Mallrat
Groovin the Moo 2018’s line up dropped on January 31, and we caught up with one of the national touring artists, Mallrat, while she was hanging at the airport en route to her native Brisbane.
Mallrat’s latest single Better debuted to great response in October 2017, with the prestigious New York Times dubbing it “ingenious” and other critics calling it “magic”. It’s a taste of what’s to come when Mallrat releases the full EP this year. And it’s impressive cred given that the 19-year-old was only 16, nearing the end of Year 11 at Clayfield College in Brisbane, when she decided music may be a career option and began playing around on the internet to test her creativity.
Her gentle rap-singing gives off Lily Allen-vibes, with a pretty, quirky, lightness to her voice. Her lyrics are what you could describe as suburban, throwing out references for Queenslanders and everyday people. And her tunes are outrageously catchy.
We caught up Mallrat, known to family as Grace Shaw, ahead of her 2018 Groovin the Moo performance.
For those who aren’t familiar with your music, what’s your style?
I like to write about people, and things that we’re too scared to talk about, I like pop music, hip hop, electronic and rock, so my music’s a bit of an amalgamation of those.
Many of your songs make me feel nostalgic, through the sound and the clips you use.
That’s such a nice compliment. I feel like nostalgia is the best feeling because it’s happy and sad at the same time. When I’m writing, I don’t necessarily write about themes on purpose but I do try to make it have a feeling, and my favourite feeling is happy and sad at the same time.
How did you decide music was a career option?
I realised I didn’t want to go to university, so I was looking for something else to do that would be productive. I went to an Allday concert, and I had a weird feeling that music is something I should do.
How did you actually get started?
I made little beats on GarageBand, and recorded me into my computer. Then I sent it to a producer on Facebook called Tigerilla. He saw some potential in it, and sent me a beat. The hardest thing was actually starting, and figuring out how to do it. From there, it’s been really, surprisingly, smooth sailing. It’s been very natural, very positive, everything’s happened really quickly.
Where did the inspiration for your new EP come from?
Pretty much listening to every Kanye album. Lana del Rey as well, you’ll probably feel a little bit of Lana del Rey.
You performed at Groovin the Moo Townsville last year, how was that?
All the artists got to go to Magnetic Island the next day, it was so fun!
You’re coming back for 2018, as a national touring artist this year.
I’m so looking forward to it.
What would be your ultimate gig?
Working with Kanye.
What else is happening in 2018?
I’m doing South by Southwest (SXSW Music Festival) in US, and some shows in America, putting my second EP.
Tell us something your fans may not know about you?
I discovered a new species of spider, when I was like four! I found it, showed my dad, and he was like ‘that’s a weird looking spider; let’s take it to the museum’.
Most dads would have just killed it!
I know, right!
Groovin the Moo 2018 will kick off in April and land in Townsville Sunday 6 May. For the full line up, visit gtm.net.au
