Queer and Non-Binary pop artist, i was Eros, continues to thrive in the powerful glow of authenticity, despite every obstacle. Following their latest hit, Crying Like Kirby, they invite us on their journey toward creative and personal rebirth: “Recognising who I really am gave me a euphoric liberty to do whatever I want.”
Brisbane-based enby icon, i was Eros continues to rise from strength to strength, as they embark on a new and exciting creative chapter. Recently, the multi-talented and experimental musician gifted us with an earworm of a single, Crying Like Kirby, which we’ve had on repeat at Happy Mag HQ!
The vibrant, energetic hyper-pop hit tells a captivating and all-too-relatable tale of having an obsessive crush on someone who’s too oblivious to notice: “It was scary, being so vulnerable,” Eros tells us. “Publicly admitting that this guy had some kinda hold on me when so many men had made me feel powerless in life was hard to do but it was also liberating to take the story and make it completely mine.”
For the UK-born artist, Crying Like Kirby symbolizes a big creative leap in their journey of genre, as it is their most pop-centric song to date. Drawing influence from the likes of CharliXCX, ELIO and SOPHIE to name a few, i was Eros says, “being able to listen to my music in the same playlists as my go-to artists is such a satisfying feeling that I’ve really missed up until now.”
Alongside creative strides, i was Eros opens up about their ongoing personal journey of self-love and unapologetic expression. Having come out as Non-Binary in 2021, they share the highs and lows of experiences that followed, whilst steadfastly reveling in the warmth of feeling “reborn.” Join us as we chat to i was Eros about what being Non-Binary means to them, the connection between their gender fluidity and musical expression, embracing their loving Queer family, writing poems about their crush, and new music on the horizon!
HAPPY: Thanks for chatting with us! What’s your day been like so far?
EROS: It’s been an intense week, balancing work, study and life. But I’m really excited to talk to you today!
HAPPY: Congrats on your latest single, Crying Like Kirby. It marks a new chapter for you, genre-wise, being the most pop-centric track you’ve released yet. What inspired your journey into hyper-pop and your decision to explore new sounds?
EROS: Thank you! I feel as though I’ve always been inspired by experimental sounds, but it was like I was searching for something I hadn’t found yet. I loved the music I was making, but it wasn’t the music I was listening to. My taste in music as a listener was also transitioning. It was very anchored around artists like CharliXCX, ElyOtto, A. G. Cook, daine, ELIO, and SOPHIE to name a few.
The night I was writing Pretty Peach Party—my first single since coming out as non-binary—I wanted to let go of my rigid lyrical embellishments and get a little more real. A little more vulnerable. A little more loose. Later, as I was creating Crying Like Kirby, I doubled down on this. I was talking to another NB with brilliant music taste who then introduced me to artists like Glaive, ericdoa and 100 gecs which really began to start bridging the gap between what I was making and what I was listening to. Being able to listen to my music in the same playlists as my go-to artists is such a satisfying feeling that I’ve really missed up until now.
HAPPY: Tell us about your suburb, what do you like/not like about where you live?
EROS: I live near the edge of Ipswich and travel into Brisbane city heaps! I love the coffee culture, the art galleries and museums, the restaurants! But, I also find that there’s a very conservative and sheltered atmosphere. It doesn’t take much to be treated like an alien — people stare at you, their kids point at you, the men bark at you for the intrinsic humour it brings them and their friends.
View this post on Instagram
HAPPY: I heard you were born in the UK. When did you arrive in Australia, and what prompted the move?
EROS: I moved when I was very young with my family. I had a lot of health issues back in the UK — I was in the hospital all the time, sick from my iffy immune system and preowned lungs (asthma). It was one of the main reasons we moved, so I’d have a fresh start at a healthier life, and it worked! I love Australia so much.
HAPPY: I read that you have a background in poetry. Can you tell us more about that, and how it may have influenced your songwriting style?
EROS: Before I ever thought of writing lyrics, I wrote poems upon poems, primarily about being in the closet and liking boys. I was truly ahead of my time with these completely new and groundbreaking topics. I wasn’t at an age where I strove to inform myself on the works of many written artists, but I did know that nothing had given me so much freedom of expression.
