Sweet Boy on ‘Lucky’, dream collaborators and what’s next
Sweet Boy is the musical moniker of Alexander, Naarm-based artist making emotionally rich, genre-blurring songs. We caught up with him to chat about his latest EP ‘Lucky, learning to create from a happier place, and how his next chapter is shaping up. From freestyled lyrics to dream collabs and live show plans, Sweet Boy opens up about where he's been and what’s in store for the future.
Kade: First of all: who is Sweet Boy? Tell us about yourself and where you’re from.
Sweet Boy: Sweet Boy is a version of Alexander I guess, just another outlet of creative expression (not to get too deep). I currently live in Melbourne, Australia but was born in NSW and grew up on the Gold Coast.
Kade: Your music carries such a beautiful yet bittersweet vibe. Can you walk us through how you approach crafting a new song? Where do you start when making a new track; a feeling, an idea, or something else entirely?
Sweet Boy: When it comes to creating I normally start with the instrumental. If it doesn’t give me this certain feeling I won’t follow through with the song. I have a playlist of songs that have this certain feeling in them that I always try and chase. I don’t know if it’s a music theory thing but there’s this certain something that tickles my brain. Once I've got the skeleton of that down I'll loop it out for as long as possible and hit record and let myself sing (I guess freestyle) over it until there’s a song.
Kade: You mentioned a certain feeling that you always try and chase; can you describe that feeling for me? Is it something centred around nostalgia, melancholy, euphoria, or another type of feeling?
Sweet Boy: I’m still trying to figure that out myself to be honest. Maybe it comes from nostalgia but that would just be a guess. There’s this certain “thing” between chords or between vocal notes when they change between each other. Maybe it comes from my lack of music theory knowledge so I’m going off feeling but I’m sure there’s some music science behind it out there.
Kade: Your lyrics can hit pretty hard sometimes, where does the inspiration come from? Do you draw from personal experience or just what feels right in the moment?
Sweet Boy: If I'm making a song I never really focus on the lyrics too much. All of the music in the first 2 EPs were I guess “freestyles”. I was going through certain things at those times and it’s just what came out. On this new EP I’ve been working on making my lyrics more intentional.
Kade: Do you think your surroundings have shaped your songwriting and sound? Has living in Melbourne changed the way you approach creating music?
Sweet Boy: Funny enough, it felt like moving to Melbourne was a step back for my music. I was in the middle of releasing Lucky which was recorded early 2024 and once that was out I was left in a “weird” spot ; I was happy. I met my girlfriend, I’m living with my best friends and life feels good. I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to make “sad” music, but I came to the realisation that I need to make what I love. I think my music will always be “emotional”, but I hope the people are okay with me not being “depressed”.
Kade: It's wonderful to hear that you're in a good place. Do you think this will lead to a more hopeful, or optimistic tone in what you create next?
Sweet Boy: I think the themes of my music will always stay the same, but I think the pivot will come from the production. I’m really trying to expand of the sound that I’m “known for” by making it sound and feel bigger. I really want this music to translate this when I play live but still provide a safe place for listeners.
Kade: Speaking about the future of your music, do you have any plans or ambitions to create music with other artists or musicians?
Sweet Boy: Yeah for sure! I have a few people in mind I’d love to work with but it’s all about making it feel as natural as possible. I didn’t want any features on the first 2 projects because they felt so personal but this time around I’d like to have people help tell this new story.
Kade: If you could pick a couple dream collaborators, who would they be, and why would you like to create with them?
Sweet Boy: I would love to work with King Krule, but I know he’s a very private and “in his own bubble” type of guy. Even getting the chance to watch his creative process would be inspiring. At the moment I’d love to work with someone like Wisp. She’s super sick and is also in the same world I’m venturing into.
Kade: While we’re on the topic of some other artists, which artists do you think have been some of the key influences? Both in your sound from your first two projects, and the sound you’re heading towards in the future.
Sweet Boy: I’d say my influences for the first 2 projects were Montell Fish and Sign Crushes Motorist (we’ll say Liam [McCay]). I’ve been inspired by them both long before the Sweet Boy projects. I’ve always admired how their straightforward and stripped back lyrics and production still hit so hard. They’re both great guys.
As for the new project, I’d say it’s still the same + some more. I’ve always been such a big fan of the alternative side of music, so it feels really good to dive headfirst into it, while still keeping it “Sweet Boy”. I was blessed enough to see Slowdive & Julie (both big influences) this year, and it really changed my whole perspective on how I want to approach music.
Kade: You recently posted about the possibility of returning to play more live shows. What are some dream venues or cities that you would love to play in?
Sweet Boy: A lot of this new project is recorded for the purpose of playing live so live shows are definitely on the table. I’m keen to play some Australian shows this year and follow up with playing in other countries like the US, UK and more. I really want people to get the chance to see the world I’ve been building behind the scenes. I’m blessed to be able to have my best friends play alongside me too. I can’t wait.
Kade: What are some songs that you’re especially excited to play live?
Sweet Boy: All of them! I’ve been fleshing out the songs from the last 2 EPs to really put them into this new world. Might even play some acoustic.. who knows.
Kade: What do you think is next for you going forward, both as an artist and a person?
Sweet Boy: I’m really excited to show people more of what I’m capable of and just keep expanding the Sweet Boy universe. I want to keep creating the best work I can and keep having fun with it.
Kade: And for the final question: what are 3 things that you would love to accomplish over the next year?
Sweet Boy: I’d love to do a world tour, release an album and a short film. I’ve wanted to do all of these things for a long time, so I think now is a great time to that.
Listen to Sweet Boy’s latest EP ‘Lucky’ below.