Premiere: Meet Perth alt-pop rising star Bad Weather, who stuns with All I Know

The hazy, kind-of off-kilter alt-pop sound is something that's really thrived in the last year, pushed forward by often-independent artists in the DIY-esque, community-built music space emphasised on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Some of those names have emerged exciting future stars - take Clairo, for example - while others have a similar pathway sure to define their future, including a whole host of artists in Australia: acts like MAY-A, Rinse and Will Hyde occupying our 2021 artists to watch list with their own take on this sound.

Over here in Perth, Bad Weather is someone with a similar trajectory, carving out this intimate dark-pop sound by bringing long-time influences in the pop-punk/emo spaces forward to 2021, where he spins it with touches of indie and pop to create a sound that feels excitingly new, yet comforting with its familiarity. It's a combination that we've seen grow since his debut back in 2019; three singles that year each showing different flickers of his sound, while 2020's one-off Teenagers In Love being a further example, drenched in romanticism in both sound and theme.

Now, he's looking forwards into 2021, and everything's coming up Bad Weather. It kicks off with his first single for the year in All I Know, which with its premiere on Pilerats today, brings yet another edge to his hazy alt-pop sound and the excitement trapped within. Despite being built from its foundations in the dark-tinged punk-pop worlds of the early-2000s, All I Know is actually quite forward-thinking and modern, with intimate vocals - rich with his personality - swirling amongst a backdrop of melodies that sit perfectly in that lo-fi, bedroom-pop-esque sound.

"The song is about the things we do to cope when going through hardships and coming to terms with a new reality," he says on the single, giving a bit of insight to where the personal, semi-emotive drenching of his work comes from.There are comparisons with The 1975's Matt Healy or even perhaps a less R&B-indebted Rex Orange Country to be made, but Bad Weather really stands on his own; the combination of sounds he builds from being the intersection of his own personal tastes, and the wide-ranging versatility that shines amongst it.

There's a launch show incoming too - he'll be debuting the track at The Bird on February 19th - but in the meantime, take a dive into All I Know as it premieres on Pilerats below, and further introduce yourself to the musician before the big year ahead for him:

Tell us about yourself?

My name is Callum and I’m a 26-year-old artist from Perth, Western Australia. I’ve been writing music since I was about 13 years old but have always had an innate interest in music for as long as I can remember. I’ve pretty much been in and out of bands for 14 years of my life and it wasn’t until 2018 when my last band disbanded, I decided to start a solo project and put myself out there as a writer. It was also the first time I’d been a ‘frontman’ so it was pretty daunting but very exciting for me.

What’s your music like? What does it sound like? What kind of themes does it usually cover?

I feel like it’s the artist cliche of not knowing how to define your own sound. I suppose I don’t really adhere to any genres and I like being a bit more ambiguous in that way. I guess if I was to try and sum it up I would say Alternative Pop? I think my music is just me attempting to understand my relationship with life and how I interpret it.

What are your production and writing processes usually like?

It almost always starts on my laptop. Whether that be writing a drum loop or making a synth. It always differs for me though. I’m not an artist where I go in with any preconceived ideas about how I want something to sound. It’s usually whatever comes out at the time is what i’ll run with.

Can you tell us a bit about this new single, All I Know?

All I Know is a reflective song trying to come to terms with someone you love leaving. It was written in my bedroom during the lockdown of last year which coincided with a breakup that I was going through. I wrote a lot of music during this time and this was one of the songs that came out. I think we all had to create a big world out of our very real physical limits and for me, music was the perfect remedy for that.

What do you have planned for 2021?

So much! In the uncertain time, we’re living in it’s always hard to plan things out. I’ve finished an EP that I’m hoping I can release mid-year! I also really want to tour Australia or at least do a few shows in the eastern states. Maybe festivals if that's a possibility? I also want to keep growing as an artist and a writer, learn new things about production and writing and expose myself to loads more amazing music.

What do you want people to take away from your work?

I just hope people find some connection to what I say in my music. If I can help even just one person achieve some clarity in similar situations that I write about, that would feel really amazing. I really want to be to people what my favorite bands were to me.

Where can we find more of your music?

Everywhere! All of the usual streaming platforms. I think my music is even on TikTok now? Haha.

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