The Committed: Toby Gad

I was honored to chat to Toby Gad recently, acclaimed German-born, Los Angeles-based music producer and songwriter who has crafted some of the biggest pop hits of the last two decades – think Beyoncé’s “If I Were a Boy”, John Legend’s iconic “All of Me”, or Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. Okay, I confess I had to Google that last one… I’m probably showing my age when I say I was most excited by his contributing, at the tender age of 18, three songs to Milli Vanilli’s debut album… Gen Z, you might have to Google that one. He has also collaborated with superstars such as Madonna, Kelly Clarkson and, for our Aussie readers, The Veronicas.

But Toby and I barely talked about music, because, as you might have spotted, this isn’t a music publication. We were here to talk about what Toby does to relax outside of his busy work schedule: kitesurfing of course! He was born into a musical family and inevitably his music career started early. But his father was also a windsurfer and sailor who has crossed the Atlantic three times in a sailing boat. Windsurfing was a way for them to connect and spend time together outside of music. And so Toby’s father passed on not only his love of music but also his love of the ocean to Toby.

As well as windsurfing, Toby got into surfing and SUP, and many of his holidays have involved water sports. Then a few years ago he had his first kitesurf lessons at Lake Garda, followed by a week-long course at Hood River, both of which he loved, and like most of us he fell hook, line and sinker for the sport. Ever since then his holidays have focused on kiting – luckily his wife is very understanding – in a variety of places like Tarifa and Lake Silvaplana, making great memories in the process. He also kites in the UK as he spends some of the year in London. And living in LA it is a three-hour drive down to Baja, so he has bought a holiday house there where he can kite, surf or SUP. Toby and I could have chatted on about kitesurf trips for hours! We both agreed traveling is one of the highlights of the sport.

When at home in LA he does of course have to work, but he is committed to finding time to kite when there’s wind, or surfs or SUPs if there’s no wind. He hits the beaches of Malibu, Zuma Beach or Nicolas Canyon Beach, and especially loves a sunset session, as these photos show. He loves being out in the Pacific and feels very privileged to have swum with whale sharks in Baja and kited with dolphins at home. Other than sea creatures, his sessions are usually pretty quiet – the kiting scene in LA is fairly small with generally no more than ten kiters out at the same time as him. He has tried telling all his friends and family about the joy of kiting but so far none have taken it up! Maybe more locals will be inspired by the next Olympics which will take place there in 2028…

Toby told me how he finds kiting provides a vital contrast to his music career – getting out and doing something physical is ideal after time sat at a production desk, and he spends so much time doing collaborative work with musicians and singers that kiting is just what he needs for some alone time. He finds it the perfect balance to a busy life. For him the ocean has its own energy and he loves the connection with nature that it gives him. Nothing else matters while kiting and he can be totally in the moment, something I’m sure we can all relate to. He even finds himself singing while out on the water. He wrote his first song as a child while on a bicycle, and has come up with music while kiting, highlighting the sport’s role in his creative process. So keep an ear out for his tunes, maybe he’ll mention kitesurfing in his next award-winning song. And that surely would be a first…