An Interview with Mali-Koa
Mali-Koa | Press
Bringing a soulful honesty to pop music, Sydney-born and London-based singer-songwriter Mali-Koa has been no stranger to crafting a well-written song, and now she’s well on the way to carving out her own path in the music world.
Inspired by poetry, her fellow artistic creatives, and life in London, Mali-Koa’s flair for composing songs that tap into humanness - the good and the bad - allows listeners to witness the kind of intuitive yet clever thinking that goes into her music-making. The artist’s debut EP Hunger, released last November, showcases the personal connection she so effortlessly creates through her tracks. The album’s lead single, “Sorry” amassed 3.5 million views on YouTube, and the fan-made video for her latest single, “Revolution,” features young women embracing the change they wish to see in the world, thanks to the artist’s openness and reminders about self-love, self-acceptance, and the willingness to always do better.
Mali-Koa is getting ready to give her songwriting to other artists as she’s collaborating with fellow singer-songwriter Leo Stannard on their upcoming electronic dance project called AR/CO. In the same vein, there’s often a certain kind of “giving” that can be felt through the singer-songwriter’s creativity, music, and influence. Whether she’s writing for other artists, collaborating with her brother, Calum Hood, or empowering her young female fans by giving them a space to express the things they believe in most, there’s always an authentic magnetism that radiates off her sound, lyrics, and energy. It mirrors the poetry she reads, the music she loves, and all the women she’s inspired by from her Maori heritage.
Mali-Koa opened up to Amplify Her Voice to give us an inside look at all of it.
Why is music important to you?
To be honest, I wish I was better at taxes, but I just wasn’t born with that gift. Music has helped me map the soundtrack to my favourite memories through life. I’ve celebrated with it, cried with it, made friends with strangers in a club bathroom to it.
Who are some of your favorite female musical inspirations?
Sia is up there for me - the pinnacle of songwriting and artistry all whilst hidden under a wig and fringe. Shakira, because her hips don’t lie and Cher for helping me believe in life after love.
In the last year, you’ve released your debut album, Hunger! What has your creativity taught you about yourself in that time?
My time creating Hunger taught me that when life hands you lemons, you better have a really good juicer to hand because otherwise, life’s about to get real. It showed me that we are capable of anything when you have eighteen hours a day, zero excuses, and a pint of ice cream.
What’s the most challenging thing about being a woman in the music industry?
It sucks that women are conditioned to believe that if one wins, we can’t all win. In a world where we’re pitted against each other, we’re breeding unhealthy comparison, and that’s the killer. It should just be all about carving your own space and celebrating your female peers.
Has your Maori heritage had any impact on your creativity or approach to music in any way?
I have a strong connection to my family and a deep respect for my Maori heritage. A string of strong females leading the way, has always encouraged me to step into a space aware of myself and to become more comfortable as a woman of colour in the music industry.
Can you talk about what inspired you to create the song, “Revolution”?
”Revolution” was written in 2019 about a personal shift, wanting to be the change you wanna see in the world. I’ve always cared about my place in the world and being an active participant in my everyday life, to be better, and do better. That really shines through in this one.
I read that you love to let poetry inspire you. What poem that you’ve read makes you feel inspired or empowered as a woman?
My go-to is Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman! My friend gifted me a paperback of her poems a few years back. This one is all about celebrating every inch, curve, quip, quirk, the emotion and empathy that comes with being a woman in the world. Phenomenal is such a great world, nothing quite like it.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Describe your songwriting process and how you tap into difficult emotions like sadness or heartbreak in order to create a song?.
The devil is usually in the details when it comes to sad songs. It’s about the conversations or one-liners that people have had or been in. Finding those accessible moments and putting them in a frank way. In “Some Things” the ballad from the album we wrote, “Even in a room of friends, you’re a little close for comfort. If this really is the end, then why am I still feeling something?” It’s moments like that where lots of people can connect to, and everyone’s kind of been there before.
Is there anything about the music industry that you wish was different for women or female artists?
I want to see more women and women of colour in senior roles in these big corporate machines. More women in songwriting sessions, especially in the production chairs!
What one piece of advice would you give to women or young girls who want to pursue music as their career one day?
Surround yourself with other women who empower you and have a shared experience. Find strong female mentors in your industry. Talk honestly about the things you find challenging and how you might move through them in that space. In the end, it’s all about hard work, persistence, grace, and tact. The job well done will speak for itself!
Hunger by Mali-Koa is available for streaming now on all music platforms.