Interview: Midas.Gold

Here’s a fun fact! Australian hip-hop doesn’t have to be confined to Aussie accents and Cosby sweaters (not that there’s anything wrong with that). However, if you’re pining for an Aussie act on the level of Kid Cudi, then find your fortune in Midas.Gold. The Brisbane-based newcomer is lit. Just ask Danny Brown, who brought Midas along as his support during his Australian tour! We had a chat with Midas about his first release, how he started writing music as a dare, and how punk and hip-hop aren’t so different after all.

So you’ve just finished a tour!

Absolutely, yes. First time tour!

Awesome, how did it all go?

Real good. I’ve learnt a lot about performing, specifically for touring. Like, not taking a heap of drugs the night before and feeling shit the next day…

Fair enough! So, the name Midas.Gold, where did that come from?

(Laughs) I hate that question. Look, I don’t know! It just came about, I was lying in bed and the name Midas just sort of came to me, and yeah Midas Gold. That was it really. I wish there was a cooler story…

Sometimes the simple answer is the best. Your new single $$$ is out, how does it feel to have that one released?

How does it feel? I’m not sure. At first it was nerve racking. I was a bit anxious to put it out after the success of 000000. I was kind of caught up with the success of my sophomore release I guess. But I’m happy that it’s out now and it’s doing well. I’m more at peace about it. I mean it’s not some viral hit or anything, but on a personal scale it’s doing well.

So what did you want achieve with these two releases?

I didn’t really have any expectations to be honest. That’s kind of how I am though, I don’t hold high expectations. Whatever happens, happens!

Yeah, so you mentioned before that you had some nerves releasing $$$, and of course it’s always nerve-wracking to actually release music for the first time. When was it that you realised that it was going to work?

Well, with my first release it was more of a mixture. I had a deadline to work to for releasing a single, and it actually wasn’t going to be 000000, it was only in the last two hours I decided I didn’t care and just chose a song and it happened to be 000000. But it all worked out.

Was that the track you felt most confident about, or was it more of a “f*ck it I’ll just pick that one”?

A bit of both really! It was probably the track that I was most positive about, out of every track that I’ve made so far. But at the same time, I didn’t really have a choice. There were people who wanted an entirely different track to be released, so you learn to compromise.

When did you first get into music?

I’ve been writing on and off since I was probably 14. It was 17 when I actually started writing properly, and that was really only because one of my old mates dared me to. It wasn’t really me saying that I wanted to do it. But then at about 21 – 22 was when I realised I actually want to do this for the rest of my life.

Was there a development, or did you have a specific moment when you realised ‘this is it’?

Definitely both. It was development because it was something I always wanted to do. But at the same time I was going through some stuff in my life and it kind of gave me this ultimatum, and I decided that music was what I was going to do.

What was it like telling your mum that you were going to pursue music as a career?

Well, my mum knows that I smoke weed and shit like that, so I guess I couldn’t be more disappointing…my parents were supportive when I told them though. They knew it’s something that I’m passionate about and serious about. They recognised that it was actually the first time in my life that I wanted to do something. So I’m really lucky on that front.

Well, your style is certainly different to that of the typical Australian hip hop scene, but it has been receiving a lot of positive feedback. Why do you think that something different is doing so well?

There’s always been a market for this style of music to be made here, it’s just that no one has really filled that position. I also think that Australia’s hip hop is a very specific style of music. So people like something different, and I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I also think it’s the fact that my music is good.

Hip hop, especially, requires a level of confidence in yourself. Yeah, your style of music is quite popular in the US, so it makes sense that Australia would make our own…

Absolutely! People are getting really excited about it, someone from Australia doing stuff like the states. But I don’t think people realise I’m actually from the states. I mean, I was born there and I live in Brisbane now. But a lot of my family are from the US.

You’ve shared the stage with the likes of Danny Brown, how have experiences like that been?

First and foremost, unreal! I guess for me it’s a strong indicator that I’m doing something right. Seeing opportunities like this come about is very encouraging.

You must have a lot of influences, being from the US and coming to Australia, so (music wise) who are some of your biggest influences?

I’d definitely put Michael Jackson up there. Lupe Fiasco, and then I really like quite a few punk bands. I’m not sure how that influences my music, but I really enjoy those bands!

Not so much style, but in terms of attitude, punk and hip hop do share a lot of qualities, especially when it comes to self-confidence and the like!

Absolutely, I’m glad that you said that. Because yes, in terms of attitude, punk and hip-hop are similar, most definitely. That definite “screw you, I’m going to do it my way” perspective. The funny thing is that I write all kinds of music. It just so happens that the type of music that I write that has gotten the most attention is hip hop music, specifically southern hip hop music. But I didn’t go out to write southern hip hop. I like a lot of that music, and I definitely apply some of that technique, but I don’t think I necessarily sound like that. I think it just is what it is.

What else can we expect from Midas.Gold this year? What else do you have in the works?

Well, release wise there’s a new single coming in the next two months. Then maybe an East Coast tour or something like that towards the end of the year. But we’re building up to release a project hopefully in October. Then maybe something else early next year. But that’s just the skeletons of the plan!