This eventually led me to music, and I taught myself the basics on how to sing, play piano and produce. Since most of my early poetry was built on a foundation of allegory, motifs, extended metaphors and mythological allusion, so was my lyricism. Now, having made more music, I can see how this could feel a little disconnected from my audience. Kind of like I was writing this stew of feelings I could marinate in, keeping its nuances a secret. This is why I’ve tried to loosen up a little, be a little more explicit, a little more vulnerable.
HAPPY: You came out as non-binary in 2021, can you tell us about the journey that led up to that point, and what kinds of experiences/emotions you’ve faced since coming out?
EROS: It’s been very turbulent, but I’ll start with the bad so we can make our way into the ever-so-sweet good. I’ve had older people gesture at me before turning away so they mutter disgusted remarks through their sour faces. I’ve had kids point at me, run away from me, and ask me why I’m wearing girl’s clothes cause it’s wrong — which, when it’s not a comment on heteronormative society or part of a collage of daily nonsense, is actually a little funny.
I’ve had men bark at me before swerving towards me with their scooters to try and scare me. I’ve had teens yell slurs and insult my outfits, most likely jealous that they could never be so slay. It became part of my daily routine — whether it was 50 little things or someone actually threatening me — as sad as that is.
Despite all of this, coming out as non-binary has felt like being reborn. I see the world through new eyes and new ears. I was able to overcome a mountain of insecurity and fear – fear to be different, fear to start loving myself. Recognising who I really am gave me a euphoric liberty to do whatever I want, a licence to be whoever I want to be. Nothing is worth more than that.
HAPPY: What does being queer and non-binary mean to you, and how would you say it’s affected your creative lens and musical expression?
EROS: To me, being queer is about found family. To be part of a community that supports each other in a world that doesn’t. Then being non-binary for me is about being nothing but myself, being free to decide who I am. This has led me to discover a deeper love for myself, love for my found family, and love for the queer community. That vulnerability has allowed me to be much more open to change creatively. It was definitely part of the medium that lead to my lyrical and genre change.
HAPPY: We’re living in a time where the complexity of gender identity is still being absorbed by the general public. In a previous interview, you mentioned experiencing bigotry because of your identity. How do you navigate through experiences like that? What helps you combat the impacts bigotry has on you and your life, and is there any advice you’d offer to other non-binary people who may be dealing with obstacles surrounding public acceptance right now?
EROS: I’m definitely still learning how to cope with it — especially since I shut down in confrontational situations. What’s helped me is:
Surrounding myself with people who love and affirm me. Especially queer people, who will be able to relate to these struggles very deeply. Trying to let this ground me.
Being mentally prepared for an incident helps me be less scared of it. Making sure friends know where I’m going and when I get there. Carrying self defense items. Being visibly on the phone with a friend if I feel unsafe. Travelling in groups when possible.
Since my gender is very fluid, I sometimes feel a heavy expectation to dress overtly fem or boringly cisgender-man. Opening both my closet and an internal dialogue with my dysphoria really helped me through that; focusing more on what makes ME feel comfortable; moving that dialogue to the forefront and expectations to the background. Especially when what makes me comfortable is so kaleidoscopic.
HAPPY: Your new song, Crying Like Kirby details an obsessive crush over someone too oblivious to notice. I feel like this is such a relatable topic, as many people experience this at some point in their lives. Did going through the process of creating this song help you work through that hyper-fixation? Was it cathartic in any way? And do you happen to have any words of wisdom you’d like to impart to listeners out there who may be dealing with a similar experience as we speak?
EROS: It was definitely cathartic! I’m really hoping a lot of people can relate. It was also really scary, being so vulnerable. Publicly admitting that this guy had some kinda hold on me when so many men had made me feel powerless in life was hard to do but it was also liberating to take the story and make it completely mine.
HAPPY: Lastly, what does 2023 have in store for you? Are you working on any new projects at the moment? Can we expect any new music on the horizon?
EROS: You definitely can! There was going to be another song this year, but I’m putting a lot of effort into my voice to the latter of this year. Working towards getting performance-ready and being able to create some even more vocally impressive material.
HAPPY: Thanks so much for your time!
EROS: Thank you for yours! This has been a really wonderful interview.
Stream Crying Like Kirby via Spotify below.
Interviewed by Amy Davidson.
Photos supplied.