Australia isn’t exactly a rap capital. While there’s undoubtedly some homegrown talent down under, on the international stage the most substantial offering Oz has had in recent years has been Iggy Azalea, and even she learned to rap in Atlanta. Tkay Maidzais going to change all that. Already a massive star in Australia she’s collaborated with the likes of Troye Sivan and PC Music’s Danny L Harle, toured with Charli XCX and is on the radar of some of the most exciting figures in music today. Come the end of August Tkay will take the rest of the world by storm with her new EP Last Year Was Weird.
Don’t believe me? Let me point your gaze in the direction of her new video for ‘Flexin’. Premiering on Notion today, the video was shot at a London rugby club and stars Tkay alongside a rugby team sporting full Wallabies’ kits. It’s a burst of tongue-in-cheek attitude with verses delivered from the middle of scrums and a hook that sees Tkay declaring her lack of conscience. The song itself makes a strong case for Tkay as a star, equally inspired by US trap and British grime, employing slang from the UK, US and Australia amidst her bouncing verses. ‘Flexin’ also features LA’s new favourite son DUCKWRTH who declares himself a ‘booty activist’ while inciting mosh pits and railing against hip hop’s ‘salty’ establishments. The whole track is an exhilarating taste of what’s to come once Last Year Was Weird drops on August 31st.
Speaking about the track, Tkay said, “Flexin’ is an ode to being yourself and being unapologetic for it. I went to a Mixpak dancehall night & rave in New York the night before I wrote this song with my friends, and it was one of the most fun nights I had in a while. I was still awake at 8 am, and I remembered I had a session that day at 1 pm, so I didn’t sleep and went to the studio. I wrote two songs that I really liked in that session, and ‘Flexin’’ was one of them. So, yeah, I’m not sorry that I went to a rave and didn’t sleep because there wouldn’t be Flexin’.”
