How ‘Train of Thought’ Is A Powerful, Political + Personal Debut Album From Birdz

We checked-in with Birdz following the release of his hugely anticipated debut album Train of Thought. Featuring slick and fearless anthems such as ‘Black Lives Matter‘ and ‘Rise‘, the NT rapper shares how he gets his tunes sounding sweet whilst still getting the message across.

Train of Thought is full of anthems and ‘Black Lives Matter’ in particular highlights many issues for indigenous Australians and includes personal anecdotes. How did you discover music would get your message across?

Probably since the first time I heard/saw NWA telling it like it is – no filter and just being straight up with it. When I heard Ice Cube say “Fuck The Police, coming straight from the underground…” it was pretty much game over from there. Closer to home I would have to say it was seeing groups like Yothu Yindi – leading and being active through music. They were definitely a huge inspiration for me growing up Black in the Northern Territory.

Not only do your lyrics highlight political issues, they’re also packed full of intricate wit, rhyme and rhythm. What’s your writing process?

Usually I get the music first and then that inspires the words – for me the song concepts usually depend on the direction and mood of the music. None of the lyrics for this album were actually written down… I’d basically just sit in my little home studio and vibe out to the track. I’ll start with melody ideas and then I’ll fill it in with words and record as I go, rapping to myself like a crazy person pacing back and forth. I really try and keep it as free as possible, let my thoughts flow, and make sense of it all later.

There’s a wide range of textures and sounds in your tracks, what or who inspires you to make music?

I like to listen to a lot of different styles of Hip Hop as well as different genres of music so I guess that has a big influence on what I like to create. I like to think that’s something we captured really well on the record. I love everything from Marvin Gaye to 2Pac, Meek Mill to SZA. Content is obviously important to me but I think the vibe and production has a huge influence as well. I’m always seeking that perfect balance between what I’m saying and how it sounds – you can have an endless supply of knowledge in your music but if it doesn’t sound any good then chances are no ones going to listen and your message runs the risk of being lost.

There are a few magical collaborations on the album, including soulful features from Caiti Baker and Serina Pech. How did these come about?

‘The Other Side’ originally appeared on Sietta’s album ‘The Invisible River’ a few years ago as ‘Greener’. James and Caiti are really good friends of mine and also just happen to be two of the most talented people I know. It’s always been my favourite tune of theirs so when the opportunity came up to remix it, I jumped at the chance. Caiti absolutely killed it – as per usual.

I wrote the chorus for ‘This Side’ and was trying to find the right person to sing it. James works closely with Serina in Darwin and thought she’d be perfect for it. She was/is. Serina’s super dope and has a real unique style about her – she blessed us with that presence on ‘This Side’ and really bought a lot of soul to the record.

What is the Hip Hop scene in the NT like?

In general the music scene up home is pretty diverse – from rock and folk styles to Rap, reggae, country etc. There’s also a lot of artists willing to push boundaries and experiment so you end up with some really interesting/crazy fusions. The NT can feel pretty isolated and doesn’t get as many tours and outside acts visiting – but I think that’s really pushed for locals to develop their own thing and with growing events such as the Darwin festival we’re seeing how dope and unique the scene is.

You’ve got some big shows coming up including A Weekend In The Gardens with ILLY, what are you looking forward to the most following the release of Train of Thought?

Sharing it with people. It’s exciting to finally be able to perform new materiel live and I can’t wait to get back on stage – I feel like it gives the music a whole new life when you’re able to share that moment with others.

You can catch Birdz in Sydney next month and performing at A Weekend In The Gardens in Melbourne this November.