We sat down with G Flip for this week's In Conversation to discuss their new album 'Drummer', their six ARIA nominations and becoming the queer non-binary role model they always wanted
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00:00 When I get DMs, it's like a guy and it's like,
00:03 "You're just really sexy," or something,
00:05 and they're like, "We'd love to..."
00:07 And I'm just like, "What the fuck?"
00:09 Like, either you're trying to get cash out of me
00:12 or something like, you know, you're...
00:14 Obviously, I'm not straight, and I've got a wife.
00:18 I don't know. I just find those ones hilarious.
00:29 Hi, I'm Anna from NME, and I'm joined by G Flip
00:32 for the latest in the NME In Conversation series.
00:35 Hi, how are you?
00:37 I'm good, how are you?
00:38 Doing great.
00:39 You're currently on your first ever US headlining tour.
00:43 Yes.
00:44 How's it been so far?
00:45 It's been great. It's been rowdy.
00:48 There's been people queuing up before every show,
00:52 so I go say hey to them in the line.
00:55 Yeah, people be singing their lungs out,
00:58 meeting heaps of cool people,
01:00 going to cities that I've never been before in the States
01:04 and trying different foods.
01:06 I saw you tried a Philly cheesesteak last night, or yesterday.
01:09 Yep, yesterday I tried a Philly cheesesteak.
01:11 I had no idea what that is.
01:13 It's just basically bread and meat and cheese and onions.
01:16 Yeah.
01:17 Pretty much. You're playing New York tonight.
01:19 Yeah.
01:20 # Welcome to New York #
01:21 # Welcome to New York #
01:22 # Just been waiting for you #
01:23 Yeah, and you have an after-party at $3 bill tonight too.
01:26 Yeah, it's a big evening.
01:28 It's going to be great.
01:29 Yeah, interviews straight to double shows.
01:33 So, yeah, I'm ready though.
01:35 I've had a Clif Bar, so I'm good.
01:37 Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians
01:40 who kind of want to branch out into songwriting
01:42 and writing for other artists?
01:44 I think when you go into a room
01:47 and you're fresh in the songwriting, producing world
01:51 or going into sessions, no idea is a bad idea.
01:54 I feel like when I've worked with younger artists,
01:57 it's a little bit nervous or shy to say their ideas,
02:04 but I think no idea is a bad idea.
02:07 And even if that idea isn't the idea,
02:09 it might spring into another idea that then ends up being
02:14 what's on the record.
02:15 So I think I always like when I'm in the studio
02:19 and I've worked with other artists before,
02:21 encouraging them to play some instruments.
02:25 Because everyone, like a lot of musicians,
02:27 they can play a little bit, maybe just a few chords,
02:30 and I'm like, "Play your few chords."
02:33 Even if they have no experience at all?
02:35 Well, if you have a little bit of experience.
02:38 So I've worked with artists who are like,
02:40 "I can only play a few chords, I can't play guitar."
02:42 Or like, "I know a few chords, I'm sure I can't."
02:44 Like, "I can't really play."
02:45 But I think it doesn't matter if you can really play or not.
02:48 I think just you channeling the energy into an instrument
02:54 and just playing what you know, then can spark ideas.
02:59 I always think the shittier the prettier.
03:01 So you don't have to be the fucking best at everything.
03:07 Your skill set is your skill set,
03:10 and greatness can come from that.
03:13 I love that.
03:14 Yeah.
03:15 Is there a main difference between writing for an artist
03:17 and writing for yourself?
03:18 Do you have to pull inspiration from somewhere else
03:21 or be less personal when it comes to that?
03:24 I feel like when I've been in the rooms
03:29 or have other artists songwrite,
03:31 I want it to feel authentic to them.
03:33 So it's almost like a lot of talking.
03:36 Because it's like, I want to know their story
03:40 to write a song that they can sing on stage
03:43 and then they can connect to it,
03:45 because it's from their experience.
