Interview • Kate Miller-Heidke (English)

Parce qu'on pense aussi à nos visiteurs anglophones (et qu'on nous l'a demandé, aussi).

HM • To begin with, could you introduce yourself in a few words to the visitors of the site who wouldn’t know you? (And who would not have read the article dedicated to Last day on Earth : SUCH A SHAME!)

Kate Miller-Heidke • My name is Kate Miller-Heidke, and I'm a singer-songwriter from Brisbane, Australia. I suppose my music fits under the broad umbrella of 'alternative pop', but it tends to veer wildly between diverse styles.

HM • How did you land in the music industry? More or less by chance, or did you dream about it, as a child, singing in front of your mirror in your room?

Kate Miller-Heidke • Music was never a choice for me - it was simply a fact of life, and I feel very lucky that I've been able to make a career out of it. Music was the only thing I was ever really good at. I've been singing every day of my life since I was a baby. I was classically trained after leaving school, but songwriting was always my biggest passion.

HM • Curiouser is your second album, following Little Eve. Can you personally feel a clear evolution of the sound, between both albums?

Kate Miller-Heidke • Yes - Little Eve is a folk album, whereas Curiouser explores the joy of innovative pop music. They are very different albums.

HM • Last day Earth is currently a huge success in Australia. How do you feel about it?

Kate Miller-Heidke • I've been living in London, so haven't really been affected by any of it. I feel quite detached from it really. I'm very grateful though.

HM • And, honestly, do you watch Neighbours?

No. I don't have a television.

HM • Following the success of Last day on Earth, your second LP, Curiouser, climbed its way back to the highest positions of the Australian charts. Finally, the album’s title was kind of a good omen, considering that, with Last day on Earth, Australian people seem getting “Curiouser” about your music. Do you have any plans to release other singles after this one? If yes, do you know what your next single is going to be?

Kate Miller-Heidke • The next single will be 'Caught in the Crowd', which, coincidentally, was also the last single. Now that the radio are playing my music, I wanted to re-release 'Caught in the Crowd' because I believe it's the best song on the album, and nobody really played it last time around.

HM • Does the success of this song make you want to try to release abroad, and travel all the way to Europe to promote it ? We'ev read that you’ve done a trip to the USA during the promotion of your first LP, Little Eve. Any plans to go back there?

Kate Miller-Heidke • I'm about to head to the US to be special guest of Ben Folds on his US tour. We'll be going to a lot of mid-west College towns. I'm a huge fan of Ben Folds and I think his audience is going to be scrumptious. I would love to come to Europe to play, particularly France. It's definitely on the cards for 2010.

HM • Have you spent any time in France?

Kate Miller-Heidke • When I was 17, I spent a year in Oyonnax as an Exchange student. (Oyonnax is between Lyon and Geneva). I learned to speak French fluently though it's very rusty now unfortunately. I was a sulky teenager then, and spent a lot of the year in my bedroom writing songs on the guitar. It was a major formative experience for me and for my music. I have a great love of the country, the people, the food and the language and I can't wait to go back.

HM • Let’s talk about your album, now. You've worked with Mickey Petralia, who produced some Beck albums : how did you meet him?

Kate Miller-Heidke • Keir (my collaborator and husband) and I had sent out our demos to a whole bunch of producers. Mickey was the first guy to call us back. His credentials were amazing. We were big fans of Flight of the Conchords at the time, and that was the last project Mickey had worked on. The other stuff he had done - Beck, eels, Peaches etc, all had that experimental spirit that we wanted for Curiouser. Mickey is a genius of a producer and now also a great friend.

HM • And the result of this collaboration is this album which includes very different songs. But what are your musical influences? And where do the ideas for your videos come from?

Kate Miller-Heidke • For Curiouser, the influences were theatrical, risk-taking pop with heart. Like Cyndi Lauper, Queen, Divinyls, Devo. Originally, my influences are far more folky - Joni Mitchell opened up a whole world for me when I was 14, and I started writing songs because of her.

HM • At the moment, what collaborations are you dreaming of ? Why didn’t you record anything with Cyndi Lauper after your duet on Girls just want to have fun?

Kate Miller-Heidke • I don't know - she didn't ask me! At the moment I'm learning the Regina Spektor part on 'You Don't Know Me' to sing with Ben Folds on his tour. Big shoes to fill.

HM • If we looked into your I-Pod right now, what would we find?

Kate Miller-Heidke • A lot of Smiths and Morrissey. I just got his entire back catalogue. It's ridiculous. Also TV on the Radio, Bon Iver, and some This American Life podcasts.

HM • On Hall-Musique, in order to conclude every interview, we ask the artists to give their opinions (in a few words) about other artists we often talk about.

- Lady GaGa : There is a part of me that sneakily admires the gall of someone who walks through an airport after a long haul flight wearing a leotard and stilettos. It's just so insane. I like that she goes to the effort.
- Pet Shop Boys : I heard 'West End Girls' on the radio the other day - I can't believe how much it sound like 'Inner City Pressure' by Flight of the Conchords !
- Britney Spears : Toxic is a great song. I do a cover of it sometimes.
- Frankmusik : I'm playing at One Movement festival with this guy next month...I've heard he is great.
- Pixie Lott : I don't know her except from London billboards.
- Kylie Minogue : I saw she has a song coming out called 'Chiggy Wiggy'. It sounds like the title of a Wiggles song.
- Delta Goodrem : Lovely girl.

HM • Maybe a last word for the Hall-Musique readers ?

Kate Miller-Heidke • J'espere que bientot, je vais vous voir en France!