Splendour, Becoming A Solo Artist & Study Time: It's All In A Day For KIAN

When most kids are worrying about end of year results and what to wear to their formal, Year 10 student KIAN, hailing from Castlemaine, Victoria, was making music. You might recognise his voice singing that epic hook in Baker Boy’s massive track Cloud 9. Or maybe in his own right, as the 16-year-old took out triple j’s Unearthed High competition earlier in the year. “My school has been very supportive of my music and have been willing to create action plans around me being away,” he reflects on how school is now factoring into his rise to stardom. “But while I’m not away, I’m at school and trying to catch up to make sure I’m still passing.”

A quick catch-up for those who haven’t yet come across the singer; if we made a KIAN-themed mixtape, who would feature? “I can already tell you there would be a lot of rappers and R&B singers,” he appraises. “Frank Ocean, 6lack, J.I.D, Earl Sweatshirt, Travis Scott, SZA, Billie Eilish, Khalid, Rex Orange County, Nas and Joey Bada$$, just to name a few!"

Whatever the influence, what KIAN is putting down is earning him fans across the world as he emerges as one of Australia's most promising voices. It’s no wonder then that he has been popping up at festivals with Baker Boy left, right and centre, but as the summer festival season rolls round, KIAN is getting ready to take to the stage in his own right, having just been announced on the St Jerome's Laneway Festival line-up.

“Definitely performing at Splendour alongside Danzal [Baker], Dallas [Woods] and the rest of the Baker Boy crew was incredible and the energy in the tent was nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced!"

Part of KIAN’s transition to solo act was an epic BIGSOUND showcase last month which he says was “a great opportunity to meet other artists and to create relationships within the industry." The shows were some of his first solo gigs. “That show being one of my first shows was definitely a different experience to performing with Baker Boy,” he reviews. “But I still treat every show the same and try and have as much fun as possible!”

As he finds his own place on the stage, it turns out KIAN still has a soft spot for creating in the studio. “My live show has a whole different energy to what I’ve been doing with Baker Boy for the last year, it’s very vocal based but also is backed up by my killer band who I love. I honestly really love to do both live shows and be in the studio! But the studio is definitely where the magic happens and I love to get creative and try new things.” 

Back on the stage though, can he point to a live music highlight of his rapidly evolving career to date? 

“Definitely performing at Splendour alongside Danzal [Baker], Dallas [Woods] and the rest of the Baker Boy crew was incredible and the energy in the tent was nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced!

“I’d love to be back there again for my own show and [it] is definitely something on my bucket list I hope to tick off.”