In Conversation with Kirrilee

Conducted by Bethany M

Who or what inspired you to start pursuing music further?

I would probably say there's been a lot of inspiration over the years. Definitely James Blake, right from the start. He was a big inspiration for me when I was a lot younger. Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, all of them. I feel like I continuously get inspired all the time by different people.

If you had a set songwriting process, what would that usually look like?

I usually write things down whenever I have an idea. I tend to have ideas on the fly, like I'll be in the shower or going for a walk or something, and I'll just come up with an idea. I always have a notes app on my phone or something I can write ideas down on. Whenever I have a songwriting session next, or whenever I'm really feeling it, I'll sit down and go through my notes app and kind of figure out which idea feels right or which one is speaking to me that day. Usually, when one sticks out to me, it means I can write it a lot better as well, because I'm feeling that thing at the moment.

What's one of the most surprising things that you've learned about yourself through songwriting or releasing music?

I think I learned with the EP that I'm currently releasing that songwriting is such a strong and therapeutic thing for me. It was something that took me a second to realize, because at first I was just having fun. I was making fun little songs about asking my boyfriend out and things inspired by my favorite TV shows and stuff. This second EP has really made me realize that I can take situations that have happened to me or that I've witnessed and put them into songs and reenact them. Ever since I realized that about myself, and realized that it was something I was able to do, it was like I just kind of hit the ground running.

What do you want your fans to take away from your song "Janelle," which came out on Jan 9th?

I think loyalty, and I just want to kind of put my truth out there. I think speaking your truth is really important, and this felt like a good way to do it for me. I also think speaking up when the time is right is a really important thing, and I'd love my fans to know that too.

Do you face any challenges as a smaller singer-songwriter, and how have you overcome them?

I definitely think having enough time for everything is really hard, because I have a job as well. I spend a lot of my time at work, and then I get home and I'm really tired, but I still have to write emails and make sure my songs are doing okay. I love the process, though. I'm very lucky for that, but it does have its challenges on days when I'm especially tired from work. You just have to push through.

What has been your favorite part about being a small artist?

I've said this so many times because I absolutely love this about being an artist, I have a lot of different creative outlets. I've just always been that way. What I love about being a musician is that I can take all of these different creative outlets and merge them together. For example, for "Janelle," I painted the cover for the song because painting is something I like to do in my spare time. I've also been a dancer since I was three, and I get to dance around on stage. It's all these different creative outlets that I can bring together and build into one thing.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

Absolutely James Blake. He's one of my favorite producers and one of my favorite artists. He's been a favorite of mine since "Retrograde," which was one of his really big singles and where I first found him. I've loved basically everything he's put out since then. It would be an absolute dream to work with him because I think he's such an incredible artist. He makes the most interesting music, and it's so beautiful. I would absolutely love to work with him.

What are some of your goals within the next few years?

There are a few radio stations that I'm crossing my fingers for. I would love to do a festival, and I would love to go on tour. There are definitely places, even just around Australia, that I'd really love to visit. I've been dreaming about touring ever since I became a musician. I just love the idea of being able to travel around and do something that I really love. I'd also love to do more music videos because I love film and acting, and I'd love to get more into those. Overall, I'd love to just continue doing what I'm doing, because it's so much fun and I'm really enjoying it.

If you had a piece of advice for either your younger self or someone who wants to start pursuing music, what would it be and why?

I would say to just give it a go. When I was younger, I was really afraid of judgment, and I talked myself into believing that I wasn't good enough to pursue a music career. Once I overcame that, that was when I really kind of blossomed, not only as a creative person, but also as a person. I would honestly say to just do it. Don't worry if it's not absolutely 100% perfect. If you're doing things on a small budget, that's okay. You can just keep going as long as you're happy with what you're putting out.