.

.

Interview with
BEL KIL

(30th July, 2024)

Interview with Dave Bruce

.

.

Have you always wanted to be an artist? When did you get the song writing bug?
Yeah, as a kid, I was totally into sport, art, and especially music – that was always the dream but I was a closet singer-songwriter. I remember sitting in front of the TV, stopping and starting Rage to write down lyrics. When I started playing guitar and writing songs, they were mostly about personal stuff, like breakups. At first, I was too shy to sing in front of friends, but they always managed to coax me into it after a few drinks. Dad taught me the guitar, but I felt restricted with just an acoustic guitar; in my mind, I could hear the whole production around the melody and harmony. It wasn’t until I got a new phone with GarageBand that I realised I could actually produce music myself and didn’t need a whole band to do it. Around the same time, I read about Flume’s journey, how he started with Fruity Loops that came free in a cereal box. I wished I had discovered production tools like that as a child. Discovering music production was a game-changer for me. It allowed me to break free from the constraints of just playing guitar and create a world of sound that inspires the lyrics.

Briefly describe your journey to date.
When I started recording and producing, I didn’t know if I wanted to pursue my own music. I just knew I wanted to be writing songs and creating a sonic world for them to live within, whether that be for myself or others. I had some incredible opportunities while studying – including being flown to Popakademie in Germany to write for Sony and being selected for the top-tier American mix engineer Andrew Scheps’ workshop. These experiences were inspiring and validating. The more I produced, recorded, and experimented with sound, the more I wrote myself and realised I had a lot of my own ideas I wanted to share. A serious bike accident also put things in perspective. The experience of having to relearn how to sing helped convince me to pursue my own solo project – it made me “slow down and put things into perspective. After this, I let down my guard and decided to write an EP and put my own music out into the world.

.

.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think fans resonate with your music?
People say you need to be able to describe your sound to be successful, but I don’t want to stick to one genre. So it’s hard to pinpoint my sound exactly.
It’s honest, authentic, emotive, raw, catchy, distinct, cinematic, anthemic…
I don’t try to sound like anyone else or directly reference artists when I write or produce. I have no idea what I’m going to create until I sit down in front of the keys or guitar and experiment with a riff, chord progression, melody, sound, or effect that really resonates with me. Then the ideas come flowing.
I guess I’m subconsciously drawing from the music I grew up with. We’re innately influenced by our surroundings whether we realise it or not—songs my parents and older sisters listened to when I was young, songs I loved in high school. These influences have molded my appreciation and love for music, probably resulting in a sound that’s versatile, unique, distinct, and easily recognisable.
I think Alex Callan (Forte Mag) sums up my sound best – Bel Kil adopts an expansive style that lends from multiple genres, decades and influences, all whilst maintaining a modern pop edge.
Enigmatic dream-pop vocals, trip-hop percussive arrangements and funk-laden basslines in an immersive array of soundscapes that prove as an artist, Bel Kil isn’t trying to fit into just one box… Allex Callan

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today? 
Hmmm, some of my favorite artists and bands are Beck, Alt J, Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, Suki Waterhouse, and I’m a big fan of Royel Otis—they’d have to be one of my all-time favorites. Their songwriting is simple and clever. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking or different, but it’s consistently on point. I find myself not skipping a single song on their album, which is rare these days.

.

.

Your debut single ‘Rose Street’ has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution. 
Rose Street’ started as a personal challenge to explore the plugins and virtual instruments I own but rarely use. I began experimenting with MIDI instruments in Ableton, initially creating a bassline and a mellotron stab. As I developed the beat and production, the blend of cinematic strings and funky bass lines gave the track an energetic and playful vibe that I wanted the lyrics to reflect. I was walking home from the studio on a Friday night, exhausted and ready for a quiet night. But when I stepped outside, it was a balmy night, and the streets felt alive. Suddenly, I got a burst of energy, and my mind started wandering as I saw people sprawling onto the footpath along Smith Street. From there, the lyrics came naturally. What could happen if I take the long way home. In my case, who might be there.

Is there an EP or ALBUM on the drawing board?
Yes, there’s both an EP and an album in the works that I’m really excited about. “Rose Street” is the first taste from my upcoming EP titled “Wasted Emotion,” which is set to be released later this year. I’m currently in the process of producing an album that will follow.

