Watch our full interview with KESMAR!
To celebrate the release of his charismatic new single Back Up, we sat down with Sydney-based producer and songwriter KESMAR to chat about his stellar new releases, his transition from folk to disco inspired sounds, writing with I Know Leopard frontman Luke O’Loughlin and so much more!
After being inspired by his fathers music collection from a young age, KESMAR, the musical project of Nathan Hawes got his hands on a guitar and never looked back. After years of busking, performing and a stint on a local singing competition, the musician began to release music within the realm of folk. After moving towards the production side of things, Hawes set out to broaden his horizon, exploring sounds from 70’s and 80’s music. He soon found himself swapping his acoustic guitar out for synths and never looked back. Hawes new musical exploration fuses together his love of the nostalgic disco genre and production.
Hawes’ latest release Back Up, is full of irresistible melodies, highlighting the singers pure and sublime vocals. The track was written earlier this year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in his bedroom studio in Sydney. Hawes shares with MILKY that the upbeat track was inspired by “a whole heap of late 70s Brazilian music and their chord structures and everything. So I kind of just started that way and then the lyrics kind of came around that.” On the release, Hawes sings of wanting to be somebodies first choice, not their back up.
To launch his new single, Hawes took to the stage at The Vanguard in Sydney, bringing the 80’s glow of dreamy disco to Sydney last night, transporting audience members back in time for an entrancing live show. View out full gallery and review of the performance here.
Hawes launched KESMAR in 2019 with his debut EP, Up To You. The release saw the musician undertake a collaborative approach, collaborating with LANKS, Tim Ayre and Tobias Priddle. The release saw him hit the road with Vera Blue and Miami Horror. During isolation, Hawes found the time to hone in on his craft, refining his creative process. This ultimately led to the creation of a new body of that leans into groove-tinged sounds with flecks of disco and funk. ”I wanted to make a bunch of songs that basically just made me happy and I hope it has the same effect on others' he explains.
Back Up is out now. Watch our interview with KESMAR above, as well as an exclusive performance of the song!
Images: Vasili Papathanasopoulos ©
Filming: Vasili Papathanasopoulos and Laurence Morassut.
Featured Song: Back Up courtesy of KESMAR