Vena Klymo chats with Happy Mag about her unique genre fusions and catharsis in music making
The first line of Vena Klymo’s latest single, Invisible, “Don’t wanna waste away in this armpit of a town,” encapsulates her relatable vulnerability and joy in poking fun at herself as a form of release.
Collaborating with producer Lttle Kng, she describes the process as a “Bellingen trauma dump.”
“I like to wallow in my own melancholy sometimes and electronic music has weirdly marinaded that in a way that feels really cathartic and enjoyable – and not depressing?” Vena explains.
Growing up in rural Australia, Vena gained a deep appreciation for community and the peacefulness of the countryside.
It inspired her blend of folk music with drum and bass, a unique fusion born from boredom with playing solo with a guitar and a desire to delve into deeper emotions.
Vena’s brave approach pushes musical and emotional boundaries, leaving fans wondering what’s next–perhaps even ‘shocking our socks off’ with a screamo album Vena hints.
Check out more of Vena’s folk-pop music here.
Check out the interview with Vena Klymo below.
Happy: What are you up to today?
Vena Klymo: Hi! Today I’m settled in at my local beer garden 2 mins from my house, where for some reason seems to be the best place for me to settle in with my laptop, get some jazz instrumentals going through my airpods and get into a flow state with the admin side of music.
Then this evening I’m going to see a play that my friend built the set for which I’m very excited about!
Happy: Tell us a little about where you’re from, what do you love about it?
Vena Klymo: I grew up rurally on 60 acres on the Mid North Coast in a small country town – one thing I really love about that kind of beginning in life is the byproduct of experiencing community.
The thoughtfulness between neighbours and fresh fruit donated by locals with excess to the general stores. Homemade marmalade sold at the servo.
There is a romance and simplicity to it that I really missed when I first moved to Sydney.
And of course the mountains, rivers, land at home is something else to behold – i still breathe a sigh of relief every time my car hits the dirt road on the way to my folk’s place
Happy: What’s three songs you currently have on repeat
Vena Klymo: Offft I’ve recently entered my bi-yearly obsession again with Mac Miller’s tiny desk concert.
So I guess – What’s The Use, Small Minds and 2009.
But if I can be selfish and name more, i’ve been absolutely thrashing Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal
Happy: Your new single ‘Invisible’ blends folk elements with drum and bass.
How did you arrive at this unique fusion, and what inspired you to bridge these seemingly disparate genres?
Vena Klymo: The short answer is that I was really fucking bored of just playing solo with me and my guitar.
And the extended answer is that I’m big on emotions and feelings, and there was a depth / excitement I was craving that really drove me to start playing with different approaches – I like to wallow in my own melancholy sometimes and electronic music has weirdly marinaded that in a way that feels really cathartic and enjoyable – and not depressing?
Happy: You describe the creation of ‘Invisible’ as coming from a “Bellingen trauma dump” with producer Lttle Kng.
Could you elaborate on this creative process and how it shaped the final track?
Vena Klymo: Yes! So Josh / Lttle Kng and I essentially communicate via voice notes between Sydney and Bellingen, and I’m currently heading up once a month for studio time.
One thing I really value about him as a producer is his ability to grasp the overall concept of a song.
I’m such a little details and little moments kinda girl, and I get obsessed over writing lyrics and telling a story in a way that he does a wonderful job of unpacking and making sense of.
Not just for the listener, but for me as an artist.
I feel like I’m a mad scientist who needs to sleep more and he’s like a mediator, somehow channeling the insanity into something palatable.
The property where the studio is feels like a vortex / black hole that just sucks you in.
We really sit with the lyrics and the story of each song and flesh it out.
Then, I drive home for six hours in deep reflection, listening to our demos on repeat like the obsessive-compulsive bitch with no chill that I am.
The creative process helped shape ‘Invisible’ because it allowed us to really dive into the song’s emotional core and bring the concept to life in a way that felt both personal and relatable.
Happy: The song explores themes of feeling unseen.
How much of your personal experiences with identity and self-worth influenced the lyrics, and was this vulnerability challenging to share?
