Queer alternative anthemic indie pop artist Dec Ramsay was raised across Aotearoa, New Zealand and is now based in London where they have been building their scene and community based on a love of human art and connection, this year they made their debut with single ‘Gretchen Ross’, which reflects the aftermath of an abusive and violent relationship Dec left in 2015. They transformed that experience of survival into a song built on resilience, healing, and ultimately defiance.
Hi! Could you introduce yourself, your genre, and your musical influences?
“Hey! I’m Dec Ramsay, a queer singer-songwriter from Aotearoa (New Zealand). I’m now based in London having moved to the UK in 2017. I make indie pop, drawing from elements of chamber pop, my acoustic performance roots, and a healthy dose of millenial emo. For influences, Sufjan Stevens and Frightened Rabbit are pretty key listens, but also more recently yuele especially with her mixture of glitch and acoustic instrumentation, and Paris Paloma for how direct she is.”
What inspired you to start making music and what inspires you to keep going?
“My Dad particularly was an initial inspiration with a massive record collection, spanning a huge gamut of genres and eras which gave a very broad music education. I started writing when I was 14-15 in high school bands, and through my high school I met Peter Jefferies. Peter was working as a mentor for student songwriters and recording them on his old 8-track, and the first time I met him I was so shy he actually recorded the vocals for the demo and handed me the cassette at the end of the session. After the session I found out through my Dad and his record collection that Peter had been a pretty pivotal part of the NZ DIY scene in the 80s and had recorded a number of albums before retiring into obscurity. He ended up recording my first EP of songs that year and really shaped how I approach writing, he really set the bar of what an honest song is and how powerful a direct song can be.
What keeps me going now is a lot simpler, I want to write songs that can be a cathartic release for myself when I write and perform, but also for anyone hearing my music. I love sing-alongs during my shows and pouring my heart out to the audience and getting that back from them.”
Where do you, in general, get inspiration for your music and song-writing?
“I draw a lot from living, messing up, getting back up and processing it through sound. Songs usually begin tied to a very specific event, and are usually matched up to a musical idea I have already been developing. This grounds the songs in a very real place, even if they then as songs do develop and mutate far beyond the original idea. I also draw from a lot of other media, film, books to shape the lyricism and couch it in the existing canon.
My debut single Gretchen Ross combines all these factors, as it was written a few months after I left an abusive and violent relationship in 2015. Most of the lyrics pretty much poured out of me in a single writing session and it was massively therapeutic just to have it written and exist outside of me. The title is also a reference to the character in Donnie Darko who changes her name after also fleeing a violent, abusive step-dad. On collaborating with INK who produced Gretchen Ross we were able to really bring a cinematic element to the song, and that also then created the space to write the bridge that had always had some placeholder lyrics – but finally brings the song to a climactic release. So in many ways the song captures that decade between 2016 and 2026 and closes a chapter there.”
Who would you like to work with in the near future and where would you like to perform in the next three years?
“I’ve been so lucky to start finding my community here in London, working with predominantly FINTA (Female, Intersex, Non-binary, Trans and Agender) and queer creators who I can’t wait to make more with – Keira Anee who did the photography, Camille who shot the video, and INK who produced the track and are a female producer duo, I can’t wait to work with them all again and more! I think as a queer and non-binary person it is so important to be building these kinds of connections and helping each other up. With performing I’m still working up the ladder and would love to play some of the big names of the London emerging scene such as Barfly, Hope and Anchor, The Finsbury, Windmill Brixton. I’ll play anywhere that will have me and that prioritises human art and connection.”
Which musical achievements are you most proud of?
“Honestly just getting here to an interview is pretty sweet! I think getting Gretchen Ross out to the world and finished is a huge step for me. It’s a song that I’ve carried for a decade and to have it exist and be out in the world, that’s already a win for me. It’s a first step so anything extra right now is an absolute bonus.”
What do you hope to achieve by releasing music with followers old and new?
“I’ve put out some teasers for Gretchen Ross and already people have been sharing their experiences and the song is really connecting with them. Creating a space to talk about these experiences and also for people to not feel alone. I know I’ve listened to artists I admire, and when the song taps something really raw and true it resonates so deeply, so I hope this song can do that for someone and for them to feel less alone.”
What are your plans for the new year and what are some of your goals and dreams?
“Right now it’s all about Gretchen Ross and sharing the story behind it, and building on it for next steps. I’m so proud to show this dramatic, ballad-y side and yet I also can’t wait to be back in the studio working on something a little closer to how I feel now, with a bit more kick and more upbeat. Longer term a more fleshed out EP or album, and all the trimmings that come with that! I’d love to tour the UK and maybe a few shows in NZ too – it’s a bit of a trek so I might have to see if Europe is more feasible.”
Aside from music, what are some of your hobbies and interests, we’d love to know more about you as a person!
“I play Quadball, which is a trans-inclusive all-gender contact sport. I’ve been fortunate enough to play at a relatively high level and represent Ireland at the World Cup in 2025, along with being a two-time national champion and getting to play at the European club-level. Like a lot of people I found sport to be a great outlet for managing anxiety, improving health, and making community. I also have started doing fitness races, and finding joy in completing something very difficult without necessarily competing – I am honestly very bad at them, and that’s ok by me. Finally, I’d be remiss not to mention the Nerdfighteria community and particularly supporting AFC Wimbledon in the glorious third-tier of English football – COYD!”
