The Mesmerising Energy of Kiki Rockwell

In this, their first ever music interview, Kiki Rockwell and I sit down over zoom, two sides of the planet, me in my Surrey flat and Kiki in her New Zealand outback family home, with 13 hours between us. We talk outback truck stops, storytelling and the creative power of periods.

'Same Old Energy' Thumbnail - Kiki Rockwell

There are few artists that mesmerise their worldwide audience through their music and audiovisual content, like New Zealand creative, Kiki Rockwell.

As a self taught artist and producer, Rockwell knew that songwriting was the way in a single moment. After a breakup (classic), while on a camping trip, sat under an oak tree, the song ‘Left For Dead’, rushed up on them, like a wind, completely unexpected. ‘Left For Dead’ first started out as a poem, developing into something even more beautiful. Kiki described it as "a tap that hasn’t been turned off since”.

Their most recent release ‘Same Old Energy’ is largely inspired by the Crucible, the music video being a cinematic treat which perfectly compliments the track and is a movie in its own right, written and directed by Rockwell and close childhood friend and movie maker, Oshara Ardelean. Rockwell praises Ardelean for most importantly listening to them throughout the process and enabling their image to become what Rockwell imagined it to be, a deeper knowing then just communication necessary for collaboration.

|“Emotionally unavailable people make songs happen”

When writing Kiki believes “you don’t have to write from your perspective, you can write little films in your head and tell them”. Lyrics are the most important aspect to music, for example how Amy Winehouse’ lyrics are like diary entries. Kiki Rockwell lyrics for ‘Same Old Energy, the lyrics were more than just the, lyrics, they are story telling of hundreds of years of genocide to people who dared to be non conforming to social norms.

I asked how Kiki nurtures their talent, and after we bonded over writing music in the car, she said the creativity just flows while traveling, specifically its most prominent in a truck stop in the outback close to her home. Kiki kissed the floor once in thanks after releasing Same Old Energy, for enabling her with the spirit to develop her globally known music.

We also bonded over the creative power of periods. Trusting your moon cycle, Rockwell tends to write all their lyrics when they’re about to bleed, emotions are heightened, everything feels heavy and raw and the yearning for lyrics and melody is real. “When I’m fertile I make my beats and sounds” the energetic and powerful vibes make Rockwell create sounds that she can move her body to. “We need to drop the shame and stigma around bleeding…its sacred and beautiful", productive even.

Having discovered Rockwell through TikTok, a social platform that is revolutionising the music game. I asked Rockwell if they feel a pressure to constantly create digital content and after telling me she was the annoying kid who always wanted to tell stories after dinner and would pull family into making dance routines, TikTok gave an excuse for that. "But there is a big pressure, not at all a waste of time". For women and non-binary folk, TikTok has helped with finding demographic, you can teach yourself anything “you don’t need permission to do whatever the hell you want”.

Last listened to song: Herald of Change - Hanz Zimmer