03:47 If I just write a song in the room and they're sitting there
03:50 about something I've been through,
03:52 then it's not going to be authentic.
03:54 And I've been in rooms where I've had top liners in the room
03:58 and they've just written a song and I'm sitting there like,
04:02 "I'm never going to sing this.
04:04 This is like totally not me."
04:06 So I think when you're top lining or helping another artist write a song,
04:13 then you have to learn about them and talk about your feelings
04:17 and relationships or what do they want to write a song about,
04:21 what do they inspire, and you just help bring it out of them.
04:24 You're just there to facilitate pulling the song out of them
04:28 rather than me writing a song and throwing it at you.
04:31 - You know what I mean? - Yeah, so proper collaboration.
04:33 - Yeah. - I love that.
04:35 You recently performed with Mike Shinoda
04:37 from Linkin Park and Fort Minor.
04:39 What was that like?
04:41 Yeah, I've been such a massive fan of Linkin Park and Fort Minor
04:45 my whole life growing up, and I met Mike a couple of years ago
04:50 and we just got along really well and we've worked in the studio
04:53 on some music together that's in my vault of tunes.
04:58 And yeah, he's just become a friend and I saw that he was in Australia
05:02 when I was doing my headline tour over there, so I just texted him
05:06 and I was like, "Do you happen to be around any of these dates?"
05:10 And then he was like, "Oh my God, I'm actually in Sydney that night
05:14 that you're playing." So then I was like, "Should we get on stage?"
05:17 And he was like, "Absolutely."
05:19 So yeah, I had an extended version of my song, The Worst Person Alive.
05:24 I sent him the extended version and then he was like,
05:28 "Oh, maybe I'll just rap one of my songs,
05:30 something the crowd knows, in the gap, in the extension part."
05:34 So then he pulled out In The End and then I joined him in the chorus
05:41 and just kind of made a fusion between The Worst Person Alive
05:45 and In The End by Linkin Park.
05:47 So that was a pretty surreal moment and really a crazy moment for me
05:53 because I was a kid trying to get to the front of the mosh
05:58 at Linkin Park shows.
06:00 So yeah, it's cool.
06:03 I'm so jealous. You saw Chester.
06:05 Yes, back in the day.
06:07 What's your favourite Linkin Park and Fort Minor song?
06:10 You have to spill it.
06:12 Ooh. But the Linkin Park album, Hybrid Theory,
06:17 that whole album was my... would just run that album.
06:22 So good.
06:23 That whole album. I think that's for everyone.
06:25 All the boys in my band are like, "Hybrid Theory, oh my God."
06:28 Good, so good.
06:29 You just mentioned that you wrote some music with him.
06:32 Yes.
06:33 Can you spill what does it sound like?
06:35 What does it sound like?
06:39 It's drum heavy.
06:40 I remember the first time I worked with Mike going absolute ham
06:44 on his drum kit.
06:46 And very few studios have drum kits, so I get really excited
06:50 when there's a drum kit in the studio.
06:53 I don't know, to me it sounds very Mike Shinoda-y across with me.
06:58 Like it does, you can hear the Mike Shinoda production vibe in it.
07:03 And then there's a few songs we did, and other songs are real trashy
07:07 with a bit of like a Dilla kind of suede drum beat.
07:13 [beatboxing]
07:18 Like that kind of slightly behind the beat swung hat groove,
07:24 but I put it on like a trashy.
07:26 And his drum set up is just so good.
07:29 His drums sound so good.
07:32 Straight away you record them, you get out of the booth,
07:35 go listen to it in the room, and it's like, "Dude, what have you done here?"
07:40 How does he sound so good?
07:42 Anyway, his drums sound so good.
07:44 What was he like as a collaborator, especially being a fan
07:47 and going from being a fan to a musician and working with him?
07:51 Yeah, he's just great.
07:53 He's just such a likeable, loving dude.
07:56 He's so cheery and happy and easygoing and fun.
