Q&A - Allday

Allday is rounding out his Speeding Regionally tour in Darwin. He had a chat with Off The Leash about what life is like living in LA and coming back home to tour.

Firstly, I have to admit that I just turned off MKR to watch your YouTube cooking show 24 Hour Discount Buffet. The good news is that your show is much, much better. But tell us... why? Was it a childhood dream to host a cooking show? Did you want to add something different to the TV cooking show mix? What's driving this part of your creative output?

Haha thanks! Once I was walking and I thought it would be funny to make a cooking show but instead of just presenting the food, I’d give the food to an alien under a bridge. So we made that cooking show with the alien and then after that it was kinda popular so I kept making it. Honestly I used to feel super comfortable sharing my life and somewhere along the line I started feeling awkward about it. Cooking is a fun way for me to be present for fans I guess.

Speaking of creative outputs... when you're not recording cooking shows, you're making some pretty successful music - and your track ‘In Motion’ recently came in at number 44 in the Hottest 100. Was that a thrill? What's it like when people not only buy your music, but vote for it as one of their favourite tracks of the year?

I love getting in the Hottest 100. I can’t pretend it’s not important to me. I grew up at pool parties listening to it then all of a sudden I get to be in there, it’s the best. When it hit the 60s Japanese Wallpaper texted me and said “are we in trouble?” and we both figured we’d miss out. Then my phone died and when I got home and plugged it in we were in. Great day.

I know genres are boxes that a lot of artists don't like to squeeze in to... but for those who haven't heard your music - how would you describe it? Wikipedia calls it hip-hop - do you?

It’s Hip Hop. If you listen to most of my albums, it’s Hip Hop. But some songs aren’t. ‘Baby Spiders’, ‘In Motion’... but even when I’m not making Hip Hop. It’s Hip Hop informed. If I need a genre, my genre is Hip Hop because that’s the genre everything spawns from with me.

Are you living in LA these days? Why the move? What are you working on there - and who are you working with?

I’m living in LA yeah, in dirty Hollywood. I had a visa from my label and I thought ‘hmm, maybe you need a change’. And I absolutely did. I think it’s been great for me creatively. I miss home but I’m back a lot for shows.

What's it like leaving LA and coming not just home to Australia, but heading up a massive tour of regional centres?

Well, I love playing smaller shows where I get to actually say hey to people and take photos etc. I haven’t been to Darwin since BASSINTHEGRASS a few years ago. My DJ [was sick] and we had to stay in our hotel for three or four extra days while he sweated in bed. This time is going to be much better.

THU 29 MAR | 8PM | $34 | DISCOVERY DARWIN | discoverydarwin.com.au