Originally from Cairns, notevenstevens is an experimental electronic artist based in Brisbane who has recently released his new album, 'Chains'.
Inspired by Jimmy Edgar, Dorian Electra, and 100 gecs, 'Chains' is a mix of dark, warped electronic-industrial soundscapes as well as a number of vocal-based tracks.Who is... Hi I'm notevenstevens, aka Ethan Stevens, an iTunes charting, fresh and multifaceted artist in the Australian music scene.
I am a genre-bending, PC music-loving producer, artist, songwriter, and I have been making music since I was ten years old. I am from Cairns, currently living in Brisbane.
When did you settle on your artist name... When I was in primary school and high school, people started to call me 'Ethan noteven Stevens'; naturally that was shortened to just 'notevenstevens', and it has just stuck with me ever since. I have been releasing music under this stage name for around 2.5 years.
In the studio I usually... Like to do what 'feels right', my studio sessions are run by my intuition and it's never failed me. I feel like every single or project I work on is its own unique journey and process, which also means the output is different and unique every time.
If I could tour with anyone... Dorian Electra, 100 gecs or Jimmy Edgar. Any of these options (or dare I say all three) would be a dream come true.
Social media is... Powerful. Social media can be a blessing and a curse though. It can absolutely make an artist, but it can also mentally break an artist if they don't strike the right balance between screen-time and life.
I believe some people need to realise there is more to life than tickling the algorithm. But again in saying that, if you use it wisely to leverage your art and process, it's going to benefit you more than you can imagine.
My favourite app at the moment is... I hate to say it but TikTok. The amount of creativity on that platform is insane. There is a community/ niche for ANY type of content you are after, and people are doing some very unique things on there.
Life on the road can be... Hectic and fast paced, but also a crazy amount of fun! Just remind yourself to take a breather.
The most scary scenario I've found ourselves myself in, was... When I was travelling in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I was cycling through the deserted streets with my friend and it was so peaceful. . . and then my bike chain broke on the side of the road.
Naturally I was trying to fix it or it would have been a miserable walk back; while I was trying to fix it, a pack of maybe 15 wild dogs came out from the canefield nearby and started to circle me. I literally had to run with my bike as I couldn't fix the chain before the dogs started charging us and barking! I don't think I have ever ran so fast in my life.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... I would love to be the spokesperson of 100 gecs, representing and hanging out with Dylan Brady and Laura Les would be an unforgettable experience. They are personal favourites of mine and the hottest thing in the hyperpop and alt space.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? I would love to live in Los Angeles for a short period of time in my lifetime to just experience the buzz and make some new connections in the industry. Either that, or Amsterdam, or Portland has always drawn me in.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? Great question! Spicy chorizo and garlic pasta is my favourite dish that I cook. Hope you like chilli!
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? An absolute pet lover. I cannot wait until I get a dog of my own when the timing is right. But for real, does anyone ever answer as a pet hater!?
No matter the expense, send me a case of... A case of Disaronno. I am a bit of a Disaronno fiend, I love the smoothness of the flavours on the rocks, or, more simply just a carton of lager, can't go wrong there.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... This is a judgement-free zone right? I have to admit I see more of the inside of a virtual reality gym, than I do a real gym. I love doing fitness classes on VR with people around the world, plus there is a leaderboard, and I'm competitive.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Rubbish duty, not due to the chore itself, but it causes the most inconvenience in my apartment block I live in. There is no bin-chute so I have to do a smelly walk of shame in the lifts every time.
Do you have any phobias... I'm terrified of scorpions. I've heard people try to make them less intimidating by calling them 'cute land lobsters', but it just doesn't work for me. Nothing on earth should look so gnarly.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Strangely enough, I actually was in the final interviews for a reality TV show over in Portland, Oregon. I used to design sneaker concepts on Instagram and it went semi-viral and I was approached by a team filming for a sneaker designer reality TV show.
The premise was 12 designers living in a shared house, battling it out for a contracted job at Adidas. I was about to be casted as the crazy energetic Australian haha! The TV show did not come to fruition unfortunately.
Nowadays, I would love to partake in a bake-off show, preferably against other artists to make a difficult recipe, and see which artist wins, Great British Bake-off Style.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Ben's Burgers if they are open late in the Brisbane area; failing that, a HSP from any kebab place is a universal winner (garlic and hot chilli sauce of course).
Last show you binge-watched? The last show that really captivated me was 'Squid Game'. I started off with the intention of giving it a go on the release day, I ended up binging the whole series overnight.
The intensity of that show is unparalleled with anything I have seen. Plus the character development was so engaging. Other than 'Squid Game', my go-to 'comfort show' is re-watching 'The Office' for the millionth time.
