We talked to Kasey Chambers about her new album Backbone, life on the road as she tours the country, and her book Just Don’t Be a D**khead. Kasey's distinctive voice and heartfelt lyrics have earned her the rightful position as one of the most popular and acclaimed country artists of her generation here in Australia and around the world.
Hailed as bringing Australian country music into the mainstream, Kasey has won 14 ARIAs, 24 CMAA Golden Guitars and 10 APRA songwriting awards. Her twelve albums have sold more than 14 million copies and include five No.1 albums. In 2002, she released her number-one hit single, ‘Not Pretty Enough,’ which launched her onto the world stage.
Her latest album Backbone is possibly one of her strongest and most varied records since her debut, revisiting the various flavours of country music that she’s made over the last 25 years.
As a long-time advocate and ally of the LGBTIQ+ community, we are delighted to have Kasey on our cover and to have talked to her about life, being a decent human, happiness and, of course, music.
Thanks for chatting with us Kasey; We’re thrilled you’re on this issue’s cover. Can you tell us about your inspiration behind the Backbone album.
I feel like the Backbone album is like the soundtrack to my life. There are songs inspired by my early childhood, recent challenging times in my life and everything in between. I think I am as connected to this record as I’ve been to any record I’ve ever made since my first album The Captain (which is still my favourite record); maybe because it takes in so much of my life and is inspired by my connection to myself and my journey.
What can fans expect from your Australian tour?
We will of course play a few new songs from the new album, but I’ll mostly go back and play all the old one’s too. ‘The Captain’, ‘Not Pretty Enough’, ‘Barricades and Brickwalls’ etc. I still love playing all my old songs so much. They are such a big part of who I am.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself. The world needs your unique voice, your quirks, and your perspective.” Excerpt from Kasey Chambers new book ‘Just Don’t Be a D**khead’.
You’re known for your extensive touring across the country. Where have been some of your favourite places to perform?
I love my touring life so much. I love visiting big towns, little towns, regional, coastal and everything in between. I’m so grateful that my career has taken me to so many amazing places, but I am also lucky to be in a position where I only really play gigs in places now that I want to play. So any gig that is listed on my tour is on there because I’ve personally chosen to play there, having had a beautiful experience there before which makes me wanna come back!
How does your latest work reflect your personal growth and evolution as an artist over the years?
I always try to push myself as a singer/songwriter and a producer while I am writing and making records, while finding the balance to not push it so far to abandon myself in the process. I do like to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone as long as there’s still an element of my authentic self at the core. It’s a fine line and I don’t always get it right, but these days I think I am much better at the balancing act.
You’ve had an incredible career spanning over two decades. What keeps you motivated to continue creating music and performing?
I can’t really do anything else. Haha. No, seriously, sometimes I actually like to get away from music for a while and do other creative things in my life so I keep my relationship with music fresh and healthy. I have lots of conversations with myself about whether my relationship with music is in a good place or if it needs some nurturing. I’m not sure if it’s so much about motivation as it is about looking after my connection to music so it continues to be a beautiful part of connection in my life.
You’ve been a strong supporter of the LGBTIQ+ community, particularly your friend Beccy Cole. Can you share your thoughts on the importance of visibility and acceptance?
I was lucky enough to grow up in a family, both immediate and extended, where acceptance was very high on the priority list of how to relate and connect to others and ourselves. I was exposed to many different lifestyles, cultures, races, personalities and beliefs throughout my early years, and was taught by my parents and extended family, through their natural non-judgemental behaviour, to not only accept the differences in other people and their choices but also to see the beauty in that. I truly believe that this is the key to more harmony in the world and true happiness and acceptance within ourselves. We can learn a lot about ourselves when we open our minds and hearts to the differences in other people.
How do you think the music industry has evolved in terms of inclusivity and support for LGBTIQ+ artists?
It’s beautiful to see more acceptance, inclusion and support in the music industry overall for the LGBTIQ+ community in recent years and the changes being made, but there’s still more to be done. If I’m honest, I sometimes forget how much more still needs to be done in the way of acceptance, because the immediate tribe circle of people I have chosen to surround myself with in daily life, both musically and personally, are so open-minded and supportive of the freedom of choice in so many ways that I’m sometimes initially surprised when I’m sadly reminded that unnecessary judgement still very much occurs in every industry and there’s always still work to be done.
What message do you hope to convey to queer fans through your music and public presence?
Above all else in my life, from personal experience and general life experience through connecting with people in music, growing, understanding and learning in life, I think the biggest lesson I’ve ever learned is that nothing is more important than living as your authentic self.
Your new book Just Don’t Be a D**khead shares profound life lessons. What inspired you to write a book?
It actually didn’t even start out as a book. It started out as a bunch of reminders to myself to live by the important lessons I’ve learnt through my own personal experience. After a while of writing out these reminders and the way I learnt them, it just started to evolve into a book.
“The most important thing you can do in life is just be a decent human being. Don’t go out of your way to be a jerk, and if you see someone struggling, lend a hand.” Excerpt from Kasey’s book ‘Just Don’t Be a D**khead’.
What are some key takeaways you hope readers will gain from it?
I guess if readers figure out their own definitions of what ‘being a dickhead’ means then it’s easier to avoid being one.
How do you prioritise happiness and fulfilment in your life, especially during challenging times?
I meditate a lot. I have a lot of hard, honest conversations with myself. I work on my relationships with my strengths and my defaults. I try not to give in to impulsive reactions. I prioritise my wellbeing. I do grounding and breathing exercises. I lead with my heart. I try not to be a dickhead.
Kasey Chambers is currently touring Australia. For tour dates or if you would like to buy a copy of her new book, visit kaseychambers.com
