Pat Stevenson

‘I Feel Like a Regal Prince’: Getting Gig Ready with Keli Holiday

One half of Peking Duk discusses his latest solo project, new single 'Disco', and the secret behind that luscious hair

By Jacque Kennedy

April 18, 2024

In Partnership with DERCOS by Vichy

It’s been two years since Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde released music under his solo moniker, Keli Holiday. Understandably, fans have been wondering where he’s been.

“To all the beautiful fans that have been hitting me in the DMs going ‘what are you doing?’– I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I’m cooking up some hot spicy meatballs.” Confused? Don’t worry. By spicy meatballs, he means music.

With a brand new single “Disco” out now and an EP, JESTERMAN, on the way, Hyde is ready to bare it all as Keli Holiday.

But first, he has to get his signature curls in shape. On the eve of a gig, Hyde turned to his trusted stylist Lorenzo, the “king of the city,” for a quick fix to his misbehaving hair.

Rolling Stone AU/NZ sat in on the session to see how Hyde prepares to step onto the stage.

Embracing the Beach Lifestyle

Like many creative Aussies, Hyde found himself venturing overseas to live in Los Angeles. He finds inspiration by the ocean and connecting with nature. Of course, it’s great for his hair too. “I’ve been living by the beach, so I try to jump in the ocean. Saltwater does wonders for curly hair,” he says.

Even amidst the serene beach life, the demands of his career are always there, especially when gearing up for gigs.

Giving His Hair the Royal Treatment

“I remember one time I saw some dandruff on my shoulder and I freaked out,” he says. But that’s not going to stop him, and on nights when he needs to look his absolute best, it’s time to call in the big guns.

Before styling, Lorenzo introduces Hyde to the Dercos Anti-Dandruff DS Shampoo that’s designed to treat dry and oily scalp conditions.

Opting for the oily option, Hyde found an instant solution that not only addresses any hair concerns, but also improves his hair’s texture, look, and feel. According to Lorenzo, it smells great too. “I’m not going to lie Lorenzo, my hair actually feels a lot smoother now,” Hyde admits post-shower.

The shampoo is recommended by dermatologists for its impressive efficacy. “It leaves you looking better than you already did, and removes up to 100% of visible dandruff from first use*,” says Lorenzo. Not only that, the Dercos by Vichy range is full of dermatological actives like selenium DS and salicylic acid and provides six weeks of anti-dandruff relapse protection**.

Scalp sorted, Hyde is keen to experiment with his style. Lorzeno starts with a “wet look” natural parted curl, twisting each strand while wet to give it a natural texture as it dries. “Look at those curls, man,” Hyde says. “I feel like a regal prince.”

Next, he tries an 80s-style “up and over”. The gig promises to be a steamy one, so Hyde wants his hair up and out of his face. “You’ve got a party in the front, party in the back, it’s basically just a full party,” says Lorenzo. Perfect.

Talking All Things New EP

Hyde’s new journey as Keli Holiday is filled with anticipation, especially with the EP coming out in a few weeks. It marks a new era for the singer. “This EP is kind of the birth of a new chapter for Keli Holiday,” he explains. “I think the first album was a bit of a sob story, I just got out of this relationship and wrote a bunch of songs.”

By contrast, JESTERMAN tells a more honest story. “This EP is the introduction to the new wave of what Keli Holiday is, which is authentically me. Sharing my stories through my lens, as best I can, without it being filtered in any way.”

The music videos for JESTERMAN are slated to be an exciting extension of the EP’s sound. Heading to Bangkok to shoot them soon, Hyde teases fans with the promise of surprising visuals.

With that, the countdown begins. With new music and fresh hair, he’s ready to kick off this new chapter and take over the stage once again. Not a flaky scalp in sight.