Brisbane's best- An interview with Mallrat

After many months of chat with the lovely Mallrat I have come to a conclusion- She is quite simply one of the sweetest people on this planet. The Brisbane based teen who describes herself (quite aptly) as "the Hannah Montana of the rap game" is an up and coming alternative pop artist, producing some of the catchiest tunes out there.

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Where do you see your career heading in the next few years? Do you think your career opportunities will change a lot once you're 18?

I’m so excited for the next few years, I think it will involve lots of travel and cool collaborations. I think being young is only really a positive thing for me.

While making music, what do you find are your main musical influences?

I listen to everything. Lyrically, I love honestly and documenting what it’s like to be human, so Allday and Lorde are some of my favourite writers.

Do you think everyone is treated equally in the music industry?

I don’t think that’s the case in any industry but in music the underdogs are usually the cooler ones.

As someone who is a lot younger than most other people in your field of work, do people take you seriously as a musician?

So far yes! I don’t work with anybody who treats me otherwise. I think my age is just an advantage except for when it comes to trying getting into venues.

Is the music industry very competitive? Have you ever felt like you had to compete against other musicians, even if they were friends?

It definitely can be competitive but I haven’t felt anything like that yet. I think it would be easy to get in that headspace if you were comparing yourself to other people. I try to make stuff that’s different to everything else to avoid that sense of competition.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to work in music?

Trust your gut and make art that is honest and exactly what you want to.

What was it like to collaborate with E^st?

So cool! We didn’t meet until after the song was recorded but I’d been a fan since The Alley. She’s the coolest person ever, I’m stoked that we’re friends and got to work together.

When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician and why?

I went to an Allday concert and left feeling super inspired. Up until that point I had loved music but I didn’t think of it as something I could do professionally.

Your debut EP uninvited came out earlier this year- what was it like to create and release that?

Making that EP was so cool for me because I got to put out my first body of work, and learn about the process of making a song (producing, writing, recording, mixing, mastering, marketing etc). Every time I went to the studio I would learn so much about music, and it really restored confidence in my decision not to go to university. The whole process has also been a great way of learning about people and communication.

Finally, if you were running very late to something but passed a dog on the street, would you stop to pat it?

Probably yes! I’ll always pat the dog or at least blow it a kiss.

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You can find Mallrat's music on Spotify, iTunes and soundcloud. Make sure to check it out for some good vibes!!