08:03 He kind of reminds me of Aussies a little bit.
08:06 He's got a bit of chilled, laid-back Aussiness into him,
08:12 but at the same time he's really good at having direction
08:16 and knowing, "No, we should do this."
08:20 Sometimes when it comes to making a decision,
08:22 some people are a bit like, "Oh, you know, whatever."
08:25 But he's like, "No, no, we should go this way or that way,
08:28 or we should do this, or that should be the lyric,
08:30 or no, let's do this guitar part, or maybe this needs this."
08:35 So yeah, he's really super fun to record with.
08:39 It's cool, he's got a little basketball set up,
08:42 so then we can create and then shoot some hoops
08:45 and just talk about the song and what we think it needs and stuff.
08:50 Yeah, super dope.
08:53 So moving on to your album, 'Drummer'.
08:56 Congrats on your six ARIA nominations, insane.
08:59 I know it's a huge thing, especially being Australian.
09:02 You got nominated for Album of the Year and Best Live Act.
09:06 Again, insane.
09:08 Was there one nomination that really stood out to you
09:11 that means the most and makes you feel like,
09:14 "Damn, I did this"?
09:16 All of them I was pretty chuffed with.
09:18 There's a video of me watching the nominations
09:21 and I'm shocked and crying because I was hoping to get
09:25 maybe nominated for a few, but getting nominated for six
09:28 was a lot to take in.
09:30 I couldn't believe it.
09:31 I kind of still don't believe it's real.
09:33 But I think the one that I'm most excited to be nominated for
09:40 is probably the Best Live Act.
09:42 My band, we make our own show.
09:44 I don't have an MD that is sourced elsewhere that creates a show
09:48 than teaches us the show.
09:50 I come from a band background because I just played in bands my whole life.
09:55 I was a session drummer in just bands the majority of my life.
10:00 I only started singing not too long ago.
10:02 So to get Best Live Act was really cool and it means a lot to my band members.
10:09 They were crying, like I was crying, but they were crying.
10:12 To get nominated for that means so much to those boys
10:17 and I love them so much.
10:18 They're like my brothers.
10:20 Seeing them so happy, I really would love to win that ARIA
10:26 just to make their fucking life.
10:30 They would-- I'd be stoked with it, obviously,
10:34 but I'd be so much more stoked seeing them get that
10:38 because they deserve it and they work so hard
10:41 and we had so much fun building my show that we're currently touring at the moment.
10:46 We bunkered down in my house in LA and built this show together.
10:54 We'd film ourselves in the house and then we'd all watch it on the screen
10:58 in my house together.
10:59 We just wanted it to be the best show possible.
11:02 That's so amazing and cute.
11:04 Best Live Act, yeah.
11:06 Just to see the boys, if we won that, would just make my life so joyous.
11:13 Fingers crossed.
11:14 Fingers crossed.
11:15 Fan voted, so if you want to chuck a vote, that'd be cute.
11:18 Throw over those votes, fans, immediately.
11:21 You played every instrument on Drummer, insane.
11:25 What was the hardest thing to play?
11:27 Harmonica.
11:28 Really?
11:29 That's a hard instrument to play.
11:30 Oh my God.
11:31 Yeah, because you've got to get your blowing power in one direct little hole.
11:38 It's really like I haven't mastered it.
11:42 Luckily, harmonica has come in the key of the song,
11:44 so you can't really fuck up too much.
11:47 But I've got a song called Australia, which is the last song that I released,
11:51 and I wanted to make sure there was a little bit of that folky, Aussie folk vibe on it.
12:00 So I was like, we've got to have a harmonica on it.
12:02 So probably getting around that.
12:05 What's the biggest challenge about writing and producing
12:07 and kind of just working around editing yourself?
12:10 Is it going to be hard?
12:12 I don't like editing my vocals, so my co-producer, Aiden,
12:15 well, actually, no, I kind of, I'll let him do a take of comping,
12:20 and then I'll be like, oh no, that's fucked, oh no, we need to redo that.
