'I Stopped Holding Back': Keelan Mak & Vetta Borne Interview Each Other

TO KEELAN MAK, FROM VETTA BORNE

V: What’s your favourite song off your EP, and why?

K: Who Am I To You? would be my favourite. I think it felt like a different direction and sound to what I’m used to making. I was listening to a lot of Billie Eilish at the time, and I wanted to sing a little softer for once. That song also goes to a lot of different places. The outro was really, really fun to make.

V: What do you enjoy more: being in the studio or being on stage?

K: I’m more of a studio dweller than a performer. Don’t get me wrong, I love being on stage, but I think it’s something I’m still getting comfortable with. My personality is a lot shyer than what it should be for that stuff.

V: What’s your favourite album (or song) of all time?

K: My favourite album is Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman - hands down. Absolute pop excellence. She don’t miss a single beat the whole way through. Touch It, Into You, Greedy!!! The production as well, obviously would expect nothing less from the Max Martin team.

V: As a fellow queer artist, would you say this industry is easier/harder to navigate for us?

K: I think there are pros and cons. Sometimes I find that being queer can pigeonhole my music and stop it from reaching a broader audience. At the same time, belonging to such a supportive, loving community, why would I want to exist anywhere else.

V: What does a Keelan Mak live show look like?

K: There are different levels of Keelan Mak live. Sometimes I love rocking it solo, I have my keys and my drum pad and just play and sing, and everything feels more personal. Other times I play with a live band, those shows are really fun because every song just gets elevated and hits SO much harder.

V: Who’s an Australian artist we should be listening to right now?

K: Budjerah is easily my favourite Australian artist right now. That kid has some pipes. Probably one of the best live performances I’ve seen in a while. The musicality was so impressive. That band is tight.

V: When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

K: I wanted to be a baker only because I was super into those easy bake packets and my parents gassed me up hard, what an absolute lie.

V: Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What was it about?

K: This song is so embarrassing. It was called Heart Undone, and I wrote it when I was 15. It was about this girl I was in love with who was being treated poorly by her boyfriend. The chorus went, “You’re a rocket to the moon, a heart undone. It’s like you’re running in a race you’ve already won.” The production had a lot of sitar (a questionable instrument choice). We filmed a fucking music video and everything. It didn’t win Unearthed High, which makes a lot of sense in hindsight.

V: What’s your ideal first date?

K: Honestly, a home-cooked meal and some wine. I think cooking for someone is really vulnerable and honest. Plus - if you’re a great cook, then it can really help your chances.

V: Referencing your song Brave Face, when’s the last time you felt you were being brave?

K: All. the. time. These 20-something-year-old men continue to disappoint me. I like to keep myself ready and guarded, so bad news doesn’t rock me as much, but at the end of the day, it always results in a big brave face on my end.

TO VETTA BORNE, FROM KEELAN MAK

K: Top 5 fave Australian artists right now?

V: Wafia, Milan Ring, KYE, CD, Pania. I’m absolutely here for the WOC killing it right now!

K: Producing vs Songwriting, do you prefer one over the other?

V: Honestly, it depends on the day I’m having. If I’m working for other artists, I definitely prefer to be the songwriter, just because production can be so tedious. But if I’m working for myself, I feel less pressure and can stay on my laptop geeking out and producing for days on end.

K: Ultimate blunt rotation?

V: This is going to sound so random, but, Rihanna, Kris Jenner, Bretman Rock and Paris Hilton. Outside of music, I love entrepreneurs, I’m very interested in people who know how to build a brand, and I think they’re all geniuses at it in very different ways. I would be so interested to know their views on anything and just to learn a little more how their minds work and outlooks on life. I also just think it would be hilarious.

K: What’s it like writing in other countries vs Australia? Fave writing trip?

V: It’s an adrenaline rush, for sure. I love meeting new people all over the world who are just as passionate about writing music as I am. My favourite writing trip has to be my most recent in South Korea, writing for YG Entertainment. I was so out of my comfort zone, but I find that’s the best way I can push myself to become a better writer. Some of the producers couldn’t speak English, so realising that you don’t even need to speak the same language to write a good song together was a really cool experience, although challenging.

K: What song of yours has become your favourite so far, whether from the Vetta Borne project or from others artists you’ve written for?

V: There’s a song on my latest EP called Wasn’t It Good, which has become one of my favourites. I wrote the chorus of it like 6 years ago, about a love who moved overseas to chase their dreams. We still keep in touch every now and then and laugh about old times, so it’s just a really special song to me.

K: Does Rose Avenue, Vol 1. (your latest EP) have any central themes? Is it about someone or something specific?

V: It’s about the stages of grief you feel after a breakup. There’s that bittersweetness when all you can remember are the good times, then there’s deep sadness, then anger, then into the “I’m single, I’ll do what I want” phase and finally, moving on. I was going through all of these emotions when I was going through my heartbreak.

K: How did you find your artistic voice as a queer woman, and what advice would you give to aspiring queer creatives?

V: I stopped holding back writing about my truths. I used to swap the pronouns for whatever reason, turning my songs about girls into what I thought were “relatable” songs about guys. I stopped thinking about how other people perceived me and started moving for myself. That’s how I found my voice. I stopped taking in outside advice on what I “should” be making and just started presenting songs as I saw fit. I have my vision, and other people can either get on board or not. I realised that I don’t need the approval elsewhere.

K: Go-to meal when you’re trying to impress a hottie?

V: Besides me being a full-course meal, I make a really good Laksa, so there’s that. Otherwise, I don’t have any go-to’s, I like trying new recipes always, so I’ll always search up fun recipes beforehand and hope to god it tastes delicious. 

K: What does the rest of the year look like for you?

V: Touring, bigger and better live shows, and maybe another single later in the year to prepare for next year's festivals!

K: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

V: I see myself doing things bigger and better. I still see myself writing music, travelling more to write and having more success which will lead to me having my own property, with the financial freedom to take more holidays. I see myself starting to take the steps to settle down, that’s what I’m working so hard for now, so I can do that eventually.

Keelan Mak's EP 'Brave Face' and Vetta Borne's 'Rose Avenue Vol .1' are available now.