Paper Citizen is a LA-based indie rock project led
by Singaporean multi-intrumentalist and music
producer, Claire Gohst.
At the age of 17, Claire decided to pursue music
as a full-time career, starting out in the local
live music scene around Singapore, playing
the violin and singing in bars, clubs and
restaurants withdifferent rock and folk bands.
She soon after moved to Boston to pursue
training in the recording arts and jazz violin, immersing herself in the rich history of American music. The melding of her artistic message honed with these musical influences and technological skills gathered over the next few years resulted in the indie-rock project, Paper Citizen. Released in 2016, the debut EP Postcards in Transit reflected on the excitement and also uncertainty that comes with exploring new territory. The singles that followed - Slow Motions and History - continued to develop a rich sound and maintain the thematic sense of tension present in the EP.
The 2nd EP, Distraction, released in 2018, was inspired by her early years in the USA - learning the difference from eastern to western cultures, discovering new music, falling in love, heartbreak, the feeling of loneliness, and making steps to adopt a new home away from home. The music draws from pop-rock influences in the early 2000s, with heartfelt lyrics, organic sounds and lush arrangements that carry its hauntingly beautiful melodies. Distraction reflects on the impact of modern technology on our lives, moving between a deep sense of isolation and, on the other hand, constant interconnectedness.
Paper Citizen’s 3rd EP, Wandering Ghost, was conceived and completed from coast to coast from 2018 to 2021.Released during the global pandemic, the album continues to explore personal growth as she now begins to find her place in 2020’s America. It is bolder, it rocks harder and presents a clearer message of love, desire, acceptance and reflection. The EP is a selection of songs influenced by songwriting and rock music of the early 2000s till today. The juxtaposed sounds of analog and digital convey harmony between our present reality and the imagined, its lines blurred, and how we find our sense of belonging here in America. It’s a musical journey fueled by generous love and inspirations from east to west, continental to coastal, darkness to light, feminine to masculine; vibrating a message from another human who’s searching for acceptance in a new world.