This might be your last chance to become acquainted with indie-pop talent Hauskey before he blows up big time. Hauskey has been doing some exciting things this year - making his presence known across the Australian music scene. He scored a deserving place in the BIGSOUND50 and performed on Triple J Like A Version (Killers fans, this one’s for you). To top things off, Hauskey is opening for Aussie music icon Vera Blue at the Sydney Coliseum on Saturday 14 November.
Hauskey’s debut single ‘Slow’, released in February 2020, now has a whopping 1.3 million Spotify streams. One listen and you’ll understand exactly why. I had to pause this song and rewind on my first listen as Hauskey recited the story of my life. He followed this up with the release of ‘Somewhere’ last month, paired with an other-wordly music video. Hauskey fuses indie, pop and rnb influences to create a unique sound accompanied by his witty and raw lyricism. We were extremely excited at the opportunity to pick his brain.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, how did you get started making music?
"I have my Mum to thank for that; she booked my first piano lesson when I was 3, and when was 10 I found my Dad’s old guitar under his bed and fell in love with it pretty quickly."
Who are your greatest music influences?
"There’s too many, but the big ones are D’Angelo, Mac Miller, Erykah Badu, Tame Impala, John Mayer and Jeff Buckley."
How do you think quarantine has impacted your song writing? Has it made for more inspiration?
"Songwriting is just a reflection of life, and as long as you’re open to what’s happening to you, to others, and to the world, there are always stories to write about. Even more so when things are tough; comfort doesn’t usually make for super interesting art, so I think 2020 and the years ahead are going to result in some amazing music. I’m feeling inspired."
As a certified over thinker, your lyrics are extremely relatable. What kind of feedback have you received from listeners?
"It’s easily the best part about releasing music; hearing from complete strangers on the other side of the world, who saw themselves in your lyrics. Had a lot of listeners reach out about how my lyrics have helped their mental health, and that’s super special."
You played your first ever show on Sunday at The Vanguard, how was that experience?
"The show was originally booked for March, but we had to cancel for obvious reasons, so it’s been a long time coming! Was amazing to be on stage again. My current solo setup is very one-man-band, which is crazy fun, as I’m jumping in between instruments a lot. Can’t wait to do it again soon!"
You have a background in hip-hop, how did you transition from that into the music you make now?
"I’ve always tried to combine my favourite parts of hiphop & rnb, with more traditional “pop songwriting”. It’s been pretty organic; I’m not cool enough for the hiphop or pop worlds, so I just sort of take what I love about the music those worlds make and try to make something I like."
You recently released an awesome music video for ‘Somewhere’. How was your experience creating that?
"Exhausting. Was a long day of running non-stop through sand dunes and lying face-down in breaking waves, but I love super immersive clips, so had a lot of fun. We wanted to create the feeling of being on another planet, with this almost Wes-Anderson-esque alien character, searching for his ‘Somewhere’."
You’re an incredibly talented writer, vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Do you love having this level of creative control or can it get overwhelming?
"I love the control. There’s so much to learn about music, so it’s constantly fascinating and you always feel like a bit of an amateur. I never want to lose that. I don’t feel talented, I only ever see the stuff I’m bad at and focus on improving that. There’s a healthy way to compare yourself, and I think that’s important to keeping things fresh and keeping your ego in check. We’re all just students."
What’s next for Hauskey?
"So much music to come, starting with an EP on Nov 19th! Cannot wait. "
Hauskey has plenty of great content for you to catch up on- keep up to date with his socials so you don't miss a thing. We can't wait for his new EP coming out 19 November.
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