At only 20 years old, Australian indie-pop singer Mallrat has already released two EPs and toured with artists like Post Malone and Maggie Rogers. Her popularity is most definitely starting to make its way to North America, so be sure to keep her on your musical radar. MUSE chatted with her at Osheaga about starting music in high school, her love for Kanye, and her new single named adorably after her dog.
Is this your first time in Montreal?
I think it’s my first time, I’ve definitely played in Vancouver and Toronto but I don’t think Montreal.

You just finished up your tour in Europe, and then you’re also doing a tour in North America coming up. What has it been like being on tour and how’s the experience been so far?
It’s been really good, I travel with my DJ who’s like my best friend so it’s really fun. Europe was really cool, it’s so beautiful. We went and it was summertime, so we got to escape Australian winter and just hangout.

You’ve blown up so much in the past couple years, what’s it like playing big festivals now? Are there still nerves or mostly just excitement?
I’m excited, I don’t really get nervous much for shows. That’s really nice that you said I’ve blown up, I feel like I’ve kind of blown up in Australia but here I still feel like a little fish. I’ve got new music coming out in the next little bit, I think the songs are really good so I’m excited to see how they go over here.

You were opening up for Post Malone and Maggie Rogers, what was that like and how did they inspire you as an artist?
It was really cool. Post Malone, that was a year and a half ago in Australia. It was just as he had just blown up. Rockstar was charting in Australia at that time so that was a really cool time to be doing that. I think he’s really cool and my favourite song of his is Feeling Whitney. Not many people realize that he’s like a country singer, just dressed up as a rapper, but I think he’s a songwriter at heart. And Maggie Rogers is so inspiring. We’ve toured with her in Australia, America and Europe over the last couple of years so I got to know her and her band really well. She’s honestly so cool and so smart and talented.

What’s been your favourite area to tour?
I mean, I hate to say it, but Europe. Every place is so different. Whereas in America when you’re on a bus, things can blend into each other a little bit and it’s a lot of hard work since it’s so many different cities. But Europe is a bit easier, so it’s more fun.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations in music right now?
I love ROSALIA. She’s my favourite new-ish artist, she’s really cool. And I love Lana Del Rey, I’m excited for her new album. I love Kanye. I love my friends back in Australia. they’re all so talented. I could give you an A4 page of Australian bands to listen to. And Lorde I think is really cool.

So who would be your ideal collab?
Kanye! There’s a sticky note next to my bedroom mirror that’s like Kanye and Mallrat. It’s my dream, I think about it every day.

Well, I hope it does happen!
I think it will!

You’re only 20 and started writing music in high school, so was it hard to decide to jump into music after school or did you always know that was what you were going to follow?
Once I decided I wanted to do music, that was it. There was nothing else that could distract me from that. But it took a little while to come to that decision, but once I made it my heart was set on it.

Have you always been following your passion for music?
Ever since I was little, I loved music. I wanted to be like Hannah Montana. But then I sort of thought it was unrealistic, I didn’t know anybody and I’m from a random city and you don’t just meet people in bands. I didn’t really think of it as a real job, but once I realized that it was, I was like oh yeah, I definitely want to do that.

What’s your biggest goal for the next couple of years?
I really want to write and produce for other artists. Work with Kanye… win some Grammy’s... but the main thing is just writing things I’m proud of.

You released your new single Nobody’s Home in 2019, what does that song mean to you and what was the writing process behind that?Honestly, I just thought it was fun and found myself listening to the demo hundreds and hundreds of times, so I figured if I can’t stop listening to it I better put it out. My little sister really liked it, and she influences a lot of my decisions. When she likes a song, it makes me want to put it out.

Which of your songs do you think the lyrics mean the most to you?
It’s always the new stuff, my song that’s coming out Wednesday (August 7th) I think has the best lyrics. It’s called Charlie, named after my dog.

So you have a single coming out Wednesday, and you had mentioned an EP, when can we expect that?In about a month.
Be sure to keep an eye out for Mallrat’s 3rd EP, coming out soon!

Mallrat’s new single “Charlie”, was released a few days after Osheaga. Take a listen here 

Featured image sourced from https://isolatednation.com/articles/2019/4/8/live-review-no-such-thing-as-inside-voices-with-mallrat