12:25 But I don't know, editing myself, I feel like you just keep going to it.
12:29 You just keep going until you get the right take.
12:31 And you just keep working on the song until it feels right.
12:34 For me, I don't know, I have a sense when a song is finished or not finished,
12:38 and I'll keep attacking it until it feels right, and just keep trying things.
12:43 So a lot of this record was trying lots of things,
12:46 and then kind of being like, no, that isn't right.
12:50 Let's try different things.
12:52 Let's try, you know, a lot of the times I hear melodies,
12:56 I'll hear an instrumental line, but I'm not sure if it is a saxophone,
13:02 if it is a harmonica, if it's like that, so then we'll just try
13:05 all the different sonics and then go from there with what it is.
13:11 But I don't know, with me, I start a lot with drums.
13:14 Sitting at the piano, finding the key of the song first,
13:17 then because the album's drummer, then I'd sit at the drum kit,
13:19 work out what drum vibe I wanted, recording the drum vibe.
13:23 Aiden, who I co-produced a lot of the stuff with, he's like a bass guy,
13:27 so then we'd get the bass part down right, and then I feel like
13:31 as long as you've got a strong top line, then it's just kind of
13:33 dressing the present and building the song to make it what it is.
13:37 But a lot of it's trial and error.
13:39 It makes a lot of sense to kind of go off with the drumming and the bass
13:42 because that is the core rhythm of a song or of a band.
13:46 It's crazy because I feel like people always think it's kind of like,
13:49 oh, a guitar riff or a guitar line, but there should be a focus
13:53 on the drumming and the bass because it's what drives it.
13:56 Yeah, a lot of the songs, like, Didn't Mean To, I love the
14:01 Rosanna Toto, like, Picara shuffle, the...
14:04 So then I was like, I've got this song called Didn't Mean To
14:11 that's in that shuffle kind of groove world,
14:14 what do I want the drums to sound like?
14:16 I'm like, fuck, like, whenever I hear a shuffle song,
14:20 I'm like, fuck, they could have used the Picara shuffle in it.
14:23 Like, a song on my album called Baked happened from me sitting
14:26 at the drum kit and going...
14:28 Like, started from me just playing drums.
14:38 Like, the worst person alive, I wrote the verse and pre-chorus.
14:42 I didn't have a chorus yet, but I listened to a lot of Bruce Willis,
14:45 I listened to a lot of Bruce Springsteen growing up,
14:47 and the drum beat of Born To Run is so driving,
14:51 like...
14:52 It's like never-ending, it has this sense of urgency
14:57 and you wanting to run, and it's also a bit anthemic,
15:00 so when it came to that song, I knew I want that Bruce Springsteen
15:07 never-ending groove with the little touches of saxophone in it
15:10 and the glockenspiel that does a counter melody in the chorus.
15:14 There's certain elements of songs that were definitely inspired
15:18 by lots of drum grooves or music that I grew up listening to
15:22 that I listened to the production and then I'm like,
15:25 oh, I love the vibe of that, and I love this.
15:28 So cool.
15:29 So I definitely implemented that with the album.
15:32 I love it.
15:33 Yeah, so let's talk about the track Be Your Man.
15:36 Yeah.
15:37 You wrote that about your amazing wife.
15:39 Yes.
15:40 What was the process like writing about, well, writing that song?
15:43 Is it different to just writing any other song that was on the album,
15:46 especially since there's meaning to it?
15:49 And I read that she liked a different song that was about
15:53 somebody completely else, so having that song dedicated to her,
15:57 just that process, what was it like?
15:59 A lot of Chrishell's favourite songs are the songs that are written
16:01 about ex-partners, but she's like, it's a good song,
16:05 and I'm like, thanks, baby.
16:07 But when you're a songwriter and you're in a relationship,
16:12 a healthy relationship, songwriting comes from places of heartbreak
16:19 and struggle and stuff, so I've just got so many songs in my vault
16:24 that are written from different periods of time.
