Melbourne/Naarm-based slowcore artist Sweet Boy is quietly building a big following.
Boasting over 800,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, nearly 30 million streams on his most viral song, and well over 50 million total, it’s clear that Sweet Boy, the project of songwriter and producer Alexander Kendall, is quite the talent.
His latest release, The Machinist, has been thriving in the shadows. The EP is a crushing, distortedly beautiful body of work filled with slow, pulsing rhythms and cascading walls of sound.
Lead single “i saw the light in you” set the tone for the project, accompanied by a gorgeous music video that communicates the feelings of pining evoked from the track, with a simple yet powerful approach. Watch it below.
It marked a clear departure from the sounds that fans knew from his previous EP Lucky, yet Sweet Boy still managed to convey the same emotional outcry.
We caught up with the rising star as part of our Up-And-Coming Australian Artists series, to find out more about having Scrim from $uicideboy$ sample his song, why he created a different sound on The Machinist, and what he’s working on next.
Sweet Boy’s The Machinist EP is out now.
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Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How much did music influence you in your early life?
Sweet Boy: Surprisingly I wasn’t heavily surrounded by music growing up — I was more into film. I fell in love with music later on in my life when I was 15 or 16. I’m really glad it happened this way though because I’m able to appreciate new types of music that I maybe wouldn’t have been able to take in properly if I was younger, if that makes sense.
What artists influenced you growing up?
There are so many artists I like. So many, but I feel like it comes in waves. I’ll be heavily listening to one album for six months and then another the next. I like it that way though. I’ve taken bits and pieces of what I’ve learnt along the way and can apply it to different sounds. If I were to name all of the influences I’d have to write a ten page essay on why and what parts inspired me so I guess I’ll just say I’m influenced by everything.
What are some career highlights so far?
Having my high school best friend Plague sample my song and it be used by Scrim from $uicideboy$ is something we both dreamt about. All of this feels like a highlight. Being able to create full time and people genuinely connect to it is a beautiful feeling. Having a ‘viral song’ is cool in itself but having it be a song that people have a genuine connection to is something else. Being able to share it with the people I love is even better too.
Even outside of music I’ve been able to expand my creativity to film and photography. I was able to shoot live videos for Cigarettes After Sex, Julie and Montell Fish this year too. That was incredible. I think right now being able to create some of the best music I’ve ever made with my best friends is definitely a cool feeling. I’ll remember this forever.
Tell us about your latest album/EP.
The Machinist was my way of saying, ‘Hey – I can do more than just slow music.’ I really wanted to do everything myself so I could confidently say I know how to make create this sound. I’ve always wanted to make a heavier project so I’m glad I was able to put that out into the world. I felt stuck musically after I released Lucky because I didn’t feel that way anymore — I felt happy. I visited LA and met my friend Max (Photographic Memory) who really ignited that spark again. Thank you Max.
What kind of personality traits and values do you believe it takes to succeed in the music industry?
Success really depends on the person. All I could really say is authenticity is number one, and the art should always come first. I started to direct and edit all of my videos because I wanted to make sure I can 100% get my vision across. There are a few people that I truly trust with taking the lead with me but they’re people who also understand what I’m trying to do.
How would you describe your music to a potential fan?
My music grows with people. I’ve seen it be there for people at their lowest and even at their best. I want to create worlds that people can genuinely escape into.
What are your goals for 2025 and beyond?
A lot of live shows and my first album. I’ve wanted to bring my music to a stage for a long time, but wanted to make sure I did it right. I want people to leave having a new appreciation for the music and really feel like they got to experience something.
I’m also currently in LA working on my album with my best friends. It feels good to be going back to the original sound and really expanding on it. I’ve been able to sit down with all of the people who are a part of this album and really break down the meaning and feelings that go into it. For the longest time I always felt like I had to stick my finger into an already healed scar in order to make emotional music which shouldn’t be the case. For this album I’ve figured it out. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
