INTERVIEW: Guard
We got the chance to interview Guard, the South African/Australian indie pop artist who recently dropped his latest single, “Luvbomb,” along with a mind-bending music video. Guard, who grew up in a small town in South Africa before immigrating to Australia, has always had a love for pop music and pop culture, expressing himself through poetry, lyrics, filmmaking, and graphic design.
With a massive following of over 900,000 meme lovers on Instagram, Guard is well-known as a meme lord. However, he has also used his visibility to raise awareness about mental health, which is a consistent theme in his introspective music that often reflects his personal struggles.
In his latest release, “Luvbomb,” Guard delves into the concept of love bombing, exploring the psychology behind relationship toxicity. He reveals that he was inspired to explore this topic to understand how it stems from deep insecurity based on trauma. Although Guard has never consciously love-bombed someone, he acknowledges that certain behaviors, such as being overly complimentary or overly generous, can be perceived this way, and he recognizes how these behaviors may stem from his own insecurities and fears.
The music video accompanying “Luvbomb” is a trippy visual experience that takes the audience into the mind of Guard. Exploring themes of dissociation, substance abuse, and alter egos, the stark visuals offer a dramatic contrast to the upbeat sonic journey of the song. Guard has decided to embrace the concept of being a villain in this project, in contrast to his 2020 independent album 'The Identified Patient,' showcasing his artistic versatility and willingness to explore different aspects of his creative expression.
Can you tell us about your latest single, "Luvbomb," and the inspiration behind it?
“Luvbomb” was created in one session I had with my frequent producer sb90. At this point, we have worked together for 8+ years & I think we both feel free to express ourselves creatively in the studio without judgement. I had an idea for my take of a James Bond theme song that tells the story of a villain realising his toxic ways - in parallel to my own insecurities entering into a new relationship. I was also listening to a ton of Bad Bunny & Doechii music & wanted to give my own spin to a dark afro beat sonic landscape.
How did your upbringing in South Africa and Australia influence your music and artistic expression?
To me, I felt as though I had lost my connection to my South African heritage after living mainly in Melbourne & Los Angeles. I recently did a pilgrimage to my homeland to really immerse myself in the culture & I wanted to capture some of the vibrancy I experienced in South Africa. It’s really a beautiful place, the culture is so diverse, with really beautiful traditions - the country has been through so much but the people are so radiant - this theme of perseverance has inspired me greatly in this project.
You're well known for your work as a ‘meme lord’ on Instagram. How has that platform helped you raise awareness about mental health and incorporate it into your music?
Basically I have been online 24/7 for almost 9 years posting the highs and lows of my life dispersed between ridiculous memes. At one point I had 1.4 million followers on a meme page called Tindervsreality which has sort of been scrubbed from the internet after increasingly intense Meta guidelines, but in essence I have always openly spoken about my mental health, my journey with addiction & I guess it’s connected with quite a lot of people. Vice versa as well, the conversations that have been opened up & the connections I have made online through this app have really changed the trajectory of my life many times. I think it’s easy to see someone with a big following as someone who has “made it” or should be content with their lives as we as a society put so much emphasis on having fans etc… but it really doesn’t matter if you don’t learn how to self validate & love yourself— something I’m working on every day!
The music video for "Luvbomb" is described as a trippy visual experience that delves into themes like disassociation, substance abuse, and alter egos. Can you discuss the concept behind the music video and how it complements the song's message?
Haha absolutely. Basically I’ve been messed up for a while (lol) but for real, the video was conceptualised in collaboration with Melbourne based director (@fractrd) to explore unhealthy coping mechanisms & how we subconsciously follow patterns based on our self worth.
I had a bit of a breakthrough moment with a therapist recently when I realised that my vices were a form of self punishment as well as a self protection mechanism. I think this dichotomy of something “bad” being “good” for you & vice versa really inspired me to explore my psyche visually.
How does "Luvbomb" differ from your previous works, particularly your 2020 independent album "The Identified Patient", in terms of style and themes?
The main difference for me is my mindset while creating this project. I was in a really dark place during “The Identified Patient”; basically I was in an abusive living situation & had just discovered that I had faced sexual abuse as a child. This realization unlocked my psyche & helped me understand why I continued to find myself in unsavoury situations as an adult. I wrote the album as a necessity to help me deal with the foreign emotions I had never truly dealt with. Now, 3 years on, I have continued extensive spiritual & trauma healing & I feel as though I am no longer operating out of a victim mindset. This project to me is about choosing who I want to be through analysing the dichotomy of victim/villain. At the end of the day, you have a choice as to how you deal with your adversity— you also have a choice to be a victim or be a villain/victimise yourself. I reject that I am a victim & wanted to have more fun with my music. It is more of a stream of consciousness rather than a therapy session lol!
"Luvbomb" is the first single from your upcoming album, "it was all a meme...", which you describe as a love letter to your meme fans. Can you tell us more about the album and the creative process behind it?
It’s a really fun sonic journey through memes. I created the whole album with my producer sb90 & wrote basically all the songs myself. I really wanted to push my creativity & writing & trust my melodic instincts. Alot of the songs were almost freestyles in the way they were created - I didn’t spend hours rewriting inconsequential words - I said what I said & I stand by it. My fellow meme lovers might recognise a couple of iconic samples hidden throughout!
You mentioned that you decided to go with your first instinct on every song in "it was all a meme..." without any rewrites, despite imposter syndrome. Can you elaborate on this decision and how it influenced the overall sound and direction of the album?
I guess being an artist is really exposing because you find yourself constantly critiquing your own art. For me, the creative process is the art & I want to honor what was created in each album session. Whether it’s the best song ever or the worst song ever, this music is 100% me exploring myself as an artist. I used to release a song & basically immediately spiral into a depression - I really wanted to be kind to myself & have fun with this process. The lyrics are spontaneous, the songs are experimental AF, I had influences however I’m not pandering to a genre or movement or algorithm.
As a prominent LGBTQ+ artist, how has your identity influenced your music and the way you express yourself as an artist? How do you hope to contribute to the LGBTQ+ community through your music?
Growing up in a conservative Christian household while having homosexual tendencies from the age of 3 onwards was traumatic as hell. For the majority of my life I was genuinely convinced that I was damned & I think this cognitive dissonance from an early age set me up for a life time of mental health issues. To be honest I feel like in my early music I was almost cosplaying a straight man. Now in my life I’ve never felt more comfortable & confident in myself, my art & my sexuality. I think there are a lot of young queer people out there who has been deeply effected by the church & by me being vocal about it & sharing my story, it might help someone out there not feel as alone. Within the community I’ve worked as a songwriter extensively with queer artists & I think it’s really really important to build up my own community. I’m passionate about helping others figure out their sound/style & helping others find the words they need to express themselves. Check out my songwriting playlist on Spotify here! Almost exclusively incredible LGBTQIA+ artists you need to know!
WHERE TO FIND GUARD
TikTok | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music