The most important things that Ali Gatie asks for in his tour rider are snacks that curb anxiety — and he's got some very specific, slightly unusual food items in mind.
In this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas, Gatie reveals that breath mints are high on the list of things he reaches for on a daily basis, and not just when he's backstage at shows. "Peppermint mints are a must, anywhere I go. Whether it's on tour, the video shoot, anywhere," he says, adding that really anything chewable will do.
"For some reason, it just kind of relaxes me. I think it's an anxiety thing," he posits, explaining that calming stage nerves is a big part of his tour rider requests in general. Along with mints, he reveals that hot dog buns — yes, without any hot dogs in them — can go a long way towards soothing stage jitters.
"A very weird one," Gatie admits. But according to the singer/songwriter, there's a method behind the odd request. "Sometimes I feel sick or nauseous, especially, like, early morning. I want something that's really easy to digest, and hot dog buns, they're just easy to pick up. You can have a little piece, the whole thing. You can be very smart with how you eat it. You don't have to finish it. You can put it away easily."
Or, he continues, you can dress it up into an equally unconventional sandwich. "I eat boiled eggs, but I put them in hot dog [buns]," Gatie elaborates. "I even sometimes eat burgers in hot dog buns. I'll cut the burger in half. It's very weird. Don't know why. It's one of those things. I think it's a comfort thing."
Nevertheless, it keeps him going when he's on the road, and helps him enjoy his favorite part of touring: The gratification of seeing fans who love his music, especially the songs that might not be as popular as his 2019 hit "It's You" or 2021's "What If I Told You That I Love You."
"People have sung the songs, and that makes me feel like, 'Damn, this song maybe didn't do as well to the world, but 1,000 people showed up and sang every lyric,'" he reflects. "That is the most fulfilling feeling I've ever experienced, and there's no amount of money, there's no amount of fame that could compare to the feeling of touching even one person's heart."
You can catch Gatie on the road starting Sept. 28, when he kicks off his Who Hurt You? Tour in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 42-date trek is in support of his forthcoming album, Who Hurt You?, due Aug. 12; Gatie recently announced the LP along with its lead single, "Can’t Give Up."
Press play on the video above to get to know more about Gatie's quirks and favorite memories on the road, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.