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Interview with
KIWAT KENNELL

(4th September 2023)

Interview with Dave Bruce

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Photo – Jacinta Keefe

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About KIWAT

Kiwat Kennell is a student of life, his gift for musicality a conduit for his own existence. Broken-hearted yearnings and triumphant awakenings permeate the melting pot of song writing that Kiwat continues to find himself within.

Following the success of his award-winning band, Key Hoo, a journey into a solo body of work has propelled him further toward self-actualisation. Having grown up on the roads of so-called Australia, Kiwat draws on his lived experience being a foreigner on Aboriginal land, before settling in Naarm Melbourne. This artist Kiwat Kennell, a Torres Strait Islander Ugaram Le, trusts in the path he walks, uncovering more with each step he takes.

In Kiwat’s music and live performance, you will hear stories told in a genre-blending kaleidoscope of sounds, using past experiences of strength, courage and healing to create an expansive array of musical expression. This artist invokes emotion and breaks down metaphorical walls, you’ll leave this show screaming fuck you to the haters, whilst high-fiving a brother for surviving!

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First up, can you please give us a quick intro?
Hi there! My name is Kiwat Kennell and I’m a proud Torres Strait Islander from the islands of Ugar (Stephens) and Erub (Darnley) in the eastern Torres Strait. I’m a First Nations artist, mental health advocate and singer/songwriter, who navigates his space by walking in two worlds.

Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you get the song writing bug?
Well I was raised on the road and always changed scenes, exposed to a kaleidoscope of sounds at a young age from many different people and family members, but I always struggled with identity. Mus was this outlet for me to channel my emotions into, allowing me to express myself in ways that simple words couldn’t.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
My music is a mixed array of my experiences growing up as a kid between two worlds, I’m heavily influenced by my First Nations storytellers, such as Uncle Kutcha Edwards and the late Uncle Jack Charles & Archie Roach… but I was also exposed to alot of electronic, disco, rock & country, amongst other things! My sound is a reflection of who I am, but I think people resonate with my music the most, because I’ve experienced many different connections to people over the years, allowing me to see the underlying issues that connect us all!

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
I was always attached to Uncle Archie Roach’s story telling, seeing many different mob growing up, I couldn’t believe the power of one artist to connect people from all over! The power of his words and the truth that it spoke, just left me in awe. The wake of this mans powerful presence, opened up doorways to other artists that inspire today, including, Dobby, Barkaa, Baker Boy, Birdz and Fred Leone!

Your new single ‘Disconnected’ has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
‘Disconnected’ tells the story of how my father, saved my life, in a very dark time! I was on a road trip up north between two lockdowns, escaping a mistake that I had caused, resulting in me losing many of my close personal relationships due to poor mental health and spiraling downward on a solo journey.
My father and I, not always having a strong relationship, rebuilt our connection through this dark time, eventually having him lift me up and talk me off ‘the ledge’.
The song was created in the Archie Roach Foundations mentoring program ‘Singing Our Futures’, where I was connected with ARIA Award winner, Dan Sultan, as a mentor and we both worked on this beautiful track that now represents healing, family, culture and life!

Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
Yes!! I’m about to head on the road to undertake a deep dive study into my Torres Strait Islander heritage! Understanding the origins of song, dance and language has always been important to me.
To be able to learn this knowledge and possibly incorporate it into future works, will be a dream of mine and the foundation for my first solo album. Whilst on the road though, I plan to do a few pop up shows on the road, in towns that I grew up/spent time in, starting with the Royal Hotel, Murgon QLD on the 15th of September.

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How has COVID affected you to date? What have you introduced to balance the losses from missed events?
COVID really taught me how to sustain a career in the arts, through the balancing of mental health as a priority and not sacrificing anything that could compromise that balance. In the lockdowns I sought help after being diagnosed with depression, I finally understood what was happening with my mind and now have the tools to combat it.
I now find myself undertaking projects that align with my values, causing me to be happier in the work that I do and now longer spiral down negative paths that don’t align with my boundaries.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
Ohhhhh…. I think I would have to choose Chris Stapleton! I was raised on country music and his style of music, combined with his vocals, would be something that I think we would really vibe on stage well together!

Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist?
As a Torres Strait Islander singer/songwriter, I aim to incorporate more of my language into my music! I was exposed to alot of culture as a kid, but growing up as a teenager I didn’t really have much of an interest in it. Now that I’m a bit older, I want to know the origins of who I am and where my rhythms come from!
Sustaining a long-term career in the arts is about combing past histories and future ideas into one cohesive musical project. Something that can reflect the person you are today, in my eyes, that is the definition of long-term aspirations.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
Being able to connect to a large group of people you don’t know, through the sounds that you’re making, but have them interpret those sounds in their own way… is pure MAGIC, when it comes to performing to a live audience. I had the pleasure of experiencing this, performing my new single ‘Disconnected’, in front of thousands of people at Bluesfest 2023 earlier this year!

