Finding his voice as an artist, flowerkid has opened a new chapter with the release of his introspective and deeply vulnerable debut EP ‘everyone has a breaking point’ (out now). The Sydney based singer-songwriter is creating music that will comfort so many trans and queer identifying people who have felt repressed and misrepresented in media for so long.
Vulnerably sharing his experience, this EP isn’t the “easiest” of listening. Instead it’s a thought provoking body of work that will see you empathising through the hardships, and relating to some of the dark thoughts he details. His songwriting is vividly charged, and will have you immediately transported to sitting at the party watching ‘vodka orange juice’ unfold in front of you. This is a very important and must listen EP that will pave the way for so many more artists to authentically reveal their truth.
I recently chatted to flowerkid about vulnerable and confessional foundations behind their debut EP ‘everyone has a breaking point’, discussed the importance of trans representation in music, and explored the creative processes behind songs like ‘i met the devil at 4 years old’ and ‘why bother’. Check it out BELOW;
THOMAS BLEACH: Your debut EP ‘everyone has a breaking point’ is a very vulnerable and confessional themed body of work that hears you baring your heart and soul to the listener. What would you say is the most surprising thing people are going to hear or get to know about you when they listen to it for the first time from start to finish?
FLOWERKID: I think what might shock people is the change my voice underwent, and the genres I explored in the EP. My voice started changing only mid last year from my testosterone injections, and is still changing everyday. As I was constantly changing and evolving I wanted my music to reflect that, so I challenged myself and tried out elements from different genres. I’ve come to find that I will never sit in one genre or “box”, and nobody has to.
TB: When you were piecing together the track listing, was there a particular journey you wanted to highlight thematically with the order the listeners take in each track?
F: With each track, I wanted to give my listeners a glimpse into my mind. I wanted to travel throughout time and explore all the past experiences that have had an impact on me and continue to have an impact on me. I feel like when you listen to them all you get a really clear image of who flowerkid is and why. I think having that helps people to understand me and hopefully themselves just a bit more.
TB: ‘i met the devil at 4 years old’ is an honest reflection on your relationship with religion, and it’s a track that is going to speak quite deeply with a lot of queer people. Can you explain the creative process behind this track as there is quite a distinct contrast of emotion with a dark and pulsating production?
F: I needed the songs production to reflect what happened to me. I needed it to sound gritty and dark because thats unfortunately what happened to me; something dark and gritty. I didn’t want to take the matter too lightly, so I wanted to go as far away from that as possible. The creative process began one bad mental health day when I felt so alone causing me to reflect on my childhood. I remembered that distinct feeling of having nothing to fall back on, while those people around me had faith to pull them through. I had nothing because what happened to me made me lose my faith.
TB: ‘why bother’ is a minimalist moment that hears you questioning “why do I even bother? I’m acting like I’m nothing without ya”. When you hear that lyric back now, where are you taken mentally and physically?
F: At that stage of my life when I was composing the song, I was seeking validation from others and basing my worth on how others saw me. A great quote that takes me back is “we accept the love we think we deserve” from Perks Of Being A Wallflower because I found myself allowing people to have authority over my worth. If they saw me as scum, it was ok for them to treat me like such. Sometimes I still find myself in that headspace, but this song is a good reminder of where I never want to be again.
TB: ‘vodka orange juice’ is a very important track about your struggles with body dysphoria and transphobia. How has it been so intimately sharing your journey through this song and seeing it globally impact and help so many people already?
F: i feel very fulfilled and grateful. I wish i had a song like this when I was coming out and coming to terms with being trans. It would’ve made such a difference. Knowing other people have gone through those very emotions makes it so much easier to handle because you feel less alone in an isolating situation.
TB: Representation is more important than ever before, so who are some trans and queer creatives that you think we should be getting acquainted with right now?
F: Nick Ward! he worked on some of the production for ‘vodka orange juice’ and his music is next level. I recommend his new song ‘Princess’! also MAY-A Cumming, her song ‘Apricots’ is a bop bop bop.
TB: Looking back on the creative process of this EP, what song went through the most alternate versions to get it to where it is now?
F: ‘Miss-Andry’ took like 10 mixes before getting it right.
TB: When you look back at the release of your debut single ‘Late Night Therapy’ compared to where you are at now, what would you say is the biggest thing you’ve learnt throughout this journey?
F: Imperfection is perfection, and vice versa. Imperfections or mistakes just makes music sound a lot more human and relatable. If I’m just focused on perfection it would make music making a way more strenuous experience.
TB: The artwork for the EP has this dark undertone to it contrasted with a pastel palette. What was your main inspiration and intention for the artwork?
F: The artist did an amazing job. I loved the nod to the trans flag with its pink and blue colours.
TB: Let’s play a quick game of rapid fire questions about the EP, are you ready?
F: Oui!
TB: The emoji that best describes ‘everyone has a breaking point’ is…
F: The crying emoji.
TB: The song that nearly didn’t make the EP was…
F: ‘take two’.
TB: The lyric on the EP that makes me want to cry every time I hear it is…
F: “Still I look in the mirror and another looks back, she says the girls want a real boy”.
TB: The song I’m most excited to perform live is…
F: “It’s Happening Again”.
TB: The song from the EP that you should play for your friends first if they’ve never heard of me before would be…
F: “It’s Happening Again” or “Vodka Orange Juice”.
‘everyone has a breaking point’ is out now!