CJ Gill’s songwriting is rooted in movement, change and the experiences that shape us along the way. After six years writing on Chicago’s South Side, the singer-songwriter relocated to Nashville, carrying with him the life lessons, personal challenges and stories that would become the foundation of his music. Drawing from the tradition of great storytellers while embracing the spirit of classic rock and modern country, Gill’s work is built on honesty, reflection and emotional depth.
His latest single “Time To Go” explores the difficult but necessary moments when hardship becomes a catalyst for growth. Written during a period of transition, the track reflects on loss, uncertainty and the courage required to move forward, offering an ntroduction to his forthcoming debut album Eye of the Storm.
We spoke with CJ Gill about the influence of Chicago and Nashville on his writing, the artists who inspired his approach to storytelling, and how embracing change has shaped his journey as a songwriter.
You spent six years writing songs on Chicago’s South Side before relocating to Nashville. How did those two cities shape you differently as a songwriter?
Well, they’re two very different cities, and I think I’ve learned most of my life experiences from Chicago so that’s the foundation of my writing. But living now further away from everything that I really knew, it has changed my perspective on life and opened up more doors creatively I did not know I had.
Your music draws from storytellers like Townes Van Zandt and Kris Kristofferson while also embracing classic rock influences. Who were some of the artists that first made you want to write songs yourself?
A few artists that really drew me into writing songs are Cody Jinks, Eric Church, and Ward Davis. It really all starts there, the Eagles are a band whose writing really influenced me into writing.
“Time To Go” is about allowing hardship to help you grow stronger. Was there a specific experience or turning point that inspired the song?
Yah there’s definitely been several experiences that shaped this song . With “Time to Go”, I tried to capture a few different points of my life as opposed to a singular event. From having a career and the way I made a living taken away due to an accident to just personal disappointments and things not going how I thought they would. The final chorus of the song though is directly related to knowing I needed to take a chance on songwriting.
You wrote the lyrics in Chicago but completed the music after moving to Nashville. How did that change in environment influence the final version of the track?
There’s obviously a lot of really talented people in Nashville and allowing myself to learn from that and it kind of made me want to be better and push creative limits . Its very easy to do stuff your comfortable with and not really grow. so for me, living in Nashville led to a creative swell that was only possible by a change of scenery and environment.
The guitar introduction came to you during a sleepless night in Nashville. Do your best songwriting ideas often arrive unexpectedly, or are you someone who prefers a structured writing process?
I definitely just let ideas come to me. I think when I have or had an experience that evokes enough emotion, it makes it very easy and natural to write. I will end up having the majority of it done in 15-30 minutes. There are occasions where I like to challenge myself and pick something random to write about as a thought and writing exercise to keep my brain sharp, and I think those kind of challenges make it easier to write something I feel really strong about.
“Time To Go” balances vulnerability with resilience rather than offering simple answers. Is that complexity something you consciously try to bring into your songwriting?
No, I wouldn’t say it’s a conscious effort. I think it’s something that comes naturally to my writing though. Most of my life, and I think it’s true for a lot of people, is that we spend a lot of time trying to navigate a relationship or situations that are complex. We don’t have clear cut emotions one way or the other . Or often are hit with mixed emotions and have to try find a way through that. Sometimes we’re right sometimes we’re wrong. So this song is my way of trying to explain the internal feeling of confusion with what to do while trying to push forward to something better.
The title suggests leaving something behind. What do you think is the hardest part about knowing when it’s time to move on from a person, place, or chapter in life?
I think it goes back to complex emotions. You can watch a personal or professional relationship fade or turn into something that doesn’t benefit anyone involved. Usually there were times, in some cases many years, during that part of your life though that made you happy. So it can blind you to the fact of what is truly best for you because you end up chasing something that is gone. Definitely trying to break through the feeling of wanting and hoping things go back to how they used to be is challenging.
Your debut album Eye of the Storm is on the horizon. How does “Time To Go” fit into the larger story or themes explored across the album?
It definitely is part of the larger theme of the album which goes back to the internal conflicts people face day to day in life. From trying to navigate forgiveness to wanting to expand the horizons of what’s possible. “Time to Go” compliments the rest of the writing on this album in a way that I think the listener will enjoy even more after hearing the whole album.
As you introduce yourself to listeners through this debut album era, what do you hope people come to understand about you as both an artist and a person?
The biggest thing is authenticity and honesty. The album is not manufactured to make people feel a certain way. Those are important qualities for me to try and live by so that’s what I want the words and sounds of the album to produce.
