From headlining her own live 'Nothing But Air' national tour to supporting Art vs Science on their Australian tour as well as recently putting the finishing touches on mixing the upcoming triple j House Party Volume 5 compilation, KLP has found time to bring back 2015's KLPParty.
This year she has recruited fellow Sydney-sider Nyxen to travel to all parts of the country; we thought it best to have the ladies interview each other ahead of the epic tour.
Nyxen answers KLP's questions
I first heard some of your stuff on triple j unearthed (shout out to them!). Do you have a plan for making and releasing more music later this year at all?Yeah! I’ve been working on new music all year, some of that’s definitely going to appear on my Unearthed profile over the next few months.
I have seen you seriously shred on the guitar on your Instagram. How long have you been playing, and do you play any other instruments?
I got my first guitar when I was 11, before that I had lessons for violin and keyboard. I have messed around with playing bass and drums, but guitar has always been a pretty big obsession of mine.
Can we expect more live instruments laced throughout your music? Or even live shows?
I’ve actually snuck lots of my own guitar work into my songs already. I’m definitely keeping that vibe now. The tracks I’m finishing at the moment were both products of me jamming out in my backyard and racing inside to record the idea. Playing live instruments in a live show is definitely on the cards, it’s what I feel most natural with and I’d want to really be able to jam out and do some stuff a bit different to my DJ sets.
Nyxen
You told me the other week that you were hoping to start using some vocalists on tracks coming in the future. Who would be your dream collaborator?
Eek, that’s a hard one but probably Justin Vernon. I still rinse all of Bon Iver’s tracks especially ‘Woods’, which is pretty much just layers of vocals. Working with someone as talented, creative and respected as him would be a total dream come true.
We are about to play a whole bunch of shows together, do you have any funny/ bad/ weird habits I should be aware of?
I had to phone a friend for this one and she says one of my weird habits is: 'I make inappropriate sound effects that often create awkward situations’ (haha).
If you could sit down and have dinner with someone in the music world (dead or alive) who would it be and what would you eat?
It would be Kurt Cobain for sure. He was pretty much the face of a decade. I’d love to hang out and see what he was like on a personal level. We’d have macaroni cheese and mashed potato.
Where can we find you when you’re 50-years old?
Hopefully living in some remote part of the world chilling on a beach with a guitar.
Favourite pizza topping?
I’m super weird and not a big fan of pizza, so I’d stick with a classic margarita.
KLP answers Nyxen's questions
What’s the one song that makes you think 'Damn, I wish I made this’?Ohhh! Great question! ‘Imagine’ John Lennon.
You recently got back from LA after doing some writing/ recording over there. Do you find the vibe of your songs varies depending on where you are when you write them?
One hundred per cent. It’s such a strange process to write with people you’ve only just met, so depending on who and where they’re form, where you are geographically, it really has an effect. It doesn’t always work and I’ve learnt to be ok with that. It really takes the right combination to make it a good song.
You mentioned the other week that you’ve been performing/ releasing music since you were 14-years old. Have you ever had a: ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is happening’ moment?
There’s been so many, but probably starting to work at triple j is a big one. That was very surreal because I grew up listening to triple j and doing radio was never something I sought out to do. I felt incredibly ‘right place/ right time and READY’ when that opportunity came up and it’s such an honour to be a part of that team.
Do you have a pre-DJ set/ live performance ritual? Are they different from each other and what are they?
I love disco napping before any type of show if there’s time! Having a 30 minute or so snooze in my hotel just to freshen up my mind. When I’m with the band it’s fun to have a sing, anything that's bonding,so food, drinks: we have also been known to go to the gym together before shows. The opposite of the whole rock & roll touring band.
We were chatting about how craaazy your Saturday’s usually are with Triple J House Party and your shows. If you had one Saturday completely free what would you be doing?
I would sleep in, go get coffee from my favourite coffee place in Marrickville (shout out Cafe Le Metro) then I’d do some exercise (I know... crazy... who the hell am I?!) then I would go for a long, boozy lunch with some friends, eat cheese and drink wine, maybe have a massage in the afternoon, then pizza for dinner with more wine, get home early and snuggle up on the couch watching some ‘Parks & Recreation’.
Yesterday you showed me one of your new songs (it’s groovalicious FYI!). Do you find the most recent song you’ve made is your favourite or is there one you’ve made in the past that will always be your #1?
The one you’re talking about, which is actually my next single is definitely a stand out. My songs always have to have real meaning. They generally capture a certain feeling or moment in my lifetime, so they’ll are favourites for different reasons. There’s another song on my EP that is a favourite, I got sent a mix of it to give notes and I got a little bit teary hearing it back.
If you could spend a day with one musician (alive or dead) who would it be and what would you do?
Hmmm, so many options running through my mind. Maybe Pharrell Williams. He’s a musical genius, but also seems to be a complete down to earth legend.
I’m throwing this one straight back at you. What is the weirdest habit you have?
I don’t think I have any habits that are that weird! Oh, maybe putting orange juice on my muesli in the morning, or I love having two drinks at once, hot and cold, and I switch between them both.
KLPParty Tour Dates
Sat 20 Aug - Oh Hello! (Brisbane)Fri 26 Aug - Cats, Rocket Bar (Adelaide)*
Sat 27 Aug - Chinese Laundry (Sydney)
Sat 10 Sep - The Helm (Sunshine Coast)
Fri 16 Sep - Mr Wolf (Canberra)
Fri 23 Sep - Plantation Hotel (Coffs Harbour)
Sat 24 Sep - King Street (Newcastle)
Sat 8 Oct - Frayed (Fremantle)*
Sat 8 Oct - Jack Rabbit Slims (Perth)*
Fri 14 Oct - Flinders Social (Townsville)
Wed 19 Oct - Republic Bar (Hobart)*
* Nyxen not appearing
