You are now entering the zone of rising DIY hyperpop singer and icon ko aka koala, as we lock in for an intimate chat traversing her world of futurist musical landscapes and culturally layered narratives. A true DIY artist and creative, ko aka koala is a game changer. Nearly every element of her work is curated and facilitated by herself. From her makeup down to props and music video concepts – she is a complete jack of all trades.
Discussing her style, ko aka koala explains, “I like the glossiness of it. I like the perfection of it. I have a hard time letting go of things that aren’t perfect and I want to keep working at them forever.” Running parallel to her own conclusions, her work has been described as “a signature twist on ultra-sweet, soft sounds”.
ko aka koala has shared stages with pop industry heavyweights like Troye Sivan and Charli XCX. Pushing boundaries and breaking hearts – she’s one to watch, and we were keen to dig into her creative concepts as much as her musical inspiration. Multi-layered lyricism covers complex and shifting feelings of both infatuation and admiration as well as the specific experience of an ‘all-consuming’ crush and the fallout that accompanies it. We wanted to highlight her newest single, ‘Zero Sugar‘ which features featherlight vocals and flirty lyrics. Previous works like her EP, Chef’s Kiss present a fully fleshed out narrative imbued with humour and astute cultural references which creates satirical yet pertinent social commentary.
Her tracks lead the audience to a space where they can’t help but to dance, all the while experiencing introspective, emotional thoughts. Pop has always been around, but in recent years we’ve seen an incredible amount of genre-bending within this section of the music community. ko aka koala plays on the carefreeness of the genre, all the while, propelling vulnerable lyricism to the forefront of its listenership.
Accompanied by an otherworldly photoshoot, conceived in true DIY fashion by none other than ko aka koala herself alongside digital artist Rita Wolkotrub, discussions of sustainability in digital artwork and photoshoots that utilise digital fashion design came up in our interview. ko aka koala thinks it’s important to recognize how much waste exists in the industry. Working with digital artists and fashion designers is a way around this while still maintaining creativity and facilitating collaboration among creatives.
Read on for a fascinating insight into ko aka koala’s unique mind…
Known as a genre-bending multidisciplinary artist and musician, can you tell us a little about your work and break down your creative style?
I would say that it is kind of bigger than life. It’s very fantasy, very unreal. I just want to create what’s in my head.
Your upcoming single ‘Zero Sugar’ is beautifully upbeat, sprinkled with effervescent vocals. You sing in both English and Japanese on the track – What was the inspiration for this song?
It was inspired by me wanting to talk about how a lot of the time when you’re having conversations with people, it’s very difficult to get straight to the point or even know what they want. So ‘Zero Sugar’ is just about not sugar-coating the message.
You’re both a singer and visual artist – can you tell us more about this crossover and what started your initial intrigue into the digital?
Well I think both my music and visual art are very digital. You definitely have to sit by the computer for long periods of time, which is very time consuming. I’ve always been a very visual person, so it’s just a natural thing for me. I wouldn’t say it’s a crossover because both the music and visuals kind of both live in my head. So releasing music is kind of like a combination of all of it- getting your message and your vision out there.
What’s been your favourite memory in LA so far?
I think my favourite memories are in the studio working on music with people. Sometimes I’ll work by myself on music and even when I do my visual art, it’s not as collaborative. I’ve met a lot of different artists and have made a lot of friends doing studio sessions so that’s been really fun for me.
It seems over the years that your individual music direction has shifted from heavier bass and d&b mixes to lighter hyperpop beats and electronic vocals. Can you tell us more about your musical direction?
I’m not even sure what my musical direction is. Every time I’m in a session and someone asks, “What do you want to do?” I just always say, “I want to do something cool that I like.” So it’s just pretty random. But I have to love it. And I also get bored of the same thing, so I always kind of switch it up.
What do you think the pop genre offers that may be harder to find in others?
I think it’s more fun. I’ve always loved pop. I grew up listening to it, and then it kind of shifted away from being super bubblegum and stuff. But I actually really love bubblegum pop. When I’m in the mood to listen to it, which is most of the time, it just puts you in a good mood. You can dance, you can work out, if you’re sad, you can still listen to it. It’s just always appropriate.
You’ve created and released an impressive collection of work in the last few years, as a true DIY artist, what part of your projects do you find the most compelling once the music’s been mastered?
I guess creating the artwork. It’s the most exciting because I always come up with the music first and then once the music is done, I brainstorm what would be the ideal artwork for it. And that’s really fun for me. The song kind of just comes to life once there’s a visual to it.
I assume you’ve created a huge number of props and jewellery pieces for your performances and music videos. Is there a piece in particular that you’re most proud of?
Yes! I diamond encrusted my Fender guitar amps for the cover of my single “stoptryingtohavesexwithme.” It took a long time, but it was totally worth it. And now they’re decorations for my room.
What advice can you offer burnt out creatives to keep going considering the steps it takes to make a project happen as a DIY artist?
I definitely get burnt out…there are a lot of steps to make a project happen. And the way I look at it is you don’t have to do everything. A lot of times, musicians hold on to songs forever and then it’s been too long and then they’re like “I don’t know about this,” but I think people should just put it out because you never know.
You’ve got a lot of exciting projects on the horizon, any further teasers you’d like to alert your fans of?
I would say a lot of new music is coming out this year!
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ko aka koala’s music allows her listenership to feel seen, that they will be able to dance to her genre-bending pop creations. Starting as a DJ – her direction is continuously evolving, creating otherworldly digital works of art. Leaning on her creative innovation and expansive spirit, we’re looking forward to seeing the worlds ko aka koala continues to build around us.
Follow ko aka koala on Instagram
Words: Lauren Bulla
Photography and Creative Concept: ko aka koala
Retoucher: Rita Wolkotrub
Special Thanks: Coakley PR