What tours and events are coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
I’ll be announcing lots of shows soon, including the Genny at Mount Hotham, Wollongong, Sydney, and I’m really excited to play Out West Fest on the 9th Of November near where I grew up.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
I don’t often think about who I’d love to perform with, but I always think about producers I’d love to collaborate with – Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys, Danger Mouse, Jack Antonoff or Mark Ronson. In terms of a performance, it would be fun to share the stage with artists like Tame Impala, Lime Cordiale, Fred Again, Kings or Leon, Nancy Sinatra, Lana Del Rey or Beck. Too many now that I think of it.

.

.

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them?
My dream is to be on major festival lineups both in Australia and internationally. I’m often told after a show that my music feels perfect for festival stages, so achieving this would be an absolute dream come true.
I also love to collaborate. While I enjoy creating on my own, I’m an extrovert who thrives on working with others and sharing ideas. Currently, I’m working with Edward Quinn (Telenova/Slum Sociable), which is great because he understands my music, and we have a really comfortable working relationship.
I’ve got some festivals and exciting support slots lined up, and I believe the key is to keep producing quality music and putting everything into it because I love the process.

With that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to an artist starting out? 
Pursue music if you absolutely love everything about it and because it fulfills you. I’ve found the greatest contentment in my life since I started following my dream, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its challenges. The journey can be tough, rough, and incredibly challenging. You need a thick skin but passion and fulfillment are crucial to sustaining yourself as an artist.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
Seeing people you’ve never met before up on shoulders dancing and singing along to your lyrics. As for career highlights, while I’ve played bigger shows and become more confident on stage, my debut single launch at The Leadbeater stands out. Seeing the 350-capacity venue packed with a sea of people, after waking up in a sweat worried no one would turn up, felt absolutely electric.

.

.

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
For some reason, my mind is bypassing more recent party and travel stories and reverting to my pretty crazy and free childhood growing up on the farm. We ran wild and created all our own fun. We would load up the two-wheel motorbike with four people on each, probably ages 6 to 12, and play cops and robbers, dodging each other through the creeks and hills in the paddocks. We’d turn the motor off and hide until we heard them coming, and then it was on.
We also found an old tractor seat and a tire that had metal attachments doubling as handles. We screwed the seat to the tire, attached a chain, then dressed up in ski gear, a motorbike helmet, and goggles, and did donuts around the paddock until I managed to concuss myself.
So many stories like this.

What is the one topic you can talk about for hours?
Producing music and recycling. Very passionate about both.

Finally, just a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – right now Royal Otis ‘Pratts and Pain’
Artist – Beck
Movie – Baby Driver, Romeo and Juliet and Reservoir Dogs mainly because I love the soundtracks and their killer movies
Place to visit – Istanbul (my first OS trip, it was insane)
Venue to play – The Leadbeater, love the lights and stage
Food – Pizza in Italy
Drink – Whisky and beer
Tattoo – No tattoos but I would get two little paper planes.

.

.

Follow BEL KIL
Instagram – Facebook – Tik Tok – Linktree

.

.

Press Release 1st May 2024 (below)

BEL KIL
brings modern pop edge
with the release
of her latest single
‘ROSE STREET’

.

.

From the mind of producer and engineer Annabel Kilpatrick, Bel Kil continues to expand her sound across multiple genres, decades and influences, all whilst maintaining a distinct modern pop edge. After releasing her debut EP My Year in 2022, Bel Kil is back, kicking off with “Rose Street” out everywhere on May 1.

Bel wrote, recorded and produced the entirety of “Rose Street” herself. After self-mixing her first EP, she sought a professional touch and collaborated with Guus Hoevenaars (Scissor Sisters, The National – 2 x Emmy winning and Bafta Nominated Producer / Mixer & Engineer) to mix “Rose Street”. Later the track was mastered by Grammy Nominee Joe Carra from Crystal Mastering (The Teskey Brothers, King Gizzard, Pond & Courtney Barnett).

As Bel Kil reflects on the creative process behind “Rose Street,” she recalls the moment vividly. “I was walking home from the studio on Friday, exhausted and ready for a quiet night,” she explains. “But when I stepped outside, it was a balmy night, and the streets felt alive. Suddenly, I got a burst of energy, and my mind started wandering as I saw people sprawling onto the footpath along Smith Street. From there, the lyrics came naturally.”

With its infectious energy and catchy melodies, “Rose Street” captures the essence of Melbourne’s bustling streets and the excitement of a spontaneous adventure. The song invites listeners to join Bel Kil on a late afternoon detour through the backstreets of Melbourne’s inner North, where anything can happen if you take the long way home.

To celebrate the release of “Rose Street”, Bel  will be headlining The Toff in Melbourne on May 11th – We can’t wait to see you all there!

Make sure you follow Bel Kil across all social media platforms to stay up to date with all of her new music news in 2024.

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB