Miss Kaninna has released her highly anticipated debut EP, KANINNA.
The EP reflects the music Miss Kaninna grew up listening to and loving, from hip-hop to rap, R&B to pop, with flourishes of Afrobeats, Amapiano, and more global musical influences thrown in for good measure.
“Has an Australian artist ever had such a strong first three singles as Miss Kaninna? … One of the hottest rising stars in Australian music right now,” we previously wrote about Miss Kaninna’s trio of initial releases, “Blak Britney,” “Pinnacle Bitch,” and “Push Up,” which all feature on KANINNA, joined by “Kush,” “Friends,” and “Dawg in Me.”
The latter track, Miss Kaninna’s most recent EP single, displays a typically fuck-around-and-find-out mentality from the assured artist.
“I’m so sick of people testing me. I’ve had a lot of confrontation with people in regards to human rights – my own human rights, basic fucking human rights,” Miss Kaninna says. “People really kind of push my buttons and I’m like, you know, pretty ruthless. So if you want to actually come away from the computer screen and come and say it to my face, let’s go. My favourite part is the bridge as well – I love how fucking crazy I sound. I sound like a crazy bitch – that sounds sick.”
Despite it being her first full project, Miss Kaninna was initially hesitant to self-title her EP.
“I had other names circling in my head but none of them really felt right,” the Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali artist reveals.
“This being my first body of work as an artist I wanted to name it something I can be proud of and look back at in years time and still feel a connection to it. That’s when I realised it had to be my name. Since releasing music, people often ask me ‘what my real name is’ which is so funny because my name is so unique that people must think it’s made up.
“As a child I was given a nickname because people either couldn’t be bothered learning how to say my name – or were just racist. A lot of the time when I introduced myself people would say, ‘Do you have an easier name I can call you,’ which really affected my identify and made me ashamed of my name.
“Now as a young adult I find empowerment in reclaiming my name and make sure people make an effort to say it right. This is why it was so important to name the EP KANINNA – it’s my name and you will know my power.”
Now that her debut EP is out in the world, Miss Kaninna’s attention turns to her November headline tour, which will see her celebrate the project at shows in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney (see full dates below).
Adding to Miss Kaninna’s major 2024 is nominations at the Music Victoria and Corner Awards, as well as confirmation of her inclusion in the Bluesfest 2025 lineup.
Miss Kaninna’s KANINNA EP is out now via Soul Has no Tempo.
Miss Kaninna 2024 Headline Australian Tour
Ticket information available via misskaninna.com
November 23rd
Howler, Melbourne, VIC
November 29th
Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, QLD
November 30th
The Lansdowne, Sydney, NSW
