With just a small string of singles to his name, Didirri has stirred Australia like few artists can. An overbearing theme of honesty permeates every new song he pens, leaving you with a feeling that he’s never singing to any crowd, rather speaking to you as a friend from the far side of a dinner table.
Yet this July, he’ll find himself standing before a congregation of thousands at Splendour In The Grass, not to mention a tour supporting Vance Joy. Not bad, for 23-year-old who just announced his debut EP.
Before Measurements reaches the world on June 6th, we caught up with Didirri to discuss the beauty of simplicity, why it’s important to stay candid, and the shock of playing Australia’s largest festival.
With a debut EP and the biggest performances of his life on the way, we take five with Didirri during some European tour downtime.
HAPPY: Your latest single I Can’t Get Last Night Out Of My Head uncovers ideas around the beauty of intimacy – a topic many can be closed off to exploring. Why do you think this is?
DIDIRRI: People have an aversion to simplicity in music. They expect things to be incredibly complicated and convoluted. This is a very simple idea. I had some serious sexual health issues and I was cured. This was an incredibly elated time in my life. Happiness is pretty damn simple. Let’s not kid around. This song is about sexual liberation. I honestly don’t know why we still have a problem with talking about this stuff.
HAPPY: What did the writing process look like for the track? Did it differ from the usual?
DIDIRRI: It did differ from my usual writing style, the song wrote itself very quickly. It was a reaction to a feeling that I hadn’t had a very long time.
HAPPY: Do you ever find it difficult to incorporate such personal perceptions into your music?
DIDIRRI: Throughout my adolescence I was very dishonest, I made many many mistakes. It makes life a lot simpler when you talk honestly. People can read through your bullshit if you aren’t honest, it’s easier for me to share the truth as I see it.
HAPPY: How do you feel the song differs from your previous singles?
DIDIRRI: This is the first single of mine that won’t ruin your day completely (hopefully) so I’m stoked to share it with people! It’s been quite a journey this year with incredible people writing to me nearly daily about some very heavy stuff. I’m incredibly appreciative of the life changing ability of music. Hopefully this track can change people in a positive way. There is a huge stigma around sexual health and I would love to help change that.
HAPPY: What was it about hearing the final master of the song that motivated the impromptu shoot of the music video?
DIDIRRI: We had plans for an extravagant higher budget music video. When I was with my manager listening to the master, she just started filming me singing along to it. We kind of both knew what was going on halfway through shooting. It’s a very simple message in the song and a highly metaphorical film clip wouldn’t have spoken the simple message. The loading symbols throughout the clip are representative of my struggles with sexual health, it made sense to me to make a candid film clip.
HAPPY: Is there anything else we can expect to hear your take on in the Measurements EP?
DIDIRRI: Similarly tying themes of shedding complexity where possible. Personally my favourite two songs are yet to come.
HAPPY: Who are your biggest influences?
DIDIRRI: PAUL SIMON!!!
HAPPY: You’re slated to play Splendour In The Grass this July. What does it mean to you to be included in Australia’s biggest music festival?
DIDIRRI: I’m still in some level of shock. You’ll probably have to ask me that after the festival.
HAPPY: You’ve been super busy on the live circuit lately. Do you have any hobbies you turn to in your downtime that helps you re-energise?
DIDIRRI: I knit, sudoku, yoga, knit, eat, sleep, pun, walk, knit, eat, write, watch breaking bad, knit and knit.
Didirri is currently on tour throughout Europe. In July he will be back in town, complimenting his Splendour In The Grass appearance with a set of regional tour dates before heading around Australia with Vance Joy.
For a full run of dates, head to Didirri’s website. Pre-order Measurements here.
