G-Eazy pays tribute to his late mother with touching new single ‘Angel’

G-Eazy has paid tribute to his late mother, Suzanne Olmsted, with the release of a touching new single called ‘Angel’ – listen to it below.

• READ MORE: NME Friends Like These: G-Eazy x Goody Grace

The new track, which arrives on his mother’s first birthday since her passing last November, hears G (real name Gerald Gillum) sing over a guitar-led backdrop, accompanied by Devon Baldwin and Vida Simon on background vocals.

Produced by G and Zac Brunson, the tribute record also features a choir, led by Tim Davis, and Goody Grace on the drums, guitar and bass guitar.

“Grief can be a difficult thing to navigate. It’s definitely not a linear process and it comes at you in waves,” G said in a statement. “There will never be enough words to describe the feeling of losing your best friend, or the desire to see them again. In a literal sense, I tried to capture that feeling of longing in the lyrics of the song. But ‘Angel’ is so much more than a song or a tribute.

“My mom was more than just my mom, she was everyone’s mom. She was everyone’s teacher. She was everyone’s inspiration. Nothing made her happier than loving people and sharing her creativity with the world. Her energy continues to live on through me, through those she connected with, and through those she inspired.”

You can listen to ‘Angel’ below:

The rapper has also announced an annual college scholarship in honour of Olmsted, ‘The Dandelion Scholarship’. Through his charity, ‘The Endless Summer Fund’, the scholarship will award $15,000 to one US college-bound high school senior pursuing an arts major. The recipient will be announced April 15 (his mother’s birthday) each year.

Explaining his reason for creating ‘The Dandelion Scholarship’ and why it’s important, G added that his mother’s “light will be able to continue to live on through countless others in so many ways.”

Speaking to NME last year about his friendship with Goody Grace, G said: “It’s crazy because with certain people you meet in life, you almost feel as if you have known them much longer.

“Goody is one of those friends… I think that we’re just two people that have similar views and values, and similar creative approaches. That’s my brother, and he is one of the most talented people that I have ever seen at work.”

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