Interview: Mallrat

AlthoughBrisbane emcee Grace Shaw a.k.a. Mallrat may be young, her debut EP ‘Uninvited’ was proof that she’s anything but naive. A smart, savvy superstar in the making, naturally we were thrilled when she called up to chat about sleep deprivation, teenage dramas, and the charm of awkwardness.

You’re playing the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl in just under a month, what are you most looking forward to about that?

I love playing hometown shows in Brisbane so I’m so excited for that. It’ll be like a big party, I think. I’m really excited to show people some new music I’m working on and see some other bands play as well.

Who are you most excited to see?

Probably Gill Bates and Moses Gunn Collective! WAAX as well.

What’s the first thing you plan to do once you finish your set?

I don’t know, probably say hi to my friends (laughs) and then maybe go to Ben’s Burgers in the Valley and get some chips.

They do have the best chips at Ben’s Burgers. You also recently played Falls Festival, what was your favourite thing about that experience?

The whole thing was awesome. I really loved playing the Tasmania show. That was my first time in Tasmania and the weather was so clear and the location was amazing – it was on this beautiful farm and everyone was so great. They were excited even before we went on stage, it was such a good place to play. It was so much fun.

You had a fair bit of solid material to use for those shows, we loved ‘Uninvited’.

Thank you!

Do you have a favourite track from the EP to perform live?

“Uninvited” is pretty fun because people know it and then “Inside Voices” as well. I think my favourite song…I do a cover of “Pop Star” by Drake, and that’s so much fun. It’s my favourite to sing, I just wish I wrote it (laughs).

There’s a lot of material on the EP about teenage struggles like anxiety, what was it like writing about that ?

I felt very comfortable writing about all that stuff. It was kind of just stuff that was floating around in my mind anyway, so it was nice just to have somewhere to put it all. I really am enjoying playing for different people and seeing how well it connects with so many people. I think it’s one thing to have a cool set that you love and that’s amazing but it’s pretty special when people can connect to it personally and it makes them feel something…it’s humbling and really exciting for me.

Since releasing the EP, you’ve also recorded a track and filmed a music video with E^ST, how did you find that experience?

Oh yeah, it was so fun! I love her, she’s such a great person so it’s so cool that we got to become friends out of that. That was my first ever big music video thing. I just had so much fun with it. She’s the best person ever.

Did you get nervous in front of the camera?

I’m very awkward in general (laughs) so I think it’s a little bit more awkward when there’s a camera involved (laughs).

Awkwardness can be part of the charm though!

Yeah, you’re exactly right. I’m less awkward in person…I’m trying to be more confident this year, so less awkward in front of cameras, more of a diva – that sort of thing (laughs).

You’ve been performing as Mallrat since you were 16 – what has changed for you over the past few years?

I finished school, which was a relief.

That’s massive.

Yeah, I was very happy with that. What else has changed? I’ve just met new people, listened to more music, figured out how to record songs and perform songs. Those are the main things that have changed. It’s been the best learning experience, just learning how to deal with different types of people and business stuff. I did not want to go to university, so this is a lot more up my alley.

On that note, you recently tweeted “I don’t need a resume, I have an Instagram”.  If not for fame, music and Instagram, what would you be doing right now?

(Laughs) I think besides music the other thing I love is fashion. Also people. So I’d be doing fashion, or I’d be doing social work or teaching or something with languages and travelling…I don’t know, I wouldn’t be able to decide.

You’re throwing a going away party this Saturday in Brisbane, where are you off to? Can you tell us more about that?

I’m going to LA for a few weeks and then I’m coming back for the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl and a few other shows for like a month, and then I’m going away again and eventually-slash-pretty soon moving over there. Yeah, I’m so excited.

You’ve got so much stuff going on, do you ever actually sleep?

Yeah, I have a lot of naps during the day (laughs).

Check out our review of Mallrat’s EP ‘Uninvited’ HERE

Mallrat Live Dates 

SAT 11 FEB
Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Fortitude Valley [FREE]