Congratulations on your new single Utensil! Can you tell us a bit about how it came about?

Thank you! Utensil is about the learning to love mystery, and to seek it out as an antidote to suffering. Being a person can often feel like being stuck between states, and Utensil gestures to these places, through images in the lyrics (throwing goblets into the air, touching the fur of an animal). Each chorus insists on returning to acceptance, with the refrain ‘kill the/part of/you that says/this has to make sense’.

You filmed the video around Melbourne, specifically at places like The Nicholas Building and Abbotsford Convent - why did you choose these locations?

The director of the video, Ollie Cox (who also plays drums on the song) and I wanted to make something that nodded to Melbourne in a subtle way. The Nicholas building is so striking and the Abbotsford Convent’s sweeping grounds and gothic facades always feel unusual and rich with presence. I like the way they are both different to any other buildings we have here, but have become so familiar to us.

We couldn’t help but notice the little bursts of colour and fun gestures in the video too! What story did you want to tell with these?
Ollie and I wanted to capture cute everyday movements but delivered them a solemnity that balanced the energy out. Ollie is my inspiration for most things, and I dedicate this song to him :) Whenever we are out, he will inexplicably stop to photograph odd things, like streamers in the gutter, or cracked glass or an abandoned single red sock. He does it without explaining himself, or why he is drawn to it. He just says ‘wow, look at that’. I learn a lot from my friendship with him, and am grateful to have his expression embedded in the visuals and recording of this song.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process? What inspires you?
I am very inspired by being in large groups of people in public space, repetition, community radio textlines, simplicity, boiling things down to what they really are, 5pm-7pm, laughing with my friends. I don’t have any routine but I think I’m trying to reflect beauty and translate pain into something that can be helpful.

Who’s an artist or author you can’t get enough of recently?
This year I’ve been reading Helen Garner’s diaries and I love to devour her clean, direct writing. I love ‘Devotion’ by Patti Smith, especially where she says ‘What is the task? To compose a work that communicates on several levels, as a parable, devoid of the stain of cleverness.’ I also love Sigh Swoon’s patreon podcasts who have taught me a lot about surrender and sexiness and zooming out.

What’s next for you in 2024?

I’m launching this single with a hometown show in Melbourne at the Old Bar on August 15th. I’m lucky to be playing with my angel band (Ollie Cox and Theo Carbo) and Cold Hands Warm Heart are supporting who are really beautiful. The week after I’m going on tour opening for Angie McMahon in her run of shows in the UK/EU starting in Glasgow, the city where the McKittricks come from :) thank you for interviewing me Aus Music Scene :)

TOUR DATES

Thur 15 Aug - The Old Bar - Naarm/Melbourne | Tickets

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A Quick Chat with Hannah McKittrick