Naiad at The Retreat Hotel Brunswick

Naiad at The Retreat Hotel Brunswick

Naiad is the creative project of Jared Gibson, a Melbourne / Naarm-based multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer crafting a sound that sits somewhere between indie soul, dream pop, and shoegaze. His music blends shimmering guitars, gentle grooves, and airy production with an emphasis on honesty, humility, and emotional rawness.

Following a jazz degree on vibraphone and Latin percussion, Gibson first performed with Melbourne acid jazz and dance collective Cofi, playing festivals such as Strawberry Fields (2017) and a sold-out single launch at The Gaso. After the group disbanded, he moved to Darwin and began producing a self-titled synth-funk EP under his own name, released in late 2023. Though he loved the intricacies of producing electronic music, the process often became painstaking and slow — endless tweaking of patches and presets.

When Gibson returned to Melbourne and began what would become Naiad, he picked up his guitar and rediscovered the immediacy of writing and recording live. “Everything came together so naturally; it felt like the songs were alive, growing and taking shape around me,” he recalls.

This new chapter led to the release of Nothing To Say in August 2025, a track born from that spontaneous, live approach. Its follow-up, Let Me Go in September 2025, further expanded on Naiad’s dreamy yet grounded aesthetic. Written for “someone who lives their life through others — who struggles to love themselves fully,” it’s a song that captures the project’s emotional heart: the desire to create music that helps both artist and listener process their own experiences.

Gibson cites Far Caspian as his greatest creative influence — an artist whose raw, understated production and sincerity deeply shaped the vision for Naiad. Other inspirations include Middle Kids, Mac DeMarco, Retiree, Men I Trust, and Beach Fossils.

This will be his debut show alongside his live band + Convenience Store & Home On Stilts