Interview Kaeto: “I’d like to have the space to continue reinventing”
The London-based musician forging adventurous new trails in the pop realm.
Kicking off her Polydor era with a recent pair of psych-pop bangers - ‘No Body’ and ‘Little Me’ - Scotland-born Kaeto is turning all the right heads. She’s already supported the likes of HAIM and Lauren Mayberry and, following a stint studying law at Birkbeck College, things have been heating up for the singer far away from the courtroom.
“I’m fascinated by human behaviour and the rules around it, and it’s important to be able to lay out an argument and advocate for yourself,” Kaeto explains, perched in front of a vintage mirror in her flat. “A huge amount of my confidence on stage was born out of moot court and trials. That experience was way more terrifying!
“Not much can go wrong when I’m singing, whereas I’ve been completely embarrassed in front of a judge and a room full of people because I haven’t prepared a good skeleton argument. It’s helped my performances,” she continues. “My worldview is that everything is creative. My parents are from science backgrounds, but both of them had artistic interests like languages and music.”
Kaeto first entered the studio back in 2019, ready to build a distinctive sound that gave her total freedom after her DIY videos started gaining traction. “I was just jamming with friends,” she recalls. “My network expanded and I met producers when the videos got seen. I’ve been really privileged to regularly write songs with talented people. I feel very heard and comfortable. I’ve got great management. My friends and I just work in a more efficient, professional capacity now!”
“My worldview is that everything is creative.”
Fusing multiple sounds and art forms in an industry that loves to box musicians by genre, Kaeto’s output refuses these easy labels. Take recent single ‘Don’t Ask’, which arrives as a wavey, groove-laden bop. “The idea behind the song was just me trying to have fun, focusing on the thoughts that tow us into line,” she explains. “I’m trying to work out how much ownership you can take over them. Are my preferences actually mine, or do I feel like I need to present myself in a certain way because I’ve been trained? I’ve never felt like I could claim other people’s view of me.
“I don’t have an idea of anyone who’s listening to my music beyond my own mother,” she laughs. “I’m trying to make content that feels authentic, which is a hard line to walk online. I’d like to have the space to continue reinventing. I’m a huge fan of Caroline Polachek’s worldbuilding.”
It’s a trajectory that Kaeto is hoping to continue in 2024. She’s got “loads of songs lined up to come out” and is hoping that a larger body of work will land by the end of this year. “But we’ll see!” she smiles. “I’ve sat on a lot of my music for a long time. I can’t wait to get it out there.”
Kaeto’s latest single ‘HERO’ is out now.
Records, etc at
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