Drest Headphones Interview

Drest Breaks the Shell with Headphones

Following the slick unshackled vibe from his previous mixtape 'Still A Kid', Finley-born, now Melbourne-based highschool rapper, Drest is set to shake the status quo with his first offering for 2020, 'Headphones' available on all streaming platforms now.

The 18-year-old artist created 'Headphones' to give listeners a chance to reflect their inner selves and remember every person, thing, and situation that has molded and pushed them towards to who they are today. This release is embedded with Drest's traits including his catchy, and thoughtful musical arrangements, which have progressed since starting out in his bedroom with a cheap microphone.

"I'd hope that they can take away that sense that it's cool to be yourself and to be real, it's cool to be vulnerable and it's cool to have these distinctive experiences that make us who we are." - Drest

Drest received massive support from the Triple J Unearthed community last year with his song 'Juveniles' making it to week 7 on Unearthed's High competition, a highly viewed competition held annually. As a result, the popular single was added to Triple J Unearthed rotation. Although now based in Melbourne, Drest was able to secure prime time coverage on the local Win News Shepparton. Alongside notable publication write-ups from The Local Frequency, and Eat This Music it's fair to say he has covered more ground than your usual high school graduate.

Interview with Drest

Question: How would you describe your music?

Drest: I would describe it as okay chilled rap songs coming from a teenager's perspective of real experiences.


Question: Can you tell us about Headphones?

Drest: Headphones is a song that's produced by an incredible producer from Brisbane, James Angus. And I loved that sample and knew I had to try and turn that beat into a song! It's about turning up your headphones to drown out the stressful stuff that everyone goes through, but it's also related to a youth perspective and trying to say that it's cool to be vulnerable and to be a real human being to develop into who we are now.


Question: What inspired Headphones?

Drest: I rode the bus a lot when I wrote this chorus (laughs), and I used to just play my headphones really loud to try and block out the noise, which isn't good for your eardrums (don't recommend), and I think it's common to distance yourself from stress with loud music, as a kind of distraction from it. So that led me to come up with the line 'My headphones burst my eardrums' and it all was just built around that, and I hope it's come out okay!

Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Drest: That's a tough call; I haven't done a lot of live performances so I'm definitely more comfortable recording and creating things. And the few times that I've done live performances I've had so much fun, nothing compares to the feeling of being on stage and singing or rapping your songs it's fully crazy.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Drest: I love doing songs that people know, because it's so much fun performing them with a few people in the crowd dancing and singing along, so at the moment I'd have to say that song for me is Skiddin, I do love that song too (laughs).


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Drest: As in watch me? Damn that's tough; I really appreciate anyone that comes to watch. I mean it would be cool to have a huge artist like Lil Wayne or Drake or someone but I think I'd have to say my Papa who showed me passion for music, and even though he'd probably hate rap I think it would be cool to share a moment like that with him.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Drest: I'm just motivated by life experiences, I've got a note on my phone called 'Idea Lines' with like hundreds of random thoughts I just shove in there throughout the day as I think of them so when I get a chance to write music I can look through and revisit that motivation for the line and try and make a half good song out of it!


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?
Drest: Heaps! I've really been into Lil Wayne's recent album Funeral, as well as 'Destiny Rogers' who has this song called 'North$ide' I've had on repeat it's so good. And Olive Amun has been putting out a song every week and I've loved every single one of them!


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Drest: Well I started getting into rap music when I was maybe 10, like Eminem and Kendrick before I even knew there was such a thing as Australian Hip-Hop, and when I was maybe 13 or 14 one of my friends sent me All Day's first album 'Startup Cult' and I loved it. Learn how to rap from that album. I probably wouldn't be rapping at all if my friend never sent me that album, probably explains why I get a lot of 'you sound like Allday' comments on my music!


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Drest: Probably with Drake just because it'd be a hit even before it got put out (laughs).


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Drest: It was hard getting used to putting out music and lyrics that are personal and vulnerable, knowing it's public for everyone to hear. And yeah of course there's been a lot of hate and comments that used to hurt but I think learning to be comfortable with myself and as I got more confident with the songs I put out, it just doesn't bother me anymore and I don't really think about it.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Drest: Well I'm studying music production at the moment so it generally involves me getting on the tram and spending the whole day studying, making, mixing or discussing good music. Then I come home and write songs to take to my engineers in the studio every few weeks when I've picked the less shitty songs to record. And when it's a nice day you'll probably see me at a skate park stacking it somewhere.

Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Drest: There's nothing better than doing what you love all the time. I'm honestly blessed to be in this position where I can make music all the time and turn it into a real song that people can listen and relate to. The messages from people I don't know saying that my song meant something to them is crazy and something I never thought would happen.


Question: What's next, for you?

Drest: Songs, songs, songs! I'm writing so much music right now and I'm working hard on putting out as much music as I can this year and connect with as many talented people as I can!


Question: Can you share your socials?

Drest: Spotify 
@kid_drest/
https://facebook.com/kiddrest
https://twitter.com/kid_drest


Interview by Brooke Hunter