The best part of this weird year is watching movers and shakers continue to keep our arts industry (and spirits) afloat. As you might’ve noticed, it’s more often the smaller names who are showing they’re the most powerful voices and passionate workers. They’re keeping us wearing amazing merch, bringing live gigs to our homes (hellooo Isol-Aid Festival), and continuing to release music every day. And it’s music like KIT's gritty yet playful debut that won’t allow social progress to slow just because we’re in quarantine.

The first offering of Katie Wighton’s solo project, 'Good Guy' is almost a 180 from her gentle, folk quartet-ing of All Our Exes Live In Texas. Instead, it’s a sound that would immediately please fans of Alex Lahey, Ali Barter, and Ruby Fields. The punchy guitars and jangly percussion are what immediately prompts the comparison, but it’s the thoughtful and brutally-relatable lyricism that seals KIT's place as a contender. Calling out bad behaviour from shitty dudes, particularly in the entertainment industry, 'Good Guy' uses the fire from conversations of sadness, anger, disappointment and horror to fuel steps towards fixing the problem.

Writing the track with the aforementioned Ali Barter, Kit explains that “basically, I was tired of hearing sad songs by incredible women about other remarkable women who were wronged - I just wanted to get mad about it.” It’s not an unfamiliar stance to take, but it’s an important one - and one rarely delivered in such a cleanly, catchy form. 'Good Guy' opens a position for gig and festival singalongs with the refrain “it’s bigger than us both” building towards the peak of the song, and perhaps once it’s allowed out in the open air, this message might finally sink into the heads of the people it’s about. In the meantime, direct any douchebags you know to KIT's new track and the building blocks behind it.

To celebrate the new release, we had KIT walk us through a few cracking influences behind the stellar track.

Angie McMahon - 'And I Am A Woman'

I had a conversation with a friend about the state of sexism in the music industry and we were discussing the total lack of consequences that these seemingly "good guys" seem to face. People still go to their shows, play their festivals, want to be managed by them. And then another friend sent me this song. And it's just so achingly sad and angry all at once. And I just felt so mad that we STILL have to feel this way. And so, I started writing 'Good Guy'.

"I'm not going to write a sad song about how he did you wrong, I'm just not going to go to his show" - in order for us to progress there has to be consequences, apologies, changes in behaviour and then forgiveness.


Lizzo - 'Truth Hurts'

These lyrics are just brilliant - "Why are men great till they gotta be great?" - it's a bloody good question and I still don't know the answer. I think we all have a responsibility to learn and be better - none of us are exempt from that regardless of our gender. I love Lizzo's lyrics. She doesn't hate on herself and she doesn't play her anger down which I really respect and wanted to emulate in 'Good Guy'.


alt-J - 'Hunter of the Pine'

This is one of my favourite film clips of all time. It's one of the few that I watched from the start all the way to the end. It's by Nabil Elderkin and I think everything he does is incredible. The opening shot immediately brings you in. It's the perfect amount of intriguing and uncomfortable that makes you want to know how the story ends. We tried to do that with the 'Good Guy' clip - I wanted people to watch to the end. Hopefully they do!


My mum/my family

My mum is a singer, writer, producer, editor, all-round-angel. She's funny and smart and always says what she thinks. She's honest, generous and has worked bloody hard in her life - all traits I really admire. In fact, her whole side of the family are legends. We laugh A LOT and sing a bunch and I definitely wouldn't have been a musician without their influence. My grandparents used to sing a song by Doris Day called 'Quicksilver' together (read: the cutest thing you've ever seen). My mum and I sang it to my grandad last year just before he passed away and that will be with me forever.


The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

This book is full of very beautiful words of wisdom. My mum gave it to me when I was about 19 and I read it/think of it often. My favourite section is about joy and sorrow. I think it's reassuring for the dark times and important to remember during the happy ones!

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall."