PREMIERE + INTERVIEW: Nicole McKinney Chats Female Empowerment And Self Love While We Watch The Live Video For ‘Cool’
Article by Darcy Goss
Photo by Thomas James Isaac
Nicole Mckinney is no stranger to Meanjin's music scene and for good reason. She's fiercely vulnerable, eclectically real, and charged with an unapologetically honest and raw approach to her music. Last year saw the release of her debut EP 'The Process' which followed her cementing herself as a staple on local line-ups.
Now deep into 2022, she's showing no signs of slowing down as she returns with a fiery new single titled 'Cool'. Surging with a triumphant FU energy the track is all about female empowerment, reclaiming your self worth and Nicole’s journey to self love.
Premiering on Ungrained right now, the beautiful release is joined by an incredible live performance of ‘Cool’ filmed at the Outpost Bar!
Check it out followed by an exclusive interview with Nicole McKinney all about the release, female empowerment and her top 5 tips for people on their journey to self love.
Check it!
Hey Nicole! How’s it going, are you as cold as us in this “antarctic freeze”? How are you keepin warm?
I’m freezing my …. off, but my trusty hot water bottle and fluffy bed socks are keeping me alive so far!
Love it. Now, to business, you’ve just released your latest single ‘Cool’ talk to us about that - what does the track mean to you?
To me this track was basically the first song I ever wrote from a sassy sarcastic perspective. This song helped me feel empowered and look back on things in a more light hearted perspective. I had a lot of fun recording this and got to channel my sassy fresh breakup self!
What do you want listeners to take away from it
I want people to feel empowered and have fun singing along in their car/bedroom. If it helps someone feel better about the ending of a relationship, that’s special.
What helps you to reconnect with your female empowerment when you’re feeling lost?
I love this question! For me, reconnecting with my empowered self includes journaling in nature about my divine feminine energy to remind myself that it has always and will always be there.
You’ve got a gorgeous way of story-telling through your lyricism. Does that part of your craft come easily to you and do you find a sort of therapy in songwriting?
Lyricism comes very naturally to me. Songwriting is my therapy. When I write, I let everything flow out. I’m only reflecting what is going on inside my soul and sometimes I learn how i’m feeling as it comes out. I’m so grateful for songwriting. I’ve always felt a sense of loneliness but for as long as I write music, I don’t think I'll ever feel truly alone.
You’ve also got an incredible live video of ‘Cool’ premiering with us today, how does it feel to play this song live?
Cool is one of my favorite songs to play live at the moment. The audience are always receptive to the attitude and upbeat vibe of the song. A lot of my music reflects the darkness in my life so It’s nice to have a song people can feel good and dance to whilst still very personal.
What does your ideal environment look like when you’re getting creative?
I think I write best when in nature. Nature helps me connect to myself so I can write authentically. If there’s a park nearby I'll sit on the grass with my guitar, a blank book and pen. Then Bob is truly your uncle.
Lastly, what are your top 5 tips for people on their journey to self love?
1: Stop caring what other people think about you- sounds simple but it 100% can sneak up on you especially when comparing your life to others on social media.
2: Watch what you say/think about yourself- Nourish that part of you that feels at peace with yourself
3: Journal and read self-help books - This has been really effective for my mood lately
4: Go out in the sun/nature- open those damn curtains- I always forget how big a difference it makes.
5: Make your room your sacred space- Decorate it with things YOU love and set the lighting - mood is everything! Fairy lightsssssssssssssss!
Thanks so much Nicole! We LOVE YA <3
Love you guys too!
Stream ‘Cool’ now!