Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new single “Pray” and how it differs from your previous releases?

Pray was always intended to be a fresh take for listeners of Bad Party and something to turn the heads of anyone who has never heard us before. Instrumentally, we went faster and heavier with more bells and whistles than our previous tracks, and vocally we wanted to be strong, aggressive and showcase Dale as our new vocalist with his performance and lyrical content that steered away from our usual subject matter.

How did the collaboration with Dale Dudeson of Revoid come about for this single, and how has his addition influenced the band’s dynamic?

Dale was referred to us by our friend Monica from The Last Martyr, after we mentioned we were in need of a new vocalist after Henry had left. Having Revoid’s catalogue to listen through we knew that he would play the part we were looking for in our evolution as a band. Dale’s vocal ability has allowed for us to extend further than we could in the past, for this release and what we have planned in the future.

The music video for “Pray” has a dark and provocative atmosphere. What was the concept behind it, and how does it complement the themes of the song?

I’ll go into a little more detail on the lyrics later on, but we presented the song to Colin Jeffs from Ten of Swords Media with an idea of how we wanted the video to look based on the concept of the song. We’ve always wanted to work with Colin, but waited for the right song that we knew would match the quality of his output. The video itself really just brings the track to life, setting the dark and euphoric club-scene, playing out the inner-monologue of Dale’s disturbed and insolent character, while allowing the band to tear-up the scene with maximum energy. Ultimately the video visually represents the songs controversial content perfectly, while simultaneously allowing the band and all our friends who were involved to bring as much energy to the room as we could.

What was your experience like working with Callan Orr at Avalanche Studios on the production, mixing, and mastering of “Pray”?

We’ve been fans of Callan’s work for a while now and so we wanted to take the leap getting him on this release. We actually flew him up to Brisbane and worked together in Dale’s living-room, setting up a pseudo-studio for the week. Watching Callan work was pretty inspiring from a workflow perspective, his super fast-paced style kept us moving on all cylinders but worked perfectly for us. We (mainly I) have a tendency to be pretty specific with what the end result of a song should look like, and Callan worked with us to get there until the end – we’re stoked on how the song turned out and will be working with him again.

In “Pray,” you explore the power of human connection. Can you delve deeper into the message behind the lyrics and what you hope listeners take away from the song?

The title ‘Pray’ is a bit of a play on words, as it is a homophone of ‘Prey’. The song’s lyrical content paints a picture of what might go on inside the mind of an incel-type individual, which unfortunately is all too common in the music scene, let alone the nightlife in general in Australia or anywhere else in the world. The fictional character’s perspective in ‘Pray’ is so catastrophically narcissistic that in the setting of a nightclub or party, they think that their obsessive and objectifying nature is what will attract another person – then turn to resentment and anger as that object of obsession rejects or ignores them. It’s sad that I, and the other band members, have met a lot of people who are so out of touch like this, but are also oblivious to why their pattern of thought is wrong, and in this case entirely misogynistic as they prey on women and expect them to find their intimidation or sense of dominance, attractive. TLDR; we’re calling out these people, we’re making you aware of them, and we will always stand against them. 

“Pray” touches on the theme of unrequited infatuation. How did you balance the seductive tone of the song with addressing the more serious issue it presents?

I guess from the perspective of someone who truly does not understand that what they’re doing is inherently wrong, whether that be due to a chemical imbalance or from the way they’ve been raised and influenced etc. the obsession of a person or ‘object’ is sexualised and kind of taboo in a way that turns them on. Glorifying that behaviour would be making the song more sensual and attractive, but instead we went for an aggressive and relentless barrage of sections that create a sense of chaos. It’s not okay to be thinking, feeling, and acting on these desires; doing so should at the very least raise an internal conflict within that type of person and prompt the questioning of their motives. If the song provokes the thought “yeah but who is really out at the club thinking like that”, the reality is that in this day and age it’s all too common and people, especially women, shouldn’t have to come face-to-face with these people and call them out. It’s our job as a community to protect each other.

Your previous EP, ‘Beyond Repair,’ received significant attention. How does “Pray” represent the band’s growth since then, both musically and thematically?

When Beyond Repair was written we were still finding ourselves as a band and exploring the music we wanted to create. There has been chatter amongst the group that it might not be there for much longer as we’ve grown and don’t believe that it’s the best representation of where we’re headed, particularly now that we’ve made significant lineup changes that have opened us up to further growth and development beyond what we thought was our best work at the time. Listening to that EP compared to Pray, it’s a stark difference in quality of songwriting and mix. We’re very focused on quality and refinement as we move forward, so for now our catalogue tells a story of growth.

“Want It” was a successful single for Bad Party. How do you feel “Pray” compares, and what new elements do you bring to the table with this release?

‘Want It’ was our transition from the EP era to now, in the way that it was allllmost what we were aiming for but we had a few setbacks during its’ conception and release. Our previous vocalist Henry was considering leaving the band around that time and there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding our next moves. The fact it was our most successful release to date was definitely a key motivator for us to just keep pushing on. Henry played a big part in the songwriting of our music until his departure, so continuing meant I really had to step up my game to fill the space he left, and encouraged us to be more collaborative as a group. We poured all we had into ‘Pray’ to make sure we would return to the scene stronger than before, and combined with Dale’s diversity and strength as a vocalist, we’ve come out super proud of this track, and that makes all the difference to us.

What role do you think Bad Party plays in the Australian alternative community, and how do you aim to further solidify your presence with “Pray” and future releases?

We’ve always wanted Bad Party’s presence to be edgy, dark but at the same time casual and able to have fun if that makes sense? There are plenty of people out there that listen to music which doesn’t necessarily match their energy or personality as a person, they listen to it because they enjoy it. While we can write heavy, sad, angry, and everything in between, we’re also just friends that have big aspirations in the scene and are keen to meet a tonne of new friends along the way. We want our music to be unique, but true to us, and we want the people we meet to know we’re all out here trying to do the same thing, have fun and hit new highs – so lets all enjoy the journey. We hope that Pray shows the Australian alt community that we’re serious about our music, and they should be as excited as we are for what comes next. 

Can you share any insights into the creative process behind “Pray”? How do you typically approach writing and composing new music as a band?

The songwriting process starts instrumentally with me at home just putting together riffs, tones and sounds that I like altogether, without too much consideration for the ‘rules’ of songwriting. My foundations are as a drummer who picked up guitar when I wanted to be able to write full songs, so I tend to come at writing with a rhythm first, and fill in the notes as I go. Pray actually started as a chorus and all the other sections were built around it, but vocals always tend to come last in the ‘production’ phase, so that the music can further be built around them.

I used to be very in to my EDM and so have always loved the power and grit that comes with the heavy drops, sub bass, and pulsing kicks – I want to integrate those influences in to metalcore but continue to push the boundaries a little and make something that anyone can enjoy regardless of musical preferences. Bad Party doesn’t intend on sticking to one ‘vibe’ either; the music we’ve been writing for future releases are looking to be quite a spread, but building on the ‘Bad Party’ brand rather than fitting into a sub-category of metal.

What can fans expect from Bad Party in terms of future releases and upcoming projects following the launch of “Pray”?

Following Pray we plan on a few more single releases this year, building the ‘scope’ of our sound and what to expect from us as we’ve rebranded. We have a bunch of new material to play at shows to further build that new atmosphere, while still keeping our biggest hits from the past.

As a band with diverse influences, how do you navigate blending different genres in your music, and are there any particular genres or artists that have had a significant impact on your sound for “Pray”?

The four of us have a pretty unique spread of music that we like and listen to, but when the framework of a song is finished I’ll put it to the boys for their thoughts and influences. Based on what they like and don’t like about a first draft, that then sets the direction for the rest of the process, but we don’t tend to reference other bands or songs specifically. There is definitely music that I’ll listen to which births the idea for something else, but those initial ideas generally end up in the bin or sound too similar to something else, and naturally parts get recycled into something more unique over time. If we had to honourably mention 1 influential artist each, I’d say: Periphery, Bring Me the Horizon, Whitechapel, and Mick Gordon.

Your musical journey has taken you from Canada to South Africa and now to Australia. How has each location influenced your sound, and what elements from these diverse backgrounds can be found in your debut EP, “Everything Can Levitate”?

Being able to experience different cultures influenced my music taste, whats popular in each country is different – I’m grateful to be able to appreciate all types of music. I think Hip-Hop has a strong following in most countries, the underground/sub-genres from North America are really present on the EP, new-wave drums, ambient leads and deep 808s.

“Everything Can Levitate” is described as the product of online discovery and collaborations during COVID lockdowns, originating from a Discord Server. How did this online collaboration shape your creative process, and how do you think it contributed to the unique sound of your EP?

A lot of the people I work with daily are producers, being able to watch a song progress from a single lead or vocal melody to a fully mastered version means that there is potential for me to change anything at any point of the process – its made my creative process precise as I can go back in the mixing stage and change/add what I want.

You’ve mentioned that the Discord Server played a crucial role in finding your sound as an artist. Could you elaborate on how the collaborative process in this virtual space contributed to the sonic identity of your music?

