Kaiwyn
Australian-based singer-songwriter Kaiwyn releases The Cut After The First, his first single release since his debut Dedicated To You and sophomore You're My Kind, both of which attracted loads of attention and were favourably received by local community radio networks across the country. You're My Kind also topped the listeners' votes at No.1 on the Discovery Program at Pulse FM Hawkesbury Radio for four weeks in January 2023. Kaiwyn began his musical journey growing up in Malaysia, writing poems, blogs and lyrics infused with multicultural elements.
After graduating from medical school, Kaiwyn was stationed in Tamworth, NSW, for internship and residency. He participated in the Tamworth Busking Championships 2015, mainly performing covers and a few of his originals. Kaiwyn continued working for years in healthcare and aims to strike a perfect balance between music and medicine. The Cut After The First features a direct yet probing lyric with Kaiwyn's smooth vocal transcending the emotionally fraught theme to give the track a perfect pop sensibility and allure.
As Kaiwyn says about the new song, 'The Cut After the First is one of the first songs written back in high school, illustrating the yearning for intimacy from someone who was deeply entwined with someone else.' With its well-crafted hooks and inviting lyric, The Cut After The First will generate massive attention on all streaming platforms, enhancing Kaiwyn's evolving music career while attracting a worldwide fan base.
How would you describe your music?
I would describe it to be more on the vein of a warm, embracing pop-rock aesthetic along with catchy hooks that builds up dynamically throughout the song. I mean I don't usually stick to a format so there's a surprise element in it as well. Lyrically, it is certainly more storytelling and reflecting on own and/or shared experiences with other people that I have come across.
Can you tell us about your new song "The Cut After the First", what was the inspiration?
"The Cut After the First" is one of my earlier compositions written in high school,which highlights the yearning for intimacy from someone who was deeply entwinedwith someone else. I see this a lot in high school in my peers and myself, constantlytrying to "find the one" that we get so tunnel-visioned into our fixation until we absolutely churn ourselves out despite repeated heartbreaks. It's a bittersweet memory that remains raw, definitely a trip down memory lane for me!
I hear my parents put up from the soft 60s to late the 80s along with other classical
Chinese folk songs growing up. I started to tune into music more attentively around the early 2000s which was lined with alternative pop, rock, and folk artists. One ofmy go to albums would be ones from Michelle Branch, M2M, Dido, and Jack Johnson. Given also, I could speak several other languages, I also tuned into Mandopop, J-Pop, K-Pop, and other World music at that time. My favourite music artists predominantly are singer-songwriters which influenced me to do the similar work in my own way!
Do you prefer performing live or recording?
I love both aspects of performance, but I am still a little green in live performances. I remain so in awe of any kind of music work as it is still very novel for me, especially with my devotion to the medical field. I did a performance with other doctors recently locally and love the energy from the crowd that made me move my body in ways that I've not known to move! An absolute massive learning curve for me!
Kaiwyn was picked as my name pronounced in Mandarin is "Kaiwen", with exchange of the letter "e" to "y" to represent Generation Y! I was also told by a patient whom I delivered her baby that Kaiwyn means "Blessed" that originated from Welsh region,she was close to name her baby that too!
What motivated you to initiate your music formally?
I mean music has always been my go-to realm for self soothe and after the pandemic, I just realise that I have all these written songs in my vault. Reflecting on the fragility and unpredictability in life, I went into "action mode", asking myself, "If not now, when?" So, I approached a local producer and nervously showed my works to him. Things just started to fall into place, and we end up recording songs after songs!I also found it quite empowering starting at a later age when I am more grounded and aware of my own strengths and vulnerabilities which helps me enjoy the process to the best I can!
Not having a frame in my writing process really motivates me to remain as authentic and believing in the organicity of the composition. This has been preserved since my MySpace and blogging times in my teenage years. I don't usually attentively tell myself to write music but when the inspiration strikes, it just does, reflecting on the snapshot of that exact mood and or emotions that I was going through. Funny that I usually come up with a song/ hook when I am concentrating on another task in hand!I guess it's just my way of digesting these situations and keeping them like a diary for recollection later in future!
Which music/artists are you currently listening to?
I have always been more inclined towards the sounds from a variety of female singer-songwriters who are not adhered to just a single genre of music. I love how like Michelle Branch can move from pop rock into country then to alternative blues. I have been listening to her newest album and remain obsessed with it. Other artists on my current playlist includes Soccer Mommy, Lime Cordiale, Hauskey and other awesome indie acts!
What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?
I think it's going to be my supportive producer Simon Dobson at Lakehouse Audio who has been providing me a safe environment for me really make me feel confident enough to try it out. He has allowed my younger self's dream to come to life and listening to my visions of my own compositions. I remember he told me in a session that he was taken aback by my writing skills and how the song structure was already established! I am glad that I took the leap of faith and went to him with my unpolished songs!
If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?
I am always down to collaborate with other artists who works with my producer Simon like Gloomie, Lucille Two and 90ivy! It would be a dream come true if I could work with Michelle Branch or even her country band The Wreckers! I would also love to collaborate with other Asian American/Pacific Islander artists such as Mad Tsai, Conan Gray, beabadoobee, grentperez and more to promote awareness of Asian artists across all genres!
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the music industry?
This feels like a popular question that they've asked me in my medical recruitment interview years ago, and I would say again that it's never an easy question to answer without baring your vulnerabilities that you've overcome to be here in the present. I felt the departure from home country to a distant place all by myself has been both exciting and daunting at the same time. I remember myself apologising for everything and felt that I was always "an outsider" initially really made it hard to fit in. But in time, I just gradually become less of a "people's pleaser" and be more confident in my transition into adulthood, validating my own feelings and being able to express them. These feelings were then relived when I came into the musicproduction, but the people that I have come across so far in the music biz have given me a safe space to express myself despite my limited professional musical experience. I think the work in healthcare over the past few years has also grounded me and allowing me to be more
resilient in coping with conflicts and difficult interpersonal connections.
What's next, for you?
I am currently working on more songs that I have in my vault and hopefully lead into a full album/ EP. Then I would love to achieve a balance in my medical work to also have time to start gearing up for live gigs and showcasing my original works to the public! I want to also express my appreciation to Female Mag for having me on thisinsightful interview!
Can you share your socials? (links please)
Certainly! I am more active on Instagram for now and I am more of a graphic person!
https://www.facebook.com/iamKaiwyn
https://instagram.com/iamkaiwyn
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