Aussie newcomer KIAN has just dropped his new single ‘Every Hour’. “This song embodies safety within a relationship,” he explains. “It’s all about love and the complexities that come with it but also happiness, growth and creating new memories together.” Nice, right? It’s a super smooth tune from an artist who’s already making significant waves in his home country, and who toured over here with fellow heart-on-sleeve pop-boy Conan Gray just last year. Time for an introduction, then.
Hi KIAN, how’s it going? Are you self-isolating at the mo?
I’m doing pretty well considering the state the world’s in currently, maybe I’m lacking in a bit of vitamin D, but besides that, I’m doing just fine. I’ve been back in my hometown cooped up in my bedroom trying to stay happy and productive!
How are you finding all this virus business? Stressful, isn’t it?
At times this whole COVID-19 situation has been stressful, and it definitely has created some setbacks such as cancelled shows and video shoots, but overall I feel okay, I keep reminding myself that everyone is in the same boat and to remain as positive as possible!
When did you realise you wanted to make music then? Did you have a musical upbringing?
Since I was little, I’ve always been creative and would often get lost in my imagination, to be honest, both of my patents and my siblings are all very creative and have always supported me with anything I’ve wanted to do. My parents did dabble with music and are both music fans, so I’m grateful I was brought up surrounded by that. I think what ultimately drew me to music was that I was able to confide within it and whether I was listening to it or creating it, it was and still is my way of conveying how I feel.
And how are you finding it so far, is being a musician living up to the hype?
Being able to do what makes me happy for a “job” is definitely incredible, and there have been so many things I’ve loved about it. I feel like my time as an artist has been full of a lot of growth and learning, emotionally but also in life.
How was the Conan Gray tour last year? Did you pick up any good advice or tips while you were on the road?
Conan’s tour was great, it was my first time heading to the UK and Europe, so that was exciting enough within itself. We hung out a little bit but we never really had the chance to get into any deep conversations about life as musicians but I think something that I definitely took out of the whole experience, was the way he carried himself, he seemed to have this positive energy, and I think that was also reflected by his fans, in the way they responded to me and welcomed me at each show.
Have you done a lot of touring so far? Where’s the best place you’ve visited?
I have done a bunch of shows, and there’s been plenty of memorable ones, some of my favourites were for sure on that Conan Gray tour, but also Australia’s splendour in the grass festival was huge for me. In terms of my favourite place I’ve been, I’ve probably gotta say Paris or London, still I’m excited to add some more to that list.
What’s your songwriting process like?
It’s forever evolving, but I usually base what I write on how the chords or beat make me feel, I’ll start singing some melodies, and then from there I always come from a personal place with the lyrics as I find that’s what comes naturally to me.
Do you have any sources of inspiration you find yourself revisiting?
Recently I’ve been getting really inspired by some older music, seem to be drawn to tracks from the late 70s. I think it’s the sounds and also how skilled some of those artists and musicians were when it came to their craft.
Where did your new single ‘Every Hour’ come from?
It came from a place of warmth and safety, it’s based around a personal experience of mine. To sum it up, ‘Every Hour’ is really about understanding someone and the reasons behind the way they feel, learning about someone’s past to move forward and create happy memories together.
Are you creative in non-musical ways too?
I really enjoy taking pictures and have been trying out film photography for a while now. It’s just a hobby that I enjoy. Other than that, design really interests me and was probably something that I would have studied if I didn’t have music.
What else do you do for fun?
Other than photography and design, I’ve played basketball since I was 9 and it was always another one of those things that felt like an outlet for me, haven’t had a chance to play in a while but I try to get on the court when I get the chance. Also sometimes I play video games, and that is something I’ve loved since I was young as well, for similar reasons.
What would you most like to achieve during your music career?
I hope one day I can create a project that resonates with the whole world and potentially could be award-winning, but in saying that I just want to be able to make the music that makes me happy and to be surrounded by the people I love.
KIAN’s single ‘Every Hour’ is out now.
