Introducing: Gelli Haha

Photo Credit: Sophie Prettyman-Beauchamp

Gelli Haha is not here to make sense — they’re here to make Switcheroo. With new single “Spit” out now, a pulsating S-word-only mantra of club grit and surreal surrender, the cosmic clown of alt-pop is revving up for their debut album release on June 27 via Innovative Leisure. Described by The Guardian as “an immediately arresting proposition,” Gelli (pronounced Jelly-Haha) merges camp chaos, vintage gear, and arthouse energy into something brilliantly bizarre. Somewhere between Studio 54 and Area 51, we caught up with the shape-shifting sound sculptor to talk creative mayhem, silly textures, and why letting go is the only rule in the Gelliverse.

“Spit” follows a strict ‘S-word only’ rule — what sparked the idea for that lyrical constraint, and how did it shape the track's energy and message? 

Honestly it was so random of an idea. I made the instrumental demo for the track (fun fact: this was actually the first demo I made for the album) and liked the idea of saying a single word and then saying another one, and building a story in a slightly separated, disconnected way. I am also really inspired by the way things sound in vowel shape or consonance, so I enjoyed the idea of the “s” sounds and the silliness of only using S-words. “Spit” is slightly hypnotic (maybe psychotic) and the consistency of the “s” sound is a huge part of that, especially when I say “surrender” 43 times, which is a powerful part of the song and perhaps my favorite S-word. I had to do a lot of surrendering to create this album and this song has been a part of that catharsis for me. The idea is to surrender to silly, to non-seriousness. I take non-seriousness very seriously. 

Your music lives between Studio 54 and Area 51 — glamour and the bizarre. How does that surreal blend of influences come to life in the Gelliverse you’ve created? 

I created the philosophy and foundation of the Gelliverse with my best friend, dancer/choreographer Selby Jenkins. In an early conversation I said the line, “somewhere between Studio 54 and Area 51” and Selby made sure to write it down. It’s really stuck with us through the process of creating the Gelliverse, the debut album, and the stage performance. I am inspired by many eras of New York City (though I’m based in LA), from 1920s vaudeville and flappers, to late 70s/early 80s art discos, to 90s/00s Club Kid/DFA era. I also grew very fond of the color red, and subsequently primary colors, and playful props like mini trampolines, inflatable bonkers, and dolphin balloons. We started talking about “the Gelliverse” when it became apparent we had created something that lived in its own strange world, with the goal that our community could also join in and go to this world with us.

The production on Switcheroo leans into intentional imperfection, with vintage gear and strange effects adding a chaotic charm. What’s the appeal of ‘flawed’ sound for you creatively? 

I like the intentional imperfection because it feels more real and more FUN, though there are plenty of sounds and things that are “perfect” on the record, we wanted to create an illusion of imperfection, of messiness. I wrote and recorded Switcheroo with Sean Guerin. We love to be experimental and make tracks feel alive, weird, and mystical. Sean bought a ton of vintage analog gear while we were making the record that colored every track and shook things up. 

You describe Switcheroo as an “inside joke turned theatrical spectacle.” What’s the story behind the album’s title, and how does it reflect the overall mood of the record? 

Sean came up with the title. It just made sense. It’s silly but still indicative of transformation and change, and trying to embrace, accept, and enjoy it. There's a fascinating movement to the record that makes you do a switcheroo. You have to roll with the punches, or rather, the bonks ;) I love the playfulness of the title, it feels slightly deceptive but in an innocent prankster way. A criminal that you’ll likely forgive and maybe even befriend. 

From “Piss Artist” to “Pluto is not a planet it’s a restaurant,” the tracklist is wild and wonderfully unfiltered. Are these song titles as spontaneous as they seem, or is there a deeper narrative thread connecting them? 

Yes the titles are as spontaneous as they seem! After sifting through my demos, Sean and I would throw the stems into a session and build it out from there. Sean made a lot of the titles like “Bounce House” based on the sound of the instrumental. “Bounce House” sounded bouncy and childlike, so then we wrote lyrics that fit that feeling. Some of the titles are based on lyrics in the song like “Spit” and “Piss Artist”. The record might not be serious but it’s not meaningless - in fact it’s filled with purpose and intention - and the lighthearted but focused nature of our artistic process demonstrates this.