Alumni Q&A: Santi White '93 aka Santigold

This article was originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of the GFS Bulletin.

Santigold is a songwriter, singer, and producer who made waves in the indie music scene with the release of her debut studio album “Santogold” in 2008. Musically, Santigold defies categorization; she braids together numerous genres, including new wave, dub, indie, and hip-hop. In the mid-00s, she was the singer of a Philly punk band, Stiffed, and has carried a spirit of defiance and non-conformity with her into her solo work. 

After releasing music directly to fans via MySpace throughout 2006-2007, she was signed to Downtown Records. “Santogold” was well-received—one of its singles, “L.E.S. Artistes,” was ranked #2 on “Singles of the Year” by Rolling Stone magazine. Her second album, “Master of My Make-Believe” (2012), peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200. Santigold has released two more studio albums, “99¢” (2016) and “Spirituals” (2022), as well as two mixtapes, “Top Ranking: A Diplo Dub” (2008) and “I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions” (2018). She’s collaborated with a number of prominent artists, including David Byrne, The Beastie Boys, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Tyler, the Creator, and Vince Staples.

She’s also the creator and host of the podcast, “Noble Champions,” which brings together thinkers, artists, and activists for salon-style discussions on complex ideas and cultural topics. Santigold continues to play live; this summer and fall, she’s performing in Philadelphia, New York City, and Napa, California. 
 

Let’s start with some newer projects. What have you been working on lately? 

Santi White '93: I’m currently writing a book, a memoir actually, that traces back four generations of women in my family to my great-grandmother in Mississippi. It’s an exploration of Black womanhood in America. It’s a heavy lift, and I’m working on that slowly. I also wrote a movie that I’m about to develop. It’s a Christmas movie, and there will be a whole album to go with it. I really love Christmas.

Is it easier to get projects like those off the ground, as an established artist?

Everything with arts and entertainment is hard, especially at this time. They are struggling ecosystems. Most artists who survive have to be the type of people who can make something out of nothing. I’m lucky that I have an agent, and a very good network, and yes, that makes it 90% easier. But still, no one views me as a screenwriter or film producer yet, and anything I do isn’t going to fit neatly in a box, so that’s an even harder sell.

How have you seen the music industry change over the last 20 years?

Streaming has decimated the industry for artists. To do things the way I like to—taking time, taking care—that’s not the way it works anymore. That’s not as profitable as putting out a new song every month, or a new record every year. The industry has created an unsustainable pace and expected output for artists. When it becomes about money over the quality of the art, very few people win.  

There’s also the idea that all your cultural relevance is measured by numbers on social media. It’s about followers, not ideas or projects. Grind culture means we’re supposed to be accessible and communicating all the time, and we’re all addicted to it. It’s a crisis. For me, it was a big decision to not constantly market myself [on social media]. But it was ultimately about what kind of life and what kind of success I want. Is “success” trying to keep up with this insane pace, so that you don’t ever get to be present? I still haven’t mastered slowness and presence, and that’s the success I’m chasing, versus constant output. 

You worked on your most recent album, “Spirituals,” during the pandemic. What was that like?

The pandemic was one of the most challenging times of my life. I was so grateful to be able to make that record, it was my saving grace—a lifeline I clung to. I was at home with three young children, with no help. I was never able to step out of the role of “mom” and I was in survival mode. At some point, my mom came to stay with us and I’d go to my studio to work for a few hours, three days a week. I started writing lyrics. Then, we [temporarily] moved to British Columbia, Canada, and a nanny came to live with us. I rented a cabin in the woods, and would go for full days, treating it like a job, working virtually with producers around the world. They were my community during that time. 

What are some of the emotional themes that run through your songs? 

“Disparate Youth” is about having a vision for the future you want to create, having confidence in your voice, your power. That’s a constant theme in my songs, believing in your own power, your own voice. I like dark and grimy music, as well. Music is where I get to work things out, and sometimes you’re working that out for everyone.  

Yeah, so much of your music is chill and vibe-y, but has these intense currents right under the surface.

Something special about art is you get to make things that are aesthetically pleasing or feel-good but then you get to sneak in hard things to process. You can make that palatable and easier for the audience to receive. That’s important right now. Our country is so divided, and it’s hard for people to be open to other viewpoints. When you can get people to take medicine with sugar, you actually win. When we can unify around something, particularly about beauty and evolution, and agree that it feels good together, that’s really valuable.    

What are your reflections on GFS’ effect on your foundation as an artist?

I went to GFS for tenth through twelfth grades. That time was so formative for me as an artist and as a free thinker. My favorite thing about GFS was my senior studio painting class. I’d go up into the art room for hours, and build these huge canvases. We did self portraits that year. I painted myself as an animal, as a pharaoh…it was all about breaking yourself down and seeing yourself differently. That was Denny Heck’s class—she made a big impression on me. 

I also loved sports, I was super athletic. When I was a senior, we had an undefeated season in field hockey, and it was the best teamwork I’ve ever experienced in my life. I still reference that sometimes when I’m talking about teamwork. You can go your hardest when you know there are people right behind you, supporting you.

—Emily Kovach