and writing in a strict song format, I\u2019ve been exploring a lot more electronic experimentation with sounds and all that. But also what sets this project apart is that the tracks are all very much dance songs\u2014high tempo with a strong beat. But I think everything about it is a bit different. The production, the writing, the sounds\u2026<\/p>\n

I always dreamed of making music my career\u2014I just didn\u2019t know how to get there. But I had conviction and experimentation was always part of that journey. Things take time and I think everyone needs a reset every now and then. It\u2019s been 10 years since the start of my career and this just feels like the right time for that reset and to make something new. <\/p>\n

I think the industry and fans also tend to forget that musicians need to live a life in order to write about one. You need to mine that inspiration outside of the studio. I can\u2019t imagine having to juggle the pressures of expectation with the need to get outside. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

There aren\u2019t a ton of people putting that pressure on me directly. It\u2019s almost like I do it to myself based off what I know to be exciting and watching what people gravitate toward online. This time, instead of putting the pressure on myself, I decided to strip all of that away. <\/p>\n

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\"gus<\/p>\n

Akram Shah<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I feel like I really see your perfectionism shine through your visuals. I\u2019ve always enjoyed your videos and album art because it\u2019s evident how much you care about all of it. Have you shot anything for this?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Thank you. In the past, I\u2019ve done a few, like, big music videos for each project that I really dedicate my time toward. I\u2019d always get excited about those because I love film as well, and I love working in film. I\u2019ve directed a lot of music videos myself. But now I\u2019ve adapted to making more short-form stuff but still in a very cinematic way. This time I\u2019ve been trying to make mini music videos for every song. And I\u2019ll make tons of them. Lots of different mini versions instead of one big music video. I almost treat each one like a photo shoot, and that\u2019s been really fun to experiment with. <\/p>\n

On my last album, I tried different things with short-form digital content, like with TikTok and reels and all that\u2014just doing what everyone else was doing, all the trends and that stuff. And I was like, Oh my god, I do not like doing any of this. I can\u2019t believe I even tried it. But I needed to know, and that\u2019s what helped me figure out that I\u2019d still direct all of my stuff, just on a smaller scale and treat them all like mini music videos instead of trends. And that\u2019s been so fun for me to do it that way. I\u2019m a believer in quality over quantity and I have to stay true to that. That\u2019s what this is. Whereas my last album I was going for quantity over quality.<\/p>\n

So the fans shouldn\u2019t expect any long-form videos?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Not yet, but there will be! I think those will be after the EP release though. I\u2019m gonna take my time with them and make what I want to make. I want to make art. I\u2019m not racing to get those out. Right now I\u2019m focusing on the rollout.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be patiently waiting! Now back to the sound: Your label describes this project as \u201cblending LCD Soundsystem\u2019s cleverness and Empire of the Sun\u2019s effortless nostalgia with Justice\u2019s explosive-dance sound.\u201d What are some other influences?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lots of house DJs like Danny Krivit and Todd Terry. The Gorillaz! But I think the label kind of nailed it with the comparison to those three. <\/p>\n

I saw you perform live in 2019 at Elsewhere in Brooklyn and your shows are electric. Fans go nuts for your voice. Now that there are fewer vocals, how do you think the new shows will differ? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m really going hard with the live setup for this next chapter. It\u2019s going to be a mix between live DJing, electronics, and playing with a smaller three-piece band. And there will a lot more dancing involved. Some choreographed, some not. But overall, it will be a really tight setup. <\/p>\n

Speaking of dancing\u2026you were one of the DJs at Cosmo\u2019s Love Ball<\/a> earlier this year. Do you prefer being in the booth, or do you like getting out and shaking your tail feather?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Oh, I mean, I love to dance. When I\u2019m DJing, I don\u2019t end up dancing as much though. I\u2019m more focused on making sure everyone else can dance. But I have a lot of friends who DJ and play good music, so I\u2019ve got plenty of opportunities to go out and dance myself. I\u2019ve got to compartmentalize it.<\/p>\n

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\"gus<\/p>\n

Akram Shah<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I\u2019ve got some fan-submitted questions and the first is actually: Gus TAPperton\u2026who are your favorite DJs to dance to?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Honey Dijon, who DJed one of the most fun dance parties I\u2019ve ever been to in Chicago. Also my friends Garrett David and Hayes Bradley. I\u2019d say those are some good ones.<\/p>\n

Gus SNAPperton\u2026you have a single called \u201cMy Favorite Fish.\u201d What is your favorite fish?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Someone has asked me this before. I was onstage and gave kind of give a trick answer. I said a lobster and everyone was pissed at me.<\/p>\n

Because it\u2019s a crustacean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yeah. And my thought was that they\u2019re shellfish but whatever. *laughs* I mean, if we\u2019re talking about my favorite fish to eat, I\u2019d say red snapper. But if the fans want to know my general vibe, I\u2019d say the marlin. They are so interesting and can\u2019t be kept in captivity. <\/p>\n

Gus CLAPperton\u2026best concert you\u2019ve ever been to?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ooh, this is a good one because there are so many artists I want to say, but the truth is I\u2019ve had so much fun at really unsuspecting concerts. Like Kacey Musgraves at MSG, which I don\u2019t think anyone would expect me to say. But it was a great night. The perfect combination of ambience, venue, crowd, and overall vibe. I also had a great time at an Adrianne Lenker show at Kings Theater last fall. <\/p>\n

Okay, last one: Gus MAPperton\u2026what\u2019s your dream vacation destination? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

I would really like to go back to Mexico City and explore a little more than I did the first time. A year ago, I went to Lisbon with my partner, Ellis, and it was the best vacation of all time. So Lisbon is another place I\u2019d like to revisit. It\u2019s also a city I traveled to on tour that I didn\u2019t really get to experience. Those would be the two. <\/p>\n

Now we know where you\u2019ll be for your next spiritual break. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Exactly. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.cosmopolitan.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently met up with Gus Dapperton for sushi, where, between bites of his spicy tuna roll, he explained the difference between making music as Gus Dapperton and making music as Loose Goose. (Spoiler: They\u2019re the same person.) Initially jumping onto the scene after making beats for his friends to rap over, Gus is now […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1976188,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25173],"tags":[310910,353061,285977,285684,353060],"class_list":["post-1976187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","tag-content-type-feature","tag-contentid-bb4dacff-d74b-4202-b0d7-6b863d3b4a7d","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-locale-us","tag-shorttitle-gus-dapperton-just-wants-you-to-dance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Gus-Dapperton-Just-Wants-You-to-Dance.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1976187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1976188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1976187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1976187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1976187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}