16:27 So I feel like when I write the next record,
16:30 there's probably going to be a chorus that I wrote four years ago
16:34 about someone else that's just dope that I'll probably use again.
16:38 Anyway, when it came to Be Your Man, I really wanted a song in 6/8
16:42 on the record.
16:43 I wanted to experiment with different time signatures
16:47 for the record and tempos, and I really wanted a 6/8 song,
16:50 so that was on my hit list.
16:53 When I was on the K-Flay tour, I was up late after the show buzzing
16:58 and I made a little voice memo that I beatboxed.
17:02 I do a lot of voice memo songwriting, so I beatbox and sing,
17:06 and I sang into my phone, "If you think that you're boom,
17:15 you ain't boom, boom, boom."
17:20 So I sing the melody and beatbox a little drum beat.
17:24 So I had the lyrics and this 6/8 drum groove in my arsenal,
17:31 and then a friend of mine who's a songwriter, Jesse Thomas,
17:36 said, "I've got this song idea, Be Your Man,
17:40 the chorus is something like this,
17:44 'I understand, da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na'."
17:48 And I was like, "Oh my God, that's in 6/8.
17:52 I've got this verse idea," and it was just so meant to be.
17:57 - So meant to be. - I know.
17:59 And then we just worked on the--
18:02 sat with the guitar on the floor and then we just worked through
18:05 the chorus melody and the chorus lyrics,
18:07 and then went through my little voice memo and,
18:10 "If you think that you're happy, it ain't you,"
18:12 and went through my whole verse, and it was literally just so meant to be.
18:18 - I love that. - And then we just sat on the floor
18:21 and wrote this dope fucking song.
18:23 And then that was kind of just a guitar version,
18:27 and that's the version that I showed Chrishell.
18:30 And I showed her in a pile of songs, because I was writing a lot at that moment.
18:34 I showed her in five songs, and that was the third or fourth song.
18:38 But I didn't want to be like, "Baby, this song's about you."
18:42 And then as soon as she heard it, her ears picked up.
18:46 She's like, "This is my favourite of the bunch so far."
18:49 And I was like, "It's about you, honey."
18:51 And then she was like, "Oh my God, no it's not."
18:53 And I'm like, "Yeah, it is. It fully is."
18:55 And then I just worked on fleshing out all the instrumental parts
19:00 and recording the drums and recording the guitar parts
19:04 and a little guitar solo and the whole kind of vibe.
19:08 And then it came together to the more finished version.
19:12 But it was super fun.
19:14 Speaking about the guitar solo, that was your first big solo in a song,
19:17 if I'm not mistaken.
19:18 What was that like, playing, just shredding the guitar?
19:21 Just going off?
19:22 Honestly, on stage, it's my most nervous point of the show
19:27 because I'm not - I'm real seasoned at playing drums.
19:32 I've done so many hours on stage in past bands
19:36 and playing in bands for my whole life.
19:40 So I'm not nervous on drums.
19:42 And if I fuck up on drums, it's like,
19:44 "Oh, I can really easily just get back to it
19:47 because I've just done my hours."
19:50 But rocking a guitar solo on stage, I haven't done my hours.
19:54 I've never done - I've played in bands where I've played rhythm guitar and stuff.
19:59 Just like chords.
20:01 Yeah, just chords stuff.
20:03 In studying music, I've got on the guitar and done chords stuff.
20:08 Even when I play live, I play songs on guitar.
20:12 It's very easy for me. I'm seasoned at that.
20:14 I used to do wedding gigs where I used to play guitar and sing.
20:16 Iconic.
20:18 But ripping a guitar solo is my most nervous part of my show
20:24 because I'm like, "I haven't done my hours at it."
20:27 And the first few shows, I'd fuck up a little bit
20:30 because in my head, the anxiety in my head is like,
20:33 "You're not a fucking guitarist. Why are you doing this?"
