Kai
ABOUT
Bedroom artist writing what my family calls ‘sad boy’ music, or more accurately what The National call the ‘SAD DAD’ genre. Massive fan of Australia’s incredible depth of talent in independent music. Love going to shows/gigs and songwriting.
MEET THE SONGWRITER - 5 QUICK QUESTIONS:
Why do you write songs? (When/why did you start writing, what do you enjoy and what keeps you going?)
A: I think it’s just a creative impulse. Though I’ve written bits and pieces going back quite a while, I started writing songs in earnest around 2021. I enjoy both the process of writing a song, and its constant evolution as its performed. Finding the Wax Lyrical group, and befriending and collaborating with its participants, has been a big part of what keeps me going.
How would you describe the emotional world or themes your songs tend to explore? (What is it that you would like people to learn, hear, feel or take from your songs?)
A: Fear is a recurring theme of many of my songs: fear of the future, fear of loss, anxiety. More recently my writing has been more grounded in thoughts rather than feelings: about people and relationships, society; and theatrical or fictional pieces. I would like people to hear something that is ‘a little bit different’, while also finding some form of connection to the songs.
Which artists or songwriters have had the biggest influence on your musical journey?
A: Always a good question to ask, and a difficult one to answer. Some important influences are Anaïs Mitchell, Explosions in the Sky, Joseph Arthur, Low, Sufjan Stevens, and local hero Tom Woodward.
Describe your songwriting process. How does a song usually begin for you?
A: Usually something musically interesting I stumble upon while practicing guitar. Sometimes from a lyrical idea, or melody, that comes to me.
If you were to be stranded on a desert island and could only take two albums with you, what would they be?
A: Two favourites are the soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis; and Illinois, by Sufjan Stevens.
