The quartet of Kaitai, Justice, Keithyn and Raff, NXT are a boy band-dance troupe hybrid who are building serious momentum as their social media presence balloons.
Last year, NXT took part in Brisbane City Council's annual The QUBE Effect, a mentoring and development programme (staged over nine months) designed to assist emerging Queensland artists take their career to the next level.The band soaked up some seriously good industry experience along the way that resulted in them winning the Splendour In The Grass Performance Prize that saw them perform live last year at the Byron Bay festival.
Participants in The QUBE Effect receive mentoring and networking opportunities with some of Brisbane’s most influential music industry experts.
The programme's expert panel includes the likes of Bernard Fanning, Danny Widdicombe, Fred Leone, Hope D, Ian Haug, Jeremy Neale, John Collins, Luke Henry, Maz De Vita, Nat Dunn, Patience Hodgeson and Seja Vogel.
Musicians develop their skills, have live performance opportunities, make industry connections and have their own music video filmed for thousands of people to watch and vote for in the People's Choice Award.
Next month the 23 finalists of The QUBE Effect 2023 will each perform as part of an all-ages event at The Triffid (16 April) as part of Youth Week. Voting in the People's Choice Award for best music video takes place between April and June with an awards night to be staged in June or July (details tba).
Here, Katai from NXT shares some insights from the group's participation in last year's The QUBE Effect.
What's the band's elevator pitch for newcomers to your music?
Imagine a modern take on a boy band, that sing, rap and dance mixing the genres of hip hop, pop and R&B, but it's four Aussie guys from Brisbane that like to get rowdy. Sounds weird yes, but if you give us a go it'll be for sure a good time.
The transition from dancing troupe to boy band; was that a natural progression?
For us personally it felt natural, but talent wise as a group definitely an adjustment. We have all always been musically interested, with one of us being a DJ now producer; one of us would rap, the others sing and play instruments such as guitar and piano.
But making a song? Performing it live? It was always unsaid and in the back of our heads, as our show was always more than just a dance crew. We love to entertain and it has now taken a few years (and some terrible songs) to at least feel decent enough where we can say we are artists, but it wasn't until we were touring and opening up for Justice Crew and Timomatic years ago (under our dance crew name) that sparked the idea and they kind of mentored us into music.
We're already reached autumn... how's the band's 2023 progressed so far; any inside goss to share?
Look. . . we are not known for our speed of releasing music, we are to a fault perfectionists, but we have a lot ready as this year we are focussing on our first venture into collaborating with other artists and even some of Brisbane's top up and comers. We have songs ready, so it's already looking like a bigger year than 2022.
The experience of being involved with The QUBE Effect last year; what did you learn as a band?
We learnt what it's like to be a true artist; as a dance crew we were always outsiders of the dance world because our style and show was so different and we've felt the same with music, but QUBE Effect allowed us to take our first step into the Australian music scene and we felt at home and embraced; being around so many other artists who are on the same grind as us was inspiring and not something we're used to.
What were the highlights, and any funny moments that came from interacting with other bands/ artists?
Being asked to perform for the QUBE Effect awards night was really fulfilling. We pride ourselves on our live performances so to be recognised for that was truly a blessing.
Also making so many friends with the other artists and bands was a massive highlight. Just the banter alone had us in stitches; I guess that's what happens around like-minded people.
For emerging artists contemplating participating in The QUBE Effect, what advice do you have to share?
Soak it all in. From the lessons to the experiences and the people. I guess if you want to talk inside baseball, my approach was networking. From the artists to the organisers, they were some of the most amazing people we had ever met, and can be real allies to keep in contact with.
NXT also won the Splendour In The Grass performance prize and performed live at last year's festival; tell us about that experience?
We still can't believe it, it was like something out of a movie the way it unfolded. Being also our longest show we had ever done, having a few weeks to put it together was stressful to say the least.
Our show is very choreographed and tightly put together so creating an hour for two nights with only four songs released at the time was crazy, but we wouldn't have it any other way, we really flexed our creative muscles.
The elephant in the room though was the weather, we were standing by at home after rehearsing all day everyday, creating all the music and dance sets, waiting for the call if it was cancelled and our dream shattered. Coincidently in the new year of 2022 we put it on our 'goals whiteboard' to perform at Splendour; we never thought it would actually happen.
We then were told our stage was going to be the only one open that night and they're not allowing anyone else in and that the flooding was so bad you couldn't even get around the site, so we knew it was either going to be an empty crowd or the festival goers already there might come, either way we were going to give 110 per cent.
And it's as if the universe was on our side; the entire festival there came out to see us with the crowd growing larger as our show went on, we got our first encore calling ever and the entire crowd chanting our name and singing our songs throughout.
Words can't even describe the feeling and we were just happy that we could at least provide a good show and energy for everyone who was out there that night; we love the guys and girls behind Splendour and are hoping to continue our relationship with them as we grow.
So tell us about doing a gumboot shoey onstage... was mud included?
I got a quote from the man himself, Justice: "I'm pretty sure it was 80 per cent beer and 20 per cent mud. It was the second night's show so I was already a day old in the send and it was pretty hard to keep down. Good way to boost the immune system though!"
Let's talk fashion; each of you fellas have an impressive wardrobe; how much is involved to keep your threads looking fresh? And which member has the best (or worst) fashion sense?
We've always been into fashion and each have our own aesthetic, but we like to dress it up and tie it together for our stage wear, gotta make us interesting to look at right?
I'm sure the answer of who dresses the best would change depending on who you ask but because I'm writing this, the answer is me, Kaitai. I'm kidding. . . maybe (I have gotten into Crocs with socks lately so it's debatable).
But in all seriousness, I have an admiration for all our styles. I think it's what makes us standout is that as people physically and mentally were all so different so the combination is the best of all of us, which is how we try to be this 'modern boyband' by not being the same person copied four times.
For anyone looking to learn a dance move or two to impress the club, any quick hacks or cheats you can share? Or does talent really count?!
You'd be surprised by how much we don't like to dance at the clubs unless either a lot of drinks are involved or the DJ is killing it.
You can't go wrong with some classics like a 2-step or some head-banging, but we always say anyone can dance! We didn't all start as dancers so just do what comes naturally.
What's on the 2023 agenda for NXT?
Our first release is set for the next month or so, we've been loving these R&B tracks we've made over the last year and this will be the first one we get to release to show a new side of NXT.
With a lot more self-produced and externally-produced content for our social media and YouTube, paired with our first festival show of 2023 in Townsville (25 March) for Deja Vu Music Festival, where we are debuting a brand new show and unreleased music. We are extremely excited for what's to come this year.
The QUBE Effect 2023 finalists perform live at The Triffid (Brisbane) 16 April.
The QUBE Effect 2023 finalists
ALLORAA-Muse Project
Amy Elise
Aspy Jones
Belac James
Big Dinner
Bonsai Bay
Carmody Road
Cheap Date
The Dandys
Fleur Fatale
Indigo Hue
It's Acrylic
Jorja B
Lighthouse Mouse
Lounge
Lucy Korts
Mercy Valley
Ney Ney
Red Le Clerc
Sleeping
Sophia Scott
ZZADE
