A QUICK CHAT WITH KHAOS EMRLD

What does ‘getting better’ mean to you as a song?

It’s a reminder that healing is never really linear, and that a relapse every now and then is to be expected. It’s also a reminder that you can only get better by putting in the effort and changing your habits so that you can actually get the results you want in life. It’s taken me long enough to realise that, it might take a few more bumps along the way. 

How was the process of writing and recording the song?

It came to me in such a blitz one day after I’d spent the morning with friends unable to shake a negative mindset. I had been listening to a lot of hyperpop at the time, having shifted from a grunge-dominated music library. So I wanted to try and keep the angst of all my previous music, while saturating it in pop and electronic elements. I then took the demo to Lachlan Cronin and Josh Clarke since I trusted their input for my artistic direction, and they helped refine the track and made it what it is now. 

The video for ‘getting better’ has such a great DIY aesthetic, talk us through how it was made?

I wanted to keep this as DIY as possible and filmed the entire thing on my iPhone 13. My partner Gabs helped me film it throughout March and put up with my minor anxiety attacks of being alone in front of a camera, performing the song in both public and private settings, and my dear friend Sarah helped finish it off on an uncomfortable 36°C morning. After I filmed all the footage, I suddenly realised I, a) did not have the right time management skills to edit this, and b) couldn’t do it any justice anyway. So I recruited Max from Besties to edit the clip, and he absolutely understood the assignment. I hope to collaborate on many more videos with him down the line. 

Who are some of your influences for KHAOS EMRLD?

The biggest ones right now are definitely 100 gecs, daine and Hearteyes. A mixture of maximised distortion, hard tuned vocals and synths, and some brief moments of solidarity. Mainly the grungier side of hyperpop. Other subtle influences include Wave Racer and underscores.

How do you think life would be for you if music wasn’t an available outlet?

Music has given me so much throughout my life. It’s connected me with my group of friends that I’m lucky enough to call a chosen family. It’s taken me across the country, given me fantastic life experiences, and introduced me to countless important people. I can’t stress the importance of art enough, it keeps us from going insane and gives us so many reasons to live the way that we do. It’s so fulfilling. Life without music as an outlet would hardly be enjoyable at all. 

What’s your advice to young artists who are also gearing up for a debut release?

Be patient with it all. Trust the people you work with and trust yourself to make the right decisions. Also make sure to have fun with it and celebrate your wins. Releasing your own music is a big achievement. Most people never even get to do that in their lives. So remember to give yourself credit where its due, and not to beat yourself up too much if things don’t go to plan. It’s only the start of the journey. You get to try again and again and again. That’s the beauty of it. 

How do you plan to spend the rest of 2023?

Annoying everyone about my new music, pestering people to let me play shows again or feature on songs in the studio or on stage, releasing more music, making more content, celebrating my peers’ music and celebrating life. I spent too long not being an artist, it’s nice to do it again.