Vena Klymo: The first line is “Don’t wanna waste away in this armpit of a town,” and I feel like I’ve always felt more comfortable being vulnerable, making a joke, and poking fun at myself and whatever it is that I’m struggling with.
It’s a way for me to process emotions without feeling like I’m completely exposing myself.
Which is kinda ironic and stupid cos ‘Invisible’ complains about the woes of not feeling seen whilst simultaneously leaning on the preference to not to be perceived. Hahaha songwriting for idiots ™
In terms of my personal experiences, yeah, a lot of it comes from times when I’ve struggled with my own identity and self-worth, feeling like I didn’t fit into certain spaces or meet certain expectations.
Happy: Your new music video for ‘Invisible’, shows off your quirky visual style and humour.
What is the creative process like when making the video?
Vena Klymo: Oh my god I don’t even know where to start with this question.
As per usual in true Vena fashion – the plan for the music video was a chaotic note in my phone listing a bunch of places and scenarios I thought it would be funny to film me blank faced, out of context, being overlooked and disregarded.
Or situations where I could mess with people and get away with things due to invisibility.
I sat on it for a long time, explained the concept to any friend that would listen and asked for scenarios they thought would be funny.
We had so many.
We wanted to film a police chase ending with the cops finally catching an empty car but alas my independent artist budget had to draw the line somewhere.
Syafiq Ibrahim of Blue Dot Productions and I had so many informal business meetings where we just hysterically laughed at the places we could go with it.
Then, by God’s grace, director Adrian Sampson worked his magic and built a story from the nonlinear bones forged, I went on a manic op shop for all the props and costumes, roped in any friend willing to participate in my bullshit and the rest is history
Happy: The video also extends some of those folk elements, with a lot of acoustic shots featured.
How do you represent your musical style through your music videos?
Vena Klymo: I’m not sure if i’d say the acoustic shots represent my musical style, but they definitely represent the beginning / big bang / birth of a song.
For the most part I write songs alone with my acoustic guitar and that was definitely the case for ‘Invisible’.
It’s kinda an OG Vena song that I’ve played in pubs and halls and anywhere else that will have me for the last decade, so for people that have been following me for a while they will hear that first generation version hidden amongst the production.
I do feel called to really keep components of my core artistic process visible and pay homage to my folk roots
Happy: Are there any Aussie artists that you look up to, or have influenced you in some way?
Vena Klymo: So so so many! Almost too many to name.
Basically all my friend’s bands. But I’ll narrow it down to two and say:
1. Galleri of Forster for their incredible heartfelt songwriting and stage presence that i absolutely devoured as a teenager
And 2. Andie of the Blue Mountains for her bravery, straight shooting, bad ass nature that translates into her songwriting, artistry and performance in a way that makes me feel like I could headbutt a wall and the wall would come off second best
Happy: How has your background in folk music provided a foundation for your exploration of other genres like pop and electronic music?
Vena Klymo: For me, folk music and what really kept me in it for a long time was how much it leans on the story.
To me it’s not about being musically ‘impressive’ or ‘performing’.
For me it’s all about the feeling of the world you’re diving into in a song, and that’s a formula and approach that I’m still carrying over into these new tracks.
Happy: Looking ahead, how do you see your sound continuing to evolve, and are there other unexpected genre combinations you’re excited to explore in future releases?
Vena Klymo: Lordy lordy lordy, I would love to shock your socks off and release a screamo album or something.
But I cannot confirm or deny anything at this stage.
Happy: And finally, what makes you Happy?
Vena Klymo: So many things! The sparkle in my Great Dane and Chihuahua’s eyes after we do our morning walk around Marrickville park.
The sausage dog named Freddy that barks at us when we walk past his yard.
Unfiltered voice notes between friends during a stressful week.
Homemade marmalade sold at the counter of my old town servo. Overhearing my neighbour John’s opera music playing in the evening.
The fact that I could wear a wedding dress to the grocery store in the inner west and no one would say anything other than “you look great!”
All that kinda stuff xxx
Thanks Happy, lots of love <3
Vena xoxo
