Welcome to Archer’s Queer Fashion Files! Each month, we interview trendsetters and tastemakers, showcasing the diversity and talent of the fashion world. You can check out all episodes of our Queer Fashion Files here.

In Episode 30, Hailey Moroney chats to Kaiit about culture, fashion and the importance of caring (lots!).

Papua New Guinea born, now Naarm/Melbourne based, Kaiit (pronounced Ky-yeet) is an artist in every sense of the word, with a creative vision sustained by a deep spiritual connection with her ancestors. Her music is timeless, with its shimmery feel-good vibes and nostalgic production. The contrast between Kaiit’s old soul voice and fierce, contemporary rhymes set her apart, painting a vibrant picture of gratitude and community, amidst honest and relatable story-telling relevant to her generation. Kaiit’s infectiously positive demeanour shines through in everything she creates; everything about her aesthetic is bold, beautiful and awake with colour and experimentation. Hers is a compelling and joyful world in which everyone is encouraged to be themselves and speak their truth.

Kaiit has sold out multiple national tours, performed at Splendour in the Grass and Laneway Festival, and supported a number of international heavyweights, including SZA and The Internet. Her passion for jazz and soul is evident in her music, and was confirmed by neo-soul queens Jill Scott and Erykah Badu who personally claimed her as their “musical love child from down under”. Kaiit draws musical inspiration from her idols Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill, as well as contemporary peers Noname and SZA.

Image: SOJU

Hailey Moroney: Kaiit, thank you so much for joining us here for this interview! Queer Fashion Files is a passion project of mine where I interview artists I absolutely adore, platform their style and, most importantly, see what words of advice they wish they knew when they were emerging.

Let’s just jump in with the real shit: You’ve talked about reclaiming your independence as an artist after a really difficult few years in the industry. I’m curious about the relationship between that freedom and your style. Do you dress differently now? Does the way you present yourself feel clearer on the other side of that?

Kaiit: That is a very interesting thought! I feel one thing I’ve noticed is the types of colours I wear in my outfits now. This new era I feel I’ve been very drawn to bright greens and different shades of blue.

I’ve been buying more local/independent creators, more intentional cuts, shapes, accessories and even more recycling and repurposing. I’ve also been loving using Kryolan black teeth paint. It reminds me of my family and ancestors with their betel nut-stained teeth, my favourite! 🥹

Image: Frank Kiraly

HM: I wanna talk about identity and how it influences your incredible art, particularly in the music industry, where outdated and colonial perceptions of gender are so prevalent. Can you talk to me about this?

K: I think for someone like me, who identifies with a lot of things – including being Papua New Guinean, Blak and extremely fluid in who I am and how I present myself to the world – I attract all kinds of interactions, especially in this industry. This usually aligns with being a Bla(c)k woman in the colony.

A massive part of my identity is my name, and something I still constantly deal with is people spelling my name incorrectly. Use any pronoun you want with me, shiii… you don’t even gotta pronounce it right – just spell my name correctly! I was performing at a festival the other day, and all my accreditation was spelt KaiTT. I love that they think I have two big TTs, though! 😂

But I just try to focus on the expressing and feeling free part… which, to me, is the epitome of queerness.

Image: Laura Du Vè

HM: Your Papua New Guinean and Gunditjmara heritage is woven through everything you make. How do you express your culture in the way you style yourself?

K: I feel like I express my culture in many ways when it comes to my style. In my life to this point, the main cultural practices and knowledge being passed down to me have been more accessible via my Papua New Guinean side, as that’s what I’ve grown up mainly around.

A big way that I incorporate and express my culture is through traditional jewellery. In Papua New Guinea, we call this Bilas (bee-lus), and it is mainly used for performance. The Bilas I like to add are my bilums, turtle shell bracelets and very special necklaces, which in my village historically consists of using pigs’ teeth/tusks, shells and dogs’ teeth.

Image: Sam Odumosu

HM: If you could go back five years, what words of advice would you give to your earlier self? And what would you say to artists who are at that stage in their careers now?

K: I’ve got three things that come to mind.

1. Spend a li’l more time with yourself – lots of magic, revelations and reminders lay there.
2. Listen to your body, which I feel tends to go hand-in-hand with the spending time with yourself. Your body tends to already know the answers: what feels good/right and what simply doesn’t. Do we always listen to that feeling? No… but is it always right? More often than not! 😅
3. CARE! Care about making things you’re proud of. Care about your business and how you run it. Care about budgets. Care about owning your music. Care about the types of people you work with. Care enough to ask the silly question anyway. Care to protect your creations at all costs. Care to express how your body feels. And care enough to NOT take no as an answer. Music and expression, at its core, is playful, free and fun… but we talking ’bout the music industry, which goes beyond just singing and making music because it’s fun and you enjoy it.

Image: Lucinda Goodwin

HM: Queer Fashion Files is about celebrating people who use style as a form of self-expression that goes beyond aesthetics – it’s about visibility, safety, joy and all the gorgeous things our community celebrates. Where does queerness live for you: whether it’s in your art, your wardrobe, your community, or all?!

K: All of the above, and more!

My art, wardrobe and community encompass it all, because I feel they’ve all needed each other to discover, remind and grow.

My art – which I view as my singing, makeup, drawing, clothing, expression, tap dancing – are the things that manifested and called out to my community. And my community (especially BIPOC queers) showed me the infinite possibilities! They showed me where the jam nights were on Tuesdays. They taught me how much I loved makeup, and why it’s so important to me. They taught me my music is so much bigger than me. And they showed me some of your best memories will be connecting with people by the bins, in a colourful Naarm alleyway.

Image: Jade D’Amico

Image: Larissa Jane Ryan

HM: I always like to end the interviews with… what’s next?! For you personally, for Kaiit as an artist, for us as a human living in a somewhat cooked and challenging society?

K: Next is just continuing to stay on my journey. Continuing to listen to my body, to make more time for my community, and more listening to the Earth to keep creating these sounds and creations, period!

I have some incredibly exciting shows that I can’t wait to be announced this year! I’ll be releasing music I’ve been so beyond ready to share with you all, connecting at shows in-person, having fun, more jazz, and expressing freeeeely! ✨

I pray for that energy for all of us: to allow ourselves to have fun, run in the rain and to continue expressing freely. Oh, and clean drinking water. 💚

Image: Sam Odumosu

Image: Miro Wilkinson

Image: Laura Du Vè

You can stay up to date with Kaiit on Instagram.

If you want to pitch an idea for Archer’s Queer Fashion Files, email pitch@archermagazine.com.au with ‘QUEER FASHION FILES’ in the subject line. You can check out the rest of our Queer Fashion Files here.