Photo by Stuart WinecoffAn interview taken from our new digital issue. Actor, model, singer, and queer icon—these labels just touch the surface of the multi-faceted superstar, Troye Sivan. Hailing from Australia, he embarked on his artistic journey in 2007, sharing videos of him singing on YouTube at the young age of 12. Since those early days, Troye has been immersed in a whirlwind of projects, gifting us with two studio albums, and numerous EPs, and taking on various acting roles, including a notable appearance in Sam Levinson’s, The Idol.
After the successful release of the singles “Rush” and “Got Me Started” preceding his acclaimed third studio album, “Something To Give To Each Other,” Troye has proven that he’s here to stay. The distinctive sound of “Rush” combined with an exceptionally cool video, followed by “Got Me Started” featuring a sample by Bag Raiders’s “Shooting Stars,” has showcased Troye’s seemingly unstoppable momentum. From dancing with Tube Girl in London to gracing the catwalk for Miu Miu, and culminating in the release of his third album, 2023 has proven to be Troye’s year.
KALTBLUT had the opportunity to catch up with the singer prior to the album release, discussing Berlin, his favourite track from the latest album, and the current crucial importance of togetherness.
How are you feeling with the album release coming up? Are you nervous?
I’m feeling really good. I’m not really that nervous. It’s been such a long build-up and I feel very ready, which is nice. I’m just so proud of the album. It’s obviously a release, but it’s also such a release when the album finally comes out, emotionally.
I’m mentally preparing myself for that because it’s a very intense experience.
How long have you been working on the album?
I want to say two and a half, three years, maybe.
How does it feel releasing it now after such a long time? Have the songs changed for you since having recorded them?
It changes the second something comes out and becomes a totally different thing to me. They still feel fresh to me now. Seeing the way that people reacted to a song like “Rush” brings all of this fresh excitement and energy back into the song and my life. I love it.
You’ve released two songs before the album release, “Rush”, which you just mentioned, and “Got Me Started”. Both songs went viral and were really well-perceived. Does that take pressure off the album release?
It kind of takes the pressure off a little bit, to be honest. For me, that’s never really the goal. It’s often when it happens, but it’s never really the goal. For me, the pressure I feel more so is that by the time someone is finished listening to the album, they feel like they know where I’m at and connected to me, themselves and the people around them. That’s the pressure I feel.
You’ve probably been asked this several times, especially by German journalists. You filmed “Rush” in Berlin. Why?
“Rush” is a party song. It’s about the euphoria you feel when you’re surrounded by people on a dance floor, it’s hot and sweaty and the music is right. I’ve had spiritual experiences in those moments. When it came to filming the video, we could have tried to fake it.
But the entire album cycle, I wanted everything to feel real. It had to be genuine and vulnerable. That’s why I decided to do the real thing. And if you’re going to a party, where else do you go but Berlin? So we went, partied for a few days and filmed it. Besides the choreography, the video was not structured in any way. We sort of threw ourselves into these various rooms, partied, had fun and filmed it.
Read the full interview here:
Interview by @johannaurbancik
Follow @troyesivan on Instagram to keep up with his projects.
Photos by Stuart Winecoff and Universal Music
This interview was conducted a week before Troye released his third studio album “Something To Give To Each Other” on October 13.
