B-Side Guys

Protection isn’t always physical. On “The Gatekeeper,” Los Angeles-based New Zealand musician Lisa Crawley explores emotional boundaries with unflinching clarity, creating an indie-pop declaration of self-worth that doubles as a masterclass in elegant rejection.

The four-time APRA Silver Scroll nominee (New Zealand’s prestigious songwriting award) has crafted a track that balances personal empowerment with universal accessibility—a delicate combination that showcases her development since relocating from Melbourne to Los Angeles in early 2020. This evolution feels particularly resonant given the song’s exploration of selective vulnerability.

What distinguishes “The Gatekeeper” from typical empowerment anthems is its emotional nuance. Rather than offering one-dimensional dismissal, Crawley examines the complicated territory of connections that have faded or failed. The opening questioning—examining vanished love and language—creates space for genuine reflection before the definitive boundary-setting begins. This narrative progression mirrors the real-world experience of relationship dissolution, where certainty often emerges gradually rather than instantly.

Musically, Crawley maintains the “indie-pop chanteuse” qualities that have defined her work while introducing subtle production elements that emphasize the song’s thematic spine. The track likely showcases the emotional authenticity that has become her signature, creating immediate resonance even as it addresses uncomfortable truths about selective access to our emotional worlds.

Most effective is how Crawley transforms the traditionally negative concept of gatekeeping into an act of necessary self-preservation. Lines about being “the gatekeeper” and “stopping you this time” reframe boundary-setting as strength rather than defensiveness. The observation that the subject “only looks out for yourself” provides crucial context—this isn’t arbitrary exclusion but reasoned response to self-centered behavior.

The accompanying video’s satirical approach—featuring actor/musician Paul Adelstein as one of various men offering unsolicited advice about Crawley’s music career—adds another dimension to the track’s exploration of boundary violations. By visualizing how outsiders attempt to define success or creative direction, the video extends the song’s core theme beyond romantic relationships into professional spaces where women frequently experience similar unwelcome intrusions.

For listeners navigating their own boundary decisions, “The Gatekeeper” offers permission to be selective. As Crawley herself notes, the song serves as a reminder to “know their worth and be selective about who gets to have a say in your life”—a message delivered not through heavy-handed instruction but through the elegant certainty of someone who has learned this lesson personally.