Hailing from Imperial Beach, Cultgabe's name is inspired by the television series American Horror Story: Cult. The half Mexican artist, singer and producer recorded his first verse through his cousin's laptop when he was eight years old. He was 22 years-old when his debut EP nowherefast was released in October 2021, preceded by singles for "40 Wishes," a single and video for "Heathrow (Somebody Else)," and a video and single for "Broke."
The black and white storytelling video for "Heathrow (Somebody Else)" was co-shot and directed by Cultgabe, a photographer and cinematographer who cites inspirations such as musician/filmmakers Jack Johnson and Neon Indian. He described it as "a nod to the lo-fi retro videos of yesteryear and 90s era nostalgia." “I co-wrote this song with my homies from Beauty School Drop Out and it’s meant to be an empowering break up song to hype up myself and other people in similar situations. Sometimes we all need a reminder that we’re better off trusting ourselves.”
By late 2021, Cultgabe had been covered at Billboard, Sheesh, Lyrical Lemonade, Ones To Watch, Spotify's Fresh Finds Pop, and Apple Music 1.
Photo by Alex Green courtesy foreignpolicymgmt