April 13th has passed which has seen the third CD release from Kate Miller-Heidke titled ‘Nightflight.’ After doing a few gigs at the Brissie Powerhouse and getting set to travel and continue the tour, Kate spoils QNews by catching up to discuss new album, life and possible future gigs of teaming up to duet with a prestigious bearded drag queen.

Q: Been keeping busy! How are you?

Kate: Haha yeh I do feel happy and I do keep busy but it’s really hard talking about this record, I’m finding it hard.

It is gloomier and darker and at times melancholy and based on real stories and instances – thoughts?

It’s a kind of melancholy record – it’s a reflection on how I was feeling I guess and also about living in Kier’s (husband) grandparent’s house (who have both died) in Toowoomba. That’s where we wrote most of the record in their old grand house that looked out across the range – beautiful house but I think the sense of loss and awareness of mortality is something that permeated these songs.

Your last project band with husband Kier ‘Fatty Get’s A Stylist’ album featured a myriad of happy, upbeat pop songs yet you are able to break away into a more theatrical, emotional genre with other tracks in your solo releases – how is that?

The thing is Kier wrote all the Fatty songs. Except for ‘Let Me Fade’ which I wrote, which is the only miserable song on the album [giggles.] I’m just a sucker for ballads I guess – Kier calls me the queen of the open wound.

This album is highlighted to be personal and somewhat biographical in comparison to previous releases – does that mean previous hits like ‘Last Day On Earth’ was an elaborated idea or personal experience too?

Well obviously there was no apocalypse so it wasn’t based in fact but I think it was the title of a chapter in a Tom Wolfe book that we ripped off. I obviously tapped into real feelings – if a song writer doesn’t do that it’s pretty empty. Every song is different – there are far more stories on this record than the last one – there’s more moody kind of imagery – I think in general the song writing is more sophisticated and I’m older now – I feel I’m more focused and have a clearer sense in the kind of music that I wanna sing.

Any cool people you have met lately to collaborate with?

I have seen the most incredible show of life recently actually. Have you heard of Le Gateau Chocolat?

No

Big, black, bearded drag queen! I still can’t quite put into words how brilliant it was. We were following each other around the country. You don’t think of a drag queen as being vulnerable but it was one of the most butt wrenchingly vulnerable shows I have ever seen. He’s got an operatic baritone voice as well. It almost felt as like my kindred spirit except like this big, black gay dude [giggles] – I’m planning a duet with him so I hope that happens!!

His show was totally cutting edge and effecting! Unlike bad cabaret; is the most repugnant thing in the world to me. I f*&king like seriously, I don’t need to hear another tender version of Radiohead, you know what I mean? But this was just earth shatteringly good.

Kate will shortly be hitting the States again to continue touring and spreading her new music and talents but come late August she will be back touring a with a band and who knows what sneaky implementations she might have in store for us once a bit more settled and experience with her new material. Hey new album ‘Nightflight’ is available in all music outlets and shall be reviewed by QNews in our next edition.