An Interview.
For nearly a decade, Nice Biscuit have carved out their own singular corner of Australia’s psych scene, equal parts surreal but sincere with the kind of unselfconscious joy that’s become increasingly appreciated.
Speaking together from Meanjin/Brisbane, co-frontwomen and long-time friends Grace and Billie reflect on the strange, organic, wonderfully unplanned evolution of their band: a concept that grew from awkward bedroom jams into a beloved psych institution known for its harmonies, hypnotic grooves, and unmistakable twin-frontwoman visual identity.
Nice Biscuit definitely have style musically and visually.
Their often handmade matching costumes and mirrored movements don’t precede the music so much as empower it.
Both Grace and Billie admit they were once “shy singer-songwriter girls”, but together, side-by-side, something clicked and Australia recognised it.
Designing and wearing their now-iconic costumes unleashed a sense of shared confidence neither had accessed before.
It didn’t dictate the sound, but it shaped who they were on stage: a unified force, playful and bold.
The visuals became a kind of armour, then an energy source, and finally a defining piece of the band’s identity.
The creativity on stage, in every aspect, seems to “develop as we work collaboratively”, “we don’t go into it with a huge vision” the duo agree.
Their story begins with a setup, literally.
A mutual friend, convinced the two would make “nice songs together,” introduced them.
A single “awkward jam in 2015” turned into a band where everyone brought along a mate: a drummer from uni, an ex-boyfriend on guitar, a friend from Brisbane on bass.
No one really knew each other, but the chemistry grew quickly. “We all just really loved psychedelic rock”.
Soon they were living in the same suburbs, making music in share houses around Fairfield, soaking up the tail-end of Meanjin’s once-thriving psych scene.
Bands overlapped, swapped members, played The Foundry on repeat, and spurred each other on.
Moses Gunn Collective, now Confidence Man’s Aidan even booked Nice Biscuit on their first ever “tour”, just Brisbane and Byron, but to the band it felt huge.
As Grace and Billie tell it, the whole thing worked because no one was trying to “make it.”
They were simply friends chasing the kick of playing great music together, owing a lot of the success of the band’s energy to the fact that none of them took it too seriously.
Looking back at their early releases, the duo laugh at how little they felt they had to write about.
Their lyrics leaned into the genre’s psych clichés along the lines of cosmic imagery and mystical symbols, fun, but not always grounded in their own experiences.
Over time that changed.
They began writing for themselves, for each other, for women, for anyone outside the usual patriarchal centre of psych-rock.
Their later songs carry a more intentional, empowered voice, even as they still leave plenty of room for whimsy and joy.
“Watching young male fans from the Central Coast singing along to lyrics about witches” has become one of their favourite reminders that the ripple effect of authenticity has the ability to seep into nooks and crannies you often don’t expect.
Musically, their influences remain broad: the chanting vocals and call and response technique of Stereolab, the dreamy softness of Moon Safari’s “Air”, the formative psychedelia of Tame Impala’s early records, even the folk and choral roots both singers grew up with.
Billie jokes that she’s currently obsessed with the banjo, whether it enters the Nice Biscuit universe is yet to be seen.
They describe constant inspiration, whether from country harmonies, the bravery of contemporary artists like Leah Senior who challenge streaming giants, or the silly, sincere spirit of their close friends in Mildlife.
As for collaborations, the pair veer between earnestness and chaos: maybe a remix, maybe Moby, maybe Fatboy Slim.
The real dream, though, is simply continuing to collaborate with each other.
There’s also big news quietly shaping the band’s next chapter: Grace is having a baby, due at the end of February.
Nice Biscuit isn’t going anywhere, but the next few months will be a gentle pause, writing sessions, recording, a little space to ease into motherhood.
Grace maintains (with the sort of grin you can hear through the recording) that she fully intends to take a baby on tour through Europe!
In the meantime, there is new music coming: Grace’s next Baby Cool album is set for release in April, with shows to follow, and all our fingers are crossed for a Nice Biscuit return not long after.
The girls remain inspired by the women around them and by each other particularly.
“We write for each other” sharing “what guidance we would need as individuals”.
Regardless of the pace or format, Nice Biscuit aren’t winding down, they’re simply evolving. With new music on the horizon and a fresh brew of “chilltronic” ideas on the boil, fans can look forward to seeing more of the pair in the months ahead.
Dive into their catalogue, revisit EPs and keen an eye out for new announcements on their socials to make sure you don’t miss a beat.