20:36 And then I just had to get over that a few times.
20:39 Now I'm a bit more confident.
20:42 But I always wanted, in my show, the iterations of building my show,
20:46 I wanted there to be progression.
20:48 And I feel like as a musician, artist, every show you have,
20:52 you want to keep growing.
20:54 You don't want it to just be the same show that people come to
20:57 and they're like, "Oh, you do the same things."
20:59 I want to try to grow as a musician.
21:02 So I want to have a piano moment that I've been working on
21:05 and have a guitar solo and work on that so the audience is like,
21:09 "What is G going to do this time?"
21:12 So yeah, I do a cheeky guitar solo.
21:15 In my head, I'm like, "You can do this. Come on. You've got this."
21:20 - You got it. - But yeah, so that's fun.
21:23 And you get to shred it every night for the next couple of weeks.
21:26 - I shred it every night. - Which counts towards your hours.
21:29 Yes, I know. It counts towards my hours.
21:31 So moving on to a different song, a song called Kevin.
21:34 Yes.
21:36 That must have been really satisfying to record
21:38 just because it's about trolls DMing you and just being horrible
21:42 and being ignorant.
21:44 Do you get DMs like that after releasing the song?
21:47 Oh, yeah. 100%.
21:50 - You get crazy DMs. - Nothing has changed, sadly.
21:53 Some of them are just so crazy that it's funny.
21:56 Like the DM that inspired Kevin was like the language was like,
22:04 "You were meant to marry a man and you were meant to be up there
22:10 wearing a dress on your wedding day."
22:12 And just so many things, it was like, "Oh, my God.
22:15 I can't believe there's people like this."
22:16 But it was almost comical. It was like, "Wow."
22:19 And they were like, "You know, you're sinning and you're a woman.
22:26 You're not non-binary. You have a vagina."
22:29 Everyone just like... All of the things in one DM,
22:32 it was just like, "Oh, wow."
22:34 - They had the time. - They had the time.
22:36 And I really made them extremely angry.
22:38 They were really affected more than just a day, maybe weeks.
22:43 Maybe they're probably still angry.
22:45 You know what? You came out on top because you have a great song in your album.
22:49 Yeah. Kevin and like that one was fun to make.
22:51 That was made in like literally a day.
22:53 I think that was like a few hours.
22:56 Me and Dan Farber.
23:00 Obviously like a break beat, like, you know, that kind of...
23:06 If you beef up the tempo on the drum beat of that song,
23:10 it's kind of like prodigy pendulum.
23:13 - Like... - So good.
23:15 (beatboxing)
23:19 It's that whole fast drum and bass kind of beat.
23:22 Obviously we've turned the tempo down a bit, but it's still like...
23:25 (beatboxing)
23:31 It's still that drum and bass kind of vibe drum beat,
23:35 which obviously I talk about this, like all the songs on the drummer album,
23:39 I can talk about it from a drum perspective because it's a drummer album.
23:43 But it's cool to listen to because as you just mentioned,
23:46 like give prodigy vibes, where like this other song has a different vibe.
23:49 - Yeah. - And you're on six eights.
23:51 So it's like cool to understand that and hear that.
23:53 Because you're not... And you mentioned this before,
23:55 usually pop albums aren't so drum focused.
23:57 So like having this new perspective and just hearing that, it's great.
24:01 Yeah. I think it just... I'm just a drummer.
24:03 So I wanted all my pop songs to...
24:06 Like the drums were intentional on every song.
24:09 And that song, like just with the like heavy bass synth kind of vibe
24:15 and yeah, I got some patches up on Arcade and was just like...
24:22 (beatboxing)
24:24 Hitting stuff, baked and Kevin were made in the same day, on that day.
24:28 So they kind of paired together, the drum tone.
24:31 I tried to recreate the drum tone of Kevin and Baked in a proper studio.
24:36 And then I just hated it.
