The Glory of Gigi Perez's Debut Album “At the Beach, in Every Life”

If you’ve found yourself wandering late at night on the interwebs doomscrolling, you may already be familiar with “Sailor Song,” a nostalgia-inducing nautical queer anthem about  the loss of hope stemming from the  religious persecution of sapphic love. You may be familiar with backlash from critics claiming Gigi Perez to be ‘anti-Christian’ for singing “I don’t believe in God, but I believe that you’re my savior.” Whether you’re familiar or not, you owe it to yourself to listen to Gigi Perez’s debut album, At the Beach, in Every Life. Through the exploration of queerness, religious ideology, and grief, Gigi’s raw tales have resonated with me since the album’s release in April 2025. Here are my top 5 songs ranked. 

At the Beach, in Every Life

The standout track on Gigi’s debut album is the closer and title track, “At the Beach, in Every Life.” This song encapsulates the theme of the entire album: navigating a disappointing love burdened by religion, and the fulfillment of true intimacy—shared connection. Perez sings “One day, they’ll have to repent,” but for right now, “you would find me at the beach — in every life, through every door.” The beach symbolizes rebirth, closure, and permanence—a place of liberation and rest. It is a phenomenal closer. 

Sugar Water

Gigi revisits the paths of her childhood on “Sugar Water.” From friendships and trampolines to the pit in her stomach the first time a boy called her fat, this track juxtaposes the struggles of adolescence with a poignant yearning for the “treasure of our innocence.” 

Chemistry

Besides my love for the music itself, it cannot be overstated how incredible it is to see Gigi Perez make a name for herself as an international gay musician whose music is a direct challenge to religious performative piety. “Chemistry” captures the fatalistic bond between two people who love one another in ways they’re not ready to explain or share. It’s sapphic love concealed by conservatism. 

Fable

Whenever a song on TikTok goes viral, I always wonder if the hit is a reflection of the artist’s sheer talent, or it’s another one-hit-wonder situation. “Fable,” the first song Gigi released after “Sailor Song,” is a reminder that Gigi is here to stay. The song centers around the longing for “eternal life” after Gigi struggled with the loss of her sister, Celene, who passed away in 2020. The track also confronts the backlash Gigi faced for the ‘God’ lyric in “Sailor Song.”  “Love was the law and religion was taught,” she sings.  

Sailor Song

This ranking is not complete without the song that got me—and millions of others—into Gigi Perez: “Sailor Song.” When I listen to this song, it feels as if I'm sitting by the beach, engulfed in the intensity of a love I’m not yet ready to shout from the rooftops. It’s a desperation to hold onto something while it lasts. A resistance to shame—an intensity for shared connection. “And we can run away into the walls inside your house.” 

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