Ōtautahi’s Goodwill Releases New Single ‘Plans’
Ōtautahi songwriter/producer Goodwill (Will McGillivray) has released his latest single Plans following on from last month’s Goner. Over muted electric guitars, gnarled modern details and a euphoric bridge rich with cacophony, Goodwill tells a fragmented story of prioritizing the good stuff, and letting the petty things slip away.
Half rustic charm, half modern chaos, Plans came about while McGillivray was playing around on a 12-string guitar at a friend’s house during a rehearsal: “I instantly loved the chords I found and began writing and producing it shortly after. At some point in the song I wanted it to turn into a cacophony, everything in at once, everything at it’s limit. There’s a moment in there where it feels like almost every instrument in my studio is in there at the same time.”
Plans is the second single from Goodwill this year, and will feature on his yet-to-be-announced debut album, due later in the year via Winegum Records.
Goodwill is the solo project of award-nominated producer and songwriter Will McGillivray. Leaning into a love of dissonant guitars, droning analog synths, grainy lo-fi and longing melody, Goodwill’s music is thoughtful and honest. He has worked with esteemed Aotearoa artists such as There’s a Tuesday and Mousey, meanwhile using Goodwill as the vehicle for his own creative output.
Following the release of debut EP Incontrol featuring singles Get Angry, Getting Better and Clinging Onto You Goodwill’s sound earned him an instant nomination for ‘Best New Artist’ at the Rolling Stone NZ Awards, multiple Top 3 chart placements on the Hot NZ Singles chart, countless top spots on over 17 significant international Spotify editorial playlists, over 700,000 streams, extensive radio play in New Zealand and Australia, and an article in the August AU + NZ Rolling Stone Issue.
Inspired by artists like Alex G and Bon Iver, Goodwill’s upcoming debut record (due October 2024) is an indie/alternative full-length LP with songs from the last 2 years of writing since the completion of Goodwill’s self-produced 2022 EP Incontrol. Touching on themes of gratitude, luck and commitment, Goodwill shakes off the angst and dissonance from Incontrol to bring the light at the end of the tunnel to the forefront of the writing.