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album: The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake
Artist: Tom Misch
Movie: Interstellar
Place to visit: The Great Ocean Road
Venue to play: The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood
Food: Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with fluffy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Drink: Scotch & Coke
Person in History: Archie Roach
Tattoo: My sleeve on my left arm, a custom piece reflecting my music, my culture and my past.

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Follow KIWAT KENNELL
Website – Facebook – Instagram

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Press Release 26th July 2023 (below)

KIWAT KENNELL
shares new single
DISCONNECTED

as part of
SINGING OUR FUTURES
program

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Another stunning single released in conjunction with the Singing Our Futures program, aka The Archie Roach Foundation’s mentoring experience helping emerging First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys, the powerful new track Disconnected (and accompanying live music video) from Torres Strait Islander artist Kiwat Kennell is a warm and wondrous ode to yearning for deep connection.

With Kiwat mentored by the one and only Dan Sultan to bring Disconnected to life, the lush track draws creative inspiration from Sultan himself, his proud Torres Strait Islander heritage, plus a range of artists from Matt Corby, to Budjerah, Bumpy and Kee’ahn and the storytelling prowess of figures from Kiwat’s own past, including Uncle Kutcha Edwards, the late Uncle Archie Roach and Jack Charles. Centred around a significantly personal narrative for Kiwat, Disconnected touches on the aftermath when connections are suddenly lost, alongside hope that often lingers on the horizon for those who have strength to reach beyond the darkness, as Kiwat elaborates, “Disconnected tells the story of how my father saved my life, from my own actions, in one of the darkest periods of my life. The yearning for a connection of any kind in a post-lockdown life is one that too many of us have all experienced. Through an unhealthy relationship with my mental health, I lost many personal relationships, resulting in a downward spiral, solo journey, that would eventually have me reconnect with my father, after many years of being apart. What began as a deeply negative and traumatic experience, has me now connecting to family, culture and life!”

Produced by Candy Suite alongside Kiwat, with mixing by Simon Moro and mastering courtesy of Paul Blakey, Disconnected may vividly and lyrically stem from physical and emotional disconnections, but it also ultimately fostered an extremely special and fruitful connection between Kiwat and his mentor Dan Sultan via Singing Our Futures. “My mentor in the program was Dan Sultan, someone who I’d always looked up to,” Kiwat shares. “We had known each other socially for a few years, but when I found out that Dan would be my mentor, and I would have the chance to work with him in a professional capacity, I couldn’t believe it. Dan Sultan has always been a huge influence on my career, his ability to captivate a whole audience with just his voice and a guitar, will always astound me! Being able to collaborate with Dan on this track has really changed how I approach songwriting. He taught me that the story, or song, that you start writing at one point in time, doesn’t have to be finished at that moment. Because like in life, you evolve… and your story isn’t finished yet. Sometimes you have to walk the path, to see where it leads.”

Surrounded by music from a young age, Kiwat’s earliest musical memories revolved around his experiences having his father as his first teacher, and sitting around the table with his family and singing together, Kiwat says “This track has strong Torres Strait Islander foundations, reminiscent of my childhood being surrounded by culture.” Growing up on the road and moving towns frequently, Kiwat’s musical identity would be shaped by some of his dad’s favourite artists, featuring Archie Roach, Gavin Somers, Charlie Pride and Randy Travis; but it wasn’t until Kiwat realised the extent and connection that this very music offered at a young age, that his musical journey truly ignited, before fittingly leading him to become part of Archie Roach’s legacy as a key part of the Singing Our Futures program, as Kiwat shares, “Here we are singing along to Uncle Archie Roach as kids, thinking that these were our special little family songs, but once we connected with mob across the country, I started to find others singing these songs. It was here that I discovered the power of storytelling and the ability to connect with people through music… the rest is history.”

A meaningful and culturally safe songwriting program that supports young First Nations artists to tell their story through songwriting, Singing Our Futures was devised pre-COVID and is one of the leading programs of the Archie Roach Foundation. Led by Candice Lorrae (The Merindas), an established singer-songwriter and music producer with Jawoyn and Torres Strait Islander roots, Singing Our Futures has evolved into an impactful and ever-growing initiative for emerging artists and storytelling that spans genres and generations.

A live celebration of the next Singing Our Futures program participants will take place on Sunday July 30 at the Brunswick Ballroom, with Kiwat set to perform Disconnected – and some special surprises in store for the night as well as for the rest of 2023, as he concludes, “I’ll be set to perform the new single Disconnected at the Brunswick Ballroom show, possibly with my band (and a few of the old Singing Our Futures crew) there’s a section that has a choir, so you might recognise a few voices. I also have a few more releases planned for the rest of the year, plus a few firsts, including a music video that will be coming out with the release of Disconnected and my first batch of merch will be available via my website…. but the big news for 2023, is that I will be planning to embark north along the east coast and begin a deep dive study into my Torres Strait Islander heritage, culture and songs. This will be the basis for my first solo album.”

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AMNPLIFY – DB