Gold

Album: Low Kii Savage (2015)
Charted: 48 13
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Kiara Saulters is a singer-songwriter from Illinois who records under the name of Kiiara. She first received online interest for her song "Bring Me Back" in 2013. This berating of a negligent lover was released as her debut major label single on October 26, 2015, after signing to Atlantic Records.
  • Kiiara told Australia's Triple J in a radio interview in February 2016 that she wrote the song a couple years previously, "on classical guitar, and then just set it aside."

    The Illinois singer's vocals were later cut up and pasted together and in places eliminated in a new arrangement by SZA collaborator Felix Snow to give it a more "electronic and futuristic" sound. "It was really wordy, and we just hollowed it up," Kiiara said.
  • A portion of this song was chosen as background music for an Apple Watch commercial titled "Style" in 2015.
  • Billboard magazine asked Kiiara what she was thinking of when she wrote the song. "The overall message is you don't have to answer to anyone," she replied. "That's how I was raised. If someone asks you for something, you don't owe them anything. You don't have to answer. I wanted to somehow incorporate that into the song."

    "'I can leave the party without ever letting you know' [a line from "Gold"] - that's the whole thing," Kiiara added quoting a line from the song. "Someone can be like, 'Why are you leaving?' You're just gonna leave."
  • Kiiara and Felix Snow were originally going to title the song with the acronym: "W.E.L.Y.K." - for "without ever letting you know." Kiiara said: "We decided not to because we didn't want to be trendy. 'Gold' felt like years from now it would still be relevant."
  • The song was inspired by a specific event. Kiiara recalled to Radio.com in a 2016 interview:

    "I was at a dinner party thing and I was leaving and I said 'bye' to everyone else, and not this one person. And then when I went to leave, and they were like, 'You're going to leave without saying 'bye?" And I either thought, or I said, 'Yeah.' That's where it came from. I was writing one day, I was just learning to write - this was three years ago - so it just fell out of my mouth."

Comments: 1

  • Siahara Shyne Carter from United States Of AmericaThe song really cool. She explain it completely ! Nothing more explaination Love this song!!!!
    "'I can leave the party without ever letting you know' [a line from "Gold"] - that's the whole thing," Kiiara added quoting a line from the song. "Someone can be like, 'Why are you leaving?' You're just gonna leave."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.