Chet Faker
Chet Faker
Nicholas James Murphy, better known by his stage name Chet Faker, is an Australian electronica musician. In 2012 he issued an extended play, Thinking in Textures and signed to Downtown Records in the United States. In October 2012 he won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Thinking in Textures won Best Independent Single/EP at the Australian Independent Records Awards...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionDJ
Date of Birth23 June 1988
CityMelbourne, Australia
CountryAustralia
Most of my inspiration comes from mistakes, so every time I make a massive mistake, that usually affects me so much that I have to process that via song.
I just love a slow groove. I feel so comfortable in it. But I listen to a lot of fast music, a lot of techno and house.
I hate fame. There's this assumption that everyone wants it - that by being a musician, I've signed up for it at some point. But personally, what I signed up for is sharing my music. I've always said I'd rather have four No. 10 songs than one No. 1 hit.
My biggest enemy for the longest time was my head. When I first became successful, it made me anxious because I was overthinking everything, and you hear so many 'fail' stories.
It was definitely hard when I first started, and by no means do I consider my live show to be where I want it to be; it will develop step by step for the rest of my life.
I think the most-played record in our house was the 'Big Chill' Soundtrack - so Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Otis Redding. I think that's where I got my love for a good hook, a good soul hook - really smooth and warm and from the heart.
Chet Faker's a reference to the late Chet Baker. I'm a big fan of his vocal style; it's quite fragile and soft, and that was a style I wanted to take on.
I studied audio engineering at university. The background I am from, music was never seen as a viable career; it was always a hobby.
I second guess everything I do musically, and I often could spend hours on, say, one snare sound.
Rather than trying to create an audience, just try and create music that feels good to you.
What I like about Americans is if it's good music, that's the only thing that matters.
Ultimately, I love making music more than anything. And I want to do that for ever. I don't want be on the top. I just want to keep doing what I'm doing.
I have had a pretty hardcore crash course on living out of a suitcase. Some people take consistency in their lives for granted. When you have little to none, you discover it's kind of a nice thing.
In my eyes, I think it's important that if you're doing something you're proud of and that is genuine and authentic, you have a responsibility to bring that to as many people as possible, just for the sheer reason that there are musicians out there who are manufacturing emotions that aren't genuine.