You know how people talk wonderfully fast when they’re passionate about something, and have this contagious excitement that makes you feel just as pumped up as they are? That’s what it’s like when you speak to Daniel Kirkland about his music. Daniel is a young musician from Canberra who’s been making a name for himself on the Canberra, and Australian, music scene. On stage, Daniel goes by the name ‘Kirklandd’, and is about to release some new tracks off his EP. He’s also just finished filming a music video for his song “Helpless Eldest”. I sat down with him a few weeks ago to talk about all things Kirklandd.
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On his first single, MyoMy…
“MyoMy is a dope track, and more hip hop than the other two I’ve been working on. I wanted to start with that because, to me, hip hop and rap is all about the intricate story telling details. Citizen Kay’s verse in MyoMy is my all-time favourite of his. It’s so atmospheric, dreamy, and contemplative, but within the form of a rap which is cool. The song is very simple musically because we wanted it to sound more ‘old school’, funky, and laid back.
On working with producer Cam Bluff…
“I’ve been working with this producer in Melbourne. His name is Cam Bluff, and he’s known for his work with Allday, 360 and Hilltop Hoods. He is truly a pioneer. His ear for music is incredible and it’s so fantastic to be able to have the opportunity to work with him. We’ve been working so hard on the new EP and I’m putting everything I can into writing songs and making music. I want it to be perfect before I release it, and that takes time. A few new tracks are coming out this month, on Triple J Unearthed.”
On his new EP…
“This EP is all very much about the instruments, the energies and feels of the music. Except for MyoMy, the songs on the EP are more hip hop. I think hip hop artists have an unparalleled, and sometimes underestimated, ability to reach my generation. Whenever I’ve been inspired, challenged, or formed an opinion, it’s always been because I’ve heard a lyric in a song that has made me think about something in a new light. I want to get to the point where I will be able to inspire people to think about a certain issue, with my own music. I don’t want to ever be one of those rappers or musicians that loses touch with his audience, and makes music about things that no one has, or topics that no one cares about.”
On his new music video…
“We made this track called ‘Helpless Eldest’, which is coming out this month. The song is very much about story telling through music and the video is reflective of that. The song doesn’t sound like what you’d normally hear or expect with hip hop, just because there’s so many blends and layers to it, so I’m looking forward to seeing how people react to it.”
On having support from family and friends with his decision to pursue a music career full-time…
“It’s 100% testing when people say, ‘but what do you really want to do?’ especially because this is what I really want to do! Nothing really reaches me like music does. It’s always been such a support in my life and so it’s easy to stay motivated and energetic, because I’m so passionate about it. I think that’s reflective of our generation at the moment – music is what reaches us the most. Also, you can’t really lose focus until you’ve perfected something. I’m trying to perfect my craft and knowing that I’m constantly learning and improving keeps me going.”
On support for up-and-coming musicians in Canberra…
“I think there is a lot of support for up and coming musicians in Canberra, though I’d love to see more venues for live music! I’m proud to say that I’m from Canberra, and I never want to lose the uniqueness of the sounds I’ve made here. There have definitely been moments where I’ve met musicians from other Australian cities who smirk at the fact that I’m from Canberra. They almost seem write me off as a legitimate competitor or contributor to the industry because of that. Encountering that sort of reaction pushes me to deliver way beyond their expectations and makes me want to work that much harder to prove that the Canberra music industry is an influential contributor to Australian music. It’s a good incentive to prove them wrong. Canberra’s hip hop scene is doing really well with people like Takunda, Citizen Kay, Hayds; a lot of good, solid musicians emerging out of Canberra which is really exciting.”
Thank you so much for your time, Daniel!
I think it’s clear that that Kirklandd is definitely one to watch, and is going to achieve some big things in the music industry. You can listen to some of his music here.He’s also just released a new track “Right Now” which is killing it on Triple J Unearthed. We’ll be keeping an eye out for some live performances around the city, too!