People on Discord are making everything, you can go in and listen to someone putting vocals on a indie-pop track or watch someone mix techno drums – being able to experience a lot of different musical backgrounds helps me pick and figure out what fits me the most.

Your debut EP spans three years of sonic self-discovery. Can you take us through the evolution of your sound during this period and how you arrived at the distinctive blend of new-wave hip hop that we hear in “Everything Can Levitate”?

I’ve always been a big Hip-Hop/Rap fan, especially of artists from the U.S/NA.

I started making lofi hip-hop with vocals before figuring out how to sing, then it was all about experimentation – I tried recording on anything and everything and quickly realised that I love the underground sound from the U.S, theres a lot of talented creatives in that space that have influenced me, you can definitely hear this on the project.

Born in Canada, raised in South Africa, and based in Australia, your music is described as grounded in the concept of not being grounded at all – of levitating. How does this idea of levitation play into your creative process, and how does it manifest in the themes of your EP?

I believe its really important to record/write the to whatever resonates with you, even if you don’t release it, its grounded in me that if I like something I should create around it – songs/demos can be as deep or casual as I want it to be, if what I’m creating resonates with me at the time then I shouldn’t hold back, I don’t have to release it I’m just happy I made it. Thats what I mean by levitation, its whatever is in the moment, between up or down.

The EP has received attention and co-signs from notable figures like Young Thug and Denzel Curry. How has this recognition impacted your approach to music, and do you feel any pressure following such endorsements?

So the Thug co-sign is still crazy to go back and watch, thats an artist I’ve been a big fan of since before I started music – the encouragement he gave me was pretty unreal.

Denzel I’ve been listening to since highschool and I love his live performances, think I’ve gone to every one of his sets in Perth, shoutout to Casshan for showing him my music – he’s the whole reason I did an EP in 2023, he said to keep dropping singles and then put together a small project, I got so much out of listening to his advice.

On the question about pressure, yes and no, yes because they are who they are and I respect their artistry and no because there has to be a reason that they said what they said.

Your debut has garnered significant international streaming success with over 3 million streams and a growing fanbase. What do you attribute this rapid rise to, and how do you connect with your audience on a global scale?

I started music because of internet culture, it was only right for me to learn how to market/promote my music in internet culture and thats what I attribute 100% of my streaming success to. Theres over 5 billion internet users, I’m confident I can reach the right people.

“Everything Can Levitate” has been praised for breaking down barriers and delivering a sound that is wholly unique. How do you navigate the balance between embracing diverse influences and maintaining a distinct, individual style in your music?

Back to that previous point of going with whatever resonates with me at the time, I think what makes a lot of artists music “unique” is their vocals, the different way they use it and beat/instrumental selection. Knowing what works for my voice or could work (experimentation) is the most important skill for navigating what I want my sound to be but I think it all goes back to experimenting.

The EP has received editorial attention from Spotify, Apple Music, and radio tastemakers like triple J. How do you think this exposure will shape the trajectory of your career, and what doors do you hope it opens for you in the music industry?

I think Triple J paid a lot more attention to my music in 2023 which I’m really grateful for, the Js and major DSPs have opened a lot of doors for me in terms of awareness and more than ever it just means to keep pushing.

Your single “Veins” won the prestigious Triple J x NIDA music video competition. How did the visual aspect of the music contribute to the overall narrative of the EP, and how important is visual storytelling to your artistic vision?

Visuals have become extremely important to me in the past year, sometimes I feel like its even more important than the song because it can end up being the livelihood of the song. The visual aspect of making music has started to heavily influence my creative process, I’ve started recording and writing with images/video loops on my monitor so that way what I’m making is visually making sense with what I overall want to achieve – you can hear the ups and downs of levitating in the EP because of this.

With the 2023 version of Soundcloud rap being mentioned in relation to your music, how do you see your work fitting into the current music scene, and what do you believe sets your sound apart in today’s musical landscape?

I’m coming to terms with what other creatives have told me, in that my music sounds like a bridge between modern pop and underground hip-hop – I didn’t want to put a label on things at first but overtime I’ve come to love it, it makes a lot of sense with everything that I’m trying to achieve.

Different enough to love and not too different to not give it a chance.

“Everything Can Levitate” is described as delivering the energetic culture of the scene on a silver platter. What can we expect next in terms of your musical evolution, and how do you plan to build on the success of your debut EP?

If I’m being honest, ideally I drop 2 or more projects in 2024 if I’m able. I want to be able to describe my music as “float” music, I think a debut EP around levitation was a good start but theres a lot that I’ve learned that I now want to apply to future bodies of work, I now fully know what I want to do.

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