24:38 I love the lo-fi like shitty recording of like my drums that were not tuned,
24:43 just set up in a studio that wasn't treated, that just had like three mics over it.
24:47 So I like that tone. It's a bit grittier.
24:51 So yeah, it was dope.
24:53 Love to hear it.
24:55 Weirdest DM you've gotten since releasing Kevin and...
25:00 I get so many fucking weird DMs.
25:03 Like weird as fuck. So many people send me voice memos.
25:07 And cheers.
25:08 And videos of them like drunk about to go to bed at night.
25:12 And they're like, "Gee, I just wanted to say like fucking..."
25:16 I love getting DMs when men hit on me.
25:19 I just think that is so hilarious.
25:21 Like read the room.
25:24 Quite literally.
25:25 Like when I get DMs, it's like a guy and it's like, "You're just really sexy" or something.
25:31 And they're like, "Would love to..."
25:33 And I'm just like, "What the fuck?"
25:36 Like either you're trying to get cash out of me or something like, you know, you're...
25:40 I don't know.
25:41 Like some weird...
25:44 Obviously I'm not straight and I've got a wife.
25:48 I don't know. I just find those ones hilarious.
25:51 Your headlining Atlanta Pride Fest next week.
25:55 Oh yeah.
25:56 Yeah. Congratulations. It's going to be great.
25:59 How does it feel to be able to celebrate the LGBTQA+ community?
26:04 Oh, well that's my community, you know.
26:08 That's my peeps.
26:09 They're my people.
26:12 It feels so good to celebrate it, you know.
26:14 I feel like it's really great that now we're in an age where there's still a lot of progress that needs to be done.
26:24 But we're at a stage where we can have a pride and really celebrate.
26:28 And people are all there with their flags and their kids.
26:31 And people are coming together where years ago that wouldn't have been possible.
26:35 So it's so great that now there's such a community and these events are being put on.
26:41 So I'm so stoked to be playing Atlanta Pride.
26:44 And I've done a few pride shows across the states over the years.
26:47 And they're always just the best fun.
26:50 I always have so much fun and the energy is great.
26:53 And I love seeing queer parents or allies bring their kids to expose them to such a great, beautiful party.
27:03 So yeah, there's so much love.
27:06 And people really go for it.
27:09 People really sing "Gay For Me" really loud at Pride.
27:12 People really go for "Gay For Me" and "Be Your Man."
27:15 People sing it like it's their last breath on earth.
27:18 It's really cute and great.
27:20 And I'm very fortunate and lucky to get to play.
27:23 So as a queer non-binary drumming lead singer, you've become the role model that you've always wanted.
27:30 When did you realize that, like, shit, growing up I didn't have this.
27:36 And now I get to be that for people.
27:39 Yeah, I think it hasn't really sunk in just yet.
27:42 I think I've still got a long way to go.
27:44 I definitely strive to be the idol I never had.
27:48 And the few times I've seen glimpses of it has been really emotional for me.
27:53 I did meet and greets across Australia.
27:56 And I met, like, just so many kids who were dressing like me and, you know, were dealing with their gender identity.
28:07 And, like, I just met so many, like, amazing, like, youth that were looking up to me and told me, like, that they look up to me.
28:17 And, you know, a lot of fans, they send me videos of their kids, like, watching a TV screen of, like, me playing drums.
28:23 And they've got little sticks and it's so cute.
28:26 Or there was this little kid named Amelia Stone that I played Pride in Oklahoma.
28:32 And, you know, Amelia's just front row, dressed exactly like me.
28:37 And I brought them up on stage and, like, got everyone to chant Amelia.
28:41 And, like, then I played in Dallas and Amelia's front row again.
28:45 And I remembered Amelia and, like, was like, Amelia, you're back.
28:48 And, like, and Amelia's just, like, dressed exactly like me, like, stuff like that.
28:51 It's, like, wow. And it makes me cry.
28:53 Like, I cried on stage both of those shows.
