2020 is full of surprises in many ways and Phoebe Bridgers becoming the CEO of her own record label is one of them. Well, she always had a good sense for great new talents and Claud Mintz is one of them. The 21-year old songwriter is the first signing on Bridgers’ imprint Saddest Factory and Gold is a magnificent first musical adventure here. The shimmering piece of indie-pop isn’t entirely sad as the label might imply but it comes with a bittersweet taste of honest melancholia. It’s a song about contradictions as Claud explains and the joyful music video underlines that. It deals with an instructor attempting to teach a class of monsters proper manners so they can assimilate and the artist is one of these monsters although the green and turquoise hair is not part of the costume but her natural look. Fearless, emotional and honest – that’s the way to make it into our indie music hearts this year and Claud is a prime example here.