In celebration of International Women’s Day 2020, Lady Gaga curated “Women of Choice,” an Apple Music playlist shining light on musicians “reinventing the intersection of pop and club music.” Among her picks were Charli xcx’s “Out of My Head” and ROSALÍA’s “A Palé,” hyperpop melodies crafted years into each artists’ respective careers. For Alice Longyu Gao—whose song “Rich Bitch Juice” sits third on the list—their song was only one of their first singles, produced during a time where Longyu Gao’s unique style of computerized pop was still emerging. 

Five years later, Longyu Gao has released several singles and EPs that showcase their diverse influences across genres. As of recent, Longyu Gao is traversing across the U.S. for “The Debut Trilogy Tour,” a commemoration of their three debut EPs, including Assembling Symbols Into my Own Poetry, Let’s Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire and High Dragon and Universe. On May 16, Longyu Gao will grace The Echo for their Los Angeles show. “If you are soaking in this LA vibe with me right now, you should pull up to my show,” Longyu Gao sweetly proposes in a recent Instagram video at the steps of a UCLA dorm. For those who wish to bask in the LA vibes alongside Longyu Gao, you can find tickets here.

In anticipation of their show, Longyu Gao penned a letter sharing their best practices to “making one’s dream come true.” Read below to learn the artist’s favorite LA hiking route, coffee shop and more.

Dear readers of Flaunt Magazine,

My name is Alice Longyu Gao. I am curious about art and science. Through my work in music, literature, comedy, and sculpture, I use Los Angeles as my base and I have a lot of fun through my experiments. 

I would like to introduce you to a couple of practices that help with making one’s dream come true. So follow along < 3

Actually lock-in can bring your brain peace
Thinking about lock-in is harder than actually just lock-in. Locking in for real gives peace 
to one’s brain. The feeling is similar to giving your brain a massage 

Hiking with a good playlist
My favorite hiking routes in Los Angeles are in Griffins Park. When I feel stuck whilst creating, I go for a hike and I have a playlist that I update often, if you wanna follow.

“It is not a cookie yet, but the cookie dough still tastes good.” It’s challenging to be one’s biggest cheerleader all the time. Having a cookie with a drink named Totoro from Dayglow – my favorite coffee shop in LA, is always a good idea. Remember to have faith in your work and seek beauty in the process.  

Lastly, I would love to invite you to come join me at my headline show at The Echo in Los Angeles May 16th. If you are not a fan of my music yet, it might be fun to get out and check out something new anyway? :P

Take care < 3 
Alice