[gtranslate]
Interviews

Where did Kita Alexander disappear to for 2 years? Hear the bittersweet tale of her latest EP Hotel

Hailing from Byron Bay, Kita Alexander brings to mind all the sunny, upbeat Aussie greatness the locale has become famous for.  Yet despite the bright exterior, Alexander has had a troublesome few years. Loss, new love and uncertainty played a huge part in the crafting of her latest output, the bittersweet Hotel  EP.

After letting the EP sit for a few weeks, we caught up with Alexander for the latest.

kita alexander hotel ep byron bay

Mourning, motherhood and more honesty than ever: Kita Alexander has never worn her heart on her sleeve as proudly as she does now.

HAPPY: Hey Kita, how are you? What are you up to at the moment?

KITA: Hi! I’m amazing. I just loaded up a ute full of trash to take to the tip, and now I’m sitting on the couch breast feeding my little baby boy.

HAPPY: Your new EP Hotel has had about a week to sit by now, how have you found the reactions from friends and fans?

KITA: The response has been so incredibly amazing. The amount of people that have written to me saying how much they needed to hear this song and made them cry is overwhelmingly beautiful. Before I released it I showed it to my friends and family and I’m pretty sure every single one of them teared up… I never expected the same reaction from my fans.

HAPPY: There’s a massive difference between the new EP and Like You Want To in 2015. Were you apprehensive about the release at all?

KITA: Yeah definitely; at first I was for sure. Then I sat with it for about a week, and asked myself why I was apprehensive. I realised that I was releasing an EP of songs that was so close to my heart, sonically and lyrically. My sound has matured to a place of pure reflection. The EP is made up of personal moments in my life and I was just nervous about how truthful I was being. I opened up a little window into my soul for everyone to come and have a sticky beak in.

HAPPY: There’s a darker side to your lyricism this time around. Has anyone responded particularly to this new face of yours?

KITA: Honestly I think my fans have just really appreciated the truthfulness of the record. I’m so amazed by the positive response it has had.

HAPPY: At any point, did it seem like Hotel would never happen?

KITA: 100 percent! Some thought it wasn’t the right direction for me to be releasing at this time in my career. It looked like Hotel would never see the light of day.

HAPPY: Did becoming a parent change your creative outlook or process?

KITA: Yes! Becoming a parent has given me so much strength. After giving birth to such an amazing baby, I found a new respect for myself and realised I can do anything. I realised that I can create and birth anything I want. I feel this new sense of freedom. I’m like “I’m a Mum, don’t tell me what to do”. Just wait and see what I create.

HAPPY: So much happened to you while writing this EP, but did you distil one theme or overarching feeling that you wanted to get across in releasing Hotel?

KITA: The theme for me was my journey through the grieving process of losing my sister. From denial, to coming to terms with her being gone, to remembering all the great things about her. I tapped not only into my personal feelings but also into the ones of heartbreak with a lover. It’s amazing how the two kind of cross over in a mystical way.

HAPPY: I’m loving the clip for Damage Done, it’s very Byron. Who did you work with on this one, and was the concept yours?

KITA: Thanks! I worked with Kid Mac on it. I actually didn’t come up with the concept for this one as I was fully in baby land head space, I had the full baby brain thing… I was 36 weeks pregnant when we were filming haha.

HAPPY: Can we expect you to hit the road anytime soon, given you have new music out?

KITA: I’m trying not to think to hard about when the right time to go on tour is. I just want to be with my baby right now and be present with him. I know the time will come when I’m like “yep! Let’s go guys! Full steam ahead lets get on the road”. But maybe towards the back half of the year!

HAPPY: And what’s next for you? In life, in your music, or anything else.

KITA: At the moment I’m travelling a whole lot with my partner who is on his own tour. Being a family and being together is the most amazing thing! I do have another song up my sleeve though, which I’m already starting to think about, so that’s super exciting for me.

 

Hotel is out now.