Singer-songwriter Gordi’s big 2016 goal is to play a huge sold-out tour; it’s not a far-out goal for the 22-year-old, either. To support her ethereally beautiful EP Clever Disguise, the Australian just performed a few choice shows around North America: a gig at the Sasquatch! Music Festival, Schubas in Chicago, the Echo in Los Angeles, Rockwood Music Hall in New York. Born Sophie Payten to a music-teacher mother, Gordi was raised in a rural town in New South Wales. She learned her instruments—guitar and piano—as a child. “From when I was very little I was always up singing in front of people, and it's always been something I've enjoyed." She talks to Myspace about her songwriting influences, her name's origins, and growing up in rural Australia.

Hometown: Canowindra, New South Wales

Homebase: Randwick, Sydney

How did you get your start as a musician?

I've always played music ever since I was a kid, through the music my parents liked. In 2012 I saw Missy Higgins play a show at the Seymour Centre and I remember leaving the show thinking that I wanted to do that, I wanted to make people feel what I felt walking out of that show.

Why do you call yourself Gordi?

It was a childhood family nickname (we don't know where it came from outside of my brother's imagination), and I wanted to start playing under a different name than my own because on an artistic level I thought it worked better, was easier to google, and it kind of helps me separate music from other parts of my life.

Your EP is called Clever Disguise. What does that mean?

"Clever Disguise" is a line from one of the songs on the EP "Can We Work It Out." I wanted it to be the name of the EP because that's what writing music feels like to me, some sort of disguise where I can work through something very personal and share it with people, without feeling like I've compromised what is private to me. In terms of the themes for me it always comes back to the relationships, romantic or platonic, in my life and what each of them have taught me.

Describe your songwriting process.

It's always different. Sometimes I start with a melody or a chord progression, sometimes I have a lyric stuck in my head, sometimes it kind of comes together. A process is a good word to describe it because you have to sit with this idea that you have and work it into a series of lines that sum up what you're trying to say, it's sort of like a puzzle.

You grew up in a pretty small town. How did you end up in Sydney?

At age 12 I went to boarding school in Sydney for six years and after that started university. I think both the quiet country life I had as a child and the bustling city life now have influenced the kind of music I write. I like to keep space in my songs and contrast that with more busy, interesting percussion.

Do you play many instruments? Which one is your favorite?

Guitar and piano mainly; I played the cello in school and I can play the mandolin. Choosing between guitar and piano would be like choosing a favorite child.

Who are your musical heroes?

Billy Joel, Carole King and James Taylor were the soundtrack to my childhood because they are all such good songwriters. Today artists like Asgeir, The Tallest Man on Earth and Bon Iver are the biggest influences on my songwriting.

Describe your music to people who haven't heard it before.

We always say if you put 'y' on the end of anything it helps with describing a sound—so, folky, electronic-y, indie-y, poppy, songwriter-y.

If you were a hashtag, what would you be?

#gohardorgohome