28:56 It's really emotional.
28:58 Yeah. So, I guess the final emotional question is kind of you looked up to your drumming teacher, Jenny, growing up.
29:07 And, you know, sadly, she passed away.
29:10 What do you think she would think of Drummer and, like, your ARIA nominations and the fact that you get to be fully 100% yourself
29:17 and kind of be able to just be like, this is me, this is what I have.
29:22 Yeah. And especially, like, that somebody who you looked up to is just, like, no longer with the family.
29:28 What do you think she would have thought about you now?
29:31 Oh, my God. It brings a tear to my eye. It's going to make me cry.
29:33 We can cry together.
29:34 Yeah. Like, she'd be so stoked.
29:36 And I think her brother came to one of my shows in Australia and, like, he kind of confirmed that to me.
29:43 And I was like, Jenny would be so stoked with this. And he gave me her last pair of sticks, which is really cool as well.
29:51 So, yeah, she was like my idol and taught me everything.
29:56 And I dedicated the whole album to her. And she's like 100% the reason.
30:00 Oh, my God. I'm going to cry.
30:03 Yeah. She's 100%. And it's like teachers really can change your life.
30:08 Yeah.
30:09 You know, a teacher, when your brain is forming in your adolescence and you're working out what you want to do in your dreams,
30:16 and, like, you have so much hope as a kid, and if you're in the right environment, you really can believe you can do anything.
30:22 And for me, I was just so lucky to have such an amazing role model that, like, took me under her wing and, like, told me, like, you can do this as a career.
30:33 And all her dreams became my dreams.
30:35 And she did a tour of America, and she was in a band that toured Australia or did shows in, like, LA.
30:42 And I thought that was the coolest thing. And, like, I wanted â and she did backing vocals for her band.
30:48 So then I was like, I need to learn how to sing. And, like, I wanted to do everything she did.
30:53 So, you know, although she's passed, like, I have a moment every show where I look up and I'm like, ah, Jenny's got me.
31:00 Like, she's, like, a bit of, like, my guardian angel that's, like, helped me my whole life.
31:05 We were both going to cry. I'm like, I've got contacts in.
31:09 I don't know if they'll fall out.
31:13 So I dedicated the whole album, and I mentioned her in the song Made For You, which is a song that's dedicated to my drum â like, to drums.
31:22 Like, it sounds like it's a toxic relationship, but it's to my drums.
31:26 And, like, I mentioned Jenny in the lyrics, and, like, she's tatted on my neck. So, yeah.
31:32 She's always with you.
31:33 Yeah.
31:34 And it's amazing to, you know, be able to just kind of live out your dream.
31:37 And even though she's not here, like, she's with you every step of the way.
31:40 Oh, yeah, because she basically moulded me.
31:43 Like â
31:44 Legend. We love Jenny.
31:45 I'm like a little version of her.
31:47 Yeah.
31:48 And, like, a lot of the grooves and stuff on the album were, like, I remember her teaching me them.
31:54 Like, I wrote a list of â and then put them in all the songs.
31:57 I'm so sorry. Like, we got so emotional.
32:00 No, if we â it's every interview, if we talk about Jenny, I cry.
32:04 No, it's okay.
32:05 It's like â
32:06 I'm one of those people who cries if somebody cries, but I'm like, I have contacts, and I'm genuinely blind, so, like, please.
32:12 Like, tears go away.
32:13 No, yeah.
32:14 It's lovely. It's amazing to be able to live your dreams and know that you, like, are accomplishing it with somebody who's not here but always here in spirit.
32:22 Yeah.
32:23 For sure.
32:24 Yeah.
32:25 Thank you so much.
32:27 Thank you so much for being vulnerable and open with us.
32:30 Oh, no. No worries.
32:31 It's been amazing.
32:33 Thank you so much for having me.
32:35 Yeah.
32:36 Yay!
32:37 (upbeat music)
32:39 (upbeat music)