By 
POP MUSIC IS in the flush of a major fashion moment, and Australian musician Kavi is posed to make the most of it. Launching his hyperpop-inspired project in the depths of Covid, when packed dance floors were reduced to distant memories, the DIY artist has built a retro-futuristic sound that leans heavily into Y2K influences, while maintaining a sense of timelessness that will see it resonate long after our naughties obsession calms down.
Like any good world builder, that sound is mirrored in his fashion choices. Kavi pairs thrift shop finds with contemporary designer pieces, naming buzzy Nigerian-born, London-based designer Mowalola as one of his favourite brands, alongside Aussie outfits Speed and Injury. Now based in London, the artist is busy working on his sophomore project, while searching the best places to score vintage finds when he’s not in the studio.
Recently, he took Esquire through five of his favourite fits, while telling us about where his interest in fashion began, why he traded biotechnology for music and where he plans to take his musical career.
Fit one
Esquire: Firstly, where did you grow up, and where do you currently call home?
I grew up in Melbourne, though a lot of my childhood was also spent between Malaysia and India. I moved to Sydney in 2021 and I credit my time there as being so formative, in terms of who I am today. I packed my bags for London at the start of this year, and I love it here. It’s home for now and for the foreseeable future, but I think Sydney is still where my heart lives – a crispy tofu banh mi from Marrickville Pork Roll would be my last meal.
When did you first become interested in fashion? Do you have a memory of this moment?
I was broke as hell when I was planning my first music video – I’d used up my savings at Bunnings buying things to build a set with in my garage, so I didn’t have much left to spend on styling. I knew I wanted my fashion to reflect the project’s sonic futurism, but it needed to be minimal and simplistic enough for me to do it myself. I remember loving the sleek, deconstructed, subversive moment fashion was having at the time, so I went crazy with a pair of scissors on the cheapest swimwear I could find at Kmart.
What was considered ‘stylish’ or ‘cool’ when you were growing up?
Adidas Superstars, skinny jeans, using a highlighter to colour in the back of your cracked iPhone 4. Voss water bottles, denim jackets, being Tumblr famous, using the Amaro filter on Instagram. Listening to Pure Heroine, Born To Die and The 1975.
Fit two
Who are your personal style icons? What do you like about their style?
I’m forever inspired by my friends who work in styling. Lalli Anjum in London; Millie Sykes in LA; and Elle Hioe, Lynn Mathuthu, Ari Kiko and Marisa Suen in Sydney. I think it’s really difficult to develop a memorable personal brand via style – it can take years to hone. You’ve got to back yourself with a crazy depth of cultural knowledge plus taste, in order to exist outside of trend cycles. I love watching and learning.
When did you realise you wanted to pursue music?
I went into uni majoring in biotechnology, thinking that I was going to be an immunologist – so there’s an alternate universe in which I single-handedly invented the cure for COVID-19. Unfortunately, given that I skipped classes in high school to film audition tapes for The X-Factor, I don’t think that being in a lab coat was ever my true calling. I was crazy inspired by Berlin’s creative community while spending a month there during a semester break – music suddenly felt like a legitimate career path, and I came back to Australia deciding to take it seriously.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound over the years?
I began working on my debut EP in 2020, during the pandemic, so it was very fuelled and inspired by a yearning for the club and dance music. Hyperpop was a huge influence too. More recently, I’ve been working to break away from chasing musical trends. I want my output to sound more timeless. I’ve been finding inspiration in some iconic albums from the 2000s, like Janet Jackson’s Unbreakable, Imogen Heap’s Speak for Yourself and Timbaland’s Shock Value.
I think my recent singles, ‘Kavichella’ and ‘Scandalous’, are pretty good representations of the retro-futuristic sound I’m working towards. I’ve been learning to self-produce, which has given me a lot more freedom to experiment and hone this sound. I’ve been paying way more attention to my vocal arrangements too, trying to build these layered, lush stacks of background harmonies reminiscent of 2000s RnB.
Fit three
How has your style changed as your music has evolved? Do the two go hand in hand for you?
Absolutely. It’s important to me that the sonics and visuals (including my personal style) complement each other. Looking back to when I first began releasing music – the more dance-hyperpop stuff – my style was inspired by what I’d see people wearing at the club. But now, I try to echo my pillars of campy nostalgia, timelessness and futurism. I love pairing a stupid 2010s ‘I <3 NY’ top with archival pants and cyberpunk-y sunglasses or jewellery.
Your EP, ‘Kavichella’ is so much fun. We heard Justin Bieber and One Direction were inspirations?
Making ‘Kavichalla’ was a personal challenge. I really wanted to prove my capability in writing pure, ‘big’ pop hits. I think one of pop’s greatest eras was during the 2010s, when the emergence of social media took fandom and stan culture to feverish new heights. All of that is to say: in coming up with my take on a 2010s pop track, it kinda felt like a no-brainer to be sonically referencing Justin Bieber and 1D in order to create something that could’ve lived on an iPod Classic.
What are you enjoying most about this current moment in pop music?
Seeing the success of Brat encourage more experimentation in pop music. With such a risk-taking album seeing huge commercial success, it’s refreshing to see more mainstream tastemakers pay a bit more attention to Australia’s incredible experimental pop scene.
Fit four
Who are three artists you’re currently listening to?
I’m obsessed with artists who build a world around their music. My friend put me onto Underscores and her latest album, Wallsocket. It’s set in, and named after, a fictional Michigan town. Caroline Polachek is always on repeat for me, and I love the world-building she brings to the stage. And obviously, Charli and the Brat universe.
How would you describe your personal style in three words?
Very disrespectful, very mindless, very inconsiderate.
What are some of your favourite brands right now?
I’m obsessed with PARADOXE, Rohan Mirza and Mowalola. And from Australia, I always have endless love for Speed, Sweet Dreams Bitter Reality and INJURY.
Fit five
What’s the most sentimental piece of clothing you own?
A black silk bomber jacket I thrifted at a flea market during my first trip to Berlin. It’s seen so many iterations of me. It’s from a brand called Cartouche, which I actually can’t find anything about online, aside from a few eBay listings.
Any grails you’re currently saving up for?
These ‘Dead Rose Pants’ from PARADOXE. They’d look insane onstage.
Anything new you’re currently working on that we should keep our eye out for?
My sophomore body of work. It’s the best music I’ve made, and I’m so proud of it. ‘Scandalous’ and ‘Kavichella’ are tasters, and I can’t wait to show-off the full thing.
See more of our favourite ‘Five Fits With’ . . .
Five Fits With: jewellery designer Rong Jake Chen
Five Fits With: brand strategist Clark Kent Koga
Five Fits With: musician and designer Carla Wehbe
