Following the monumental success of the 2023 debut album, A Gradual Decline In Morale – which has amassed over 60 million streams worldwide – Kim Dracula continues to redefine modern music with an unapologetic fusion of nu-metal, trap, industrial, jazz, and hyperpop.
About to hit the road for a full Aussie headline run supported by Wednesday 13, the Horror Down Under tour kicks off in Brisbane on November 21. Before the chaos begins, Kim Dracula sits down to answer The Rockpit’s burning questions.
The Rockpit : You’ve never really stuck to one genre – your sound jumps from metal to trap, industrial to pop, sometimes in the same song. Has that always come naturally, or was it something you had to consciously lean into over time?
Kim Dracula : It comes naturally, but that’s not to say it’s unintentional. Most music is uninteresting to me. I just make the music and art that interests me, and if it means something to someone else, that’s cool too.
The Rockpit : The theatrical side of your live shows – the visuals, the makeup, the stage presence – it all feels very intentional. Have you always seen music & performance as one & the same, or did that evolve as the project grew?
Kim Dracula : For me, yes, I have always seen it as one and the same. It’s all art to me and all I care about is art. I couldn’t possibly limit myself to just music. Every artist is different though and there is no one way to go about it.
The Rockpit : You’ve built this mystique around your lyrics – layered, cryptic, and often open to interpretation. Do you prefer to leave meaning up to the listener, or are there clear messages buried in the chaos?
Kim Dracula : Everything I make is multifaceted. There are many hidden messages and meanings in all that I do, but I also want people to derive their own meaning from my music too. Sometimes that’s the point.
The Rockpit : A Gradual Decline in Morale feels like more than just an album – it’s an experience. What kind of headspace were you in when you were creating it, and did you expect it to hit as hard as it has with listeners?
Kim Dracula : I found myself in a rather dark headspace when creating that album. The story of the album is dark alone, but I related personally to a lot of the subject matter in it, and that’s what affected me most. As for what I was expecting, I’m not sure. I don’t really think about that too much. I just create what interests me. I find it sad how many people resonated with that album though, it’s not a happy album, but I’m glad people were able to find a sense of catharsis through my music.
The Rockpit : You first exploded online with genre-bending covers, but your original material shows you’re more than a viral artist. How did you handle that transition from “internet curiosity” to full-blown frontperson of a global act?
Kim Dracula : I used those covers as a tool to get people’s attention. Once I had their attention, I made them look at my real art. That was always the plan. Whether they would like it or not is another story, but I never cared about that. People can hate my art, but to hate something, you have to look at it, and that’s all I want- to make people look.
The Rockpit : You’re about to hit the road for the ‘Horror Down Under’ tour, and it’s your first full Aussie headline run. What does it mean to finally bring the show home, especially to cities you may not have hit before?
Kim Dracula : I am very excited. I have done DIY van tours through Australia in local bands, but nothing like what we’re about to do. I can’t wait to bring our show to my home country.
The Rockpit : Sharing the stage with Wednesday 13 is a hell of a pairing. How did that link-up come about, and what do you think fans can expect from this horror-fuelled double bill?
Kim Dracula : We linked up through mutual connections, however I’ve been a fan of Wednesday 13 since I was a kid. I listened to Murderdolls all throughout high school. The pairing is very exciting to me, personally. I think fans can expect to have their faces blown off. It’s gonna be one hell of a tour.
The Rockpit : Your shows are known for being intense – from the visuals to the sound to the energy. Do you change anything up when performing for Australian crowds versus the U.S. or Europe, or is it full throttle regardless of where you are?
Kim Dracula : We always go full throttle, as for anything else, the fans will have to wait and see.
The Rockpit : The music scene is in a strange place right now – constantly shifting, harder than ever to label. Where do you see yourself within all of that, and where do you see heavy music heading in the next few years?
Kim Dracula : I don’t care about fitting into any sort of scene, nor do I particularly want to. There are some exciting artists in heavy music right now; Tallah, Static Dress, Kaonashi, Paledusk, Omerta to name a few. I wish more artists valued creativity and artistic expression more, as opposed to tacky virality chasing bullshit. Some people think that’s what my music is, but I think most people are smart enough to see that I’m satirizing that very thing.
The Rockpit : You’ve clearly built a loyal fanbase, but what’s something about Kim Dracula – the person, not the project – that people might not expect?
Kim Dracula : I’m allergic to cats.
The Rockpit : You can invite 3 musicians dead or alive to join you for dinner. Who would you invite?
Kim Dracula : David Bowie, Mike Patton, GG Allin.
The Rockpit : If you could be credited with writing any song ever written, what song would you choose?
Kim Dracula : Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Hurt’.
Tickets for The Horror Down Under Tour are on sale now HERE
