Interview: Next of Kin Finds Community at ACL

The freshly formed Austin-based alt-country trio Next of Kin spoke with Afterglow before its festival debut about how the members have formed their chemistry, “cult country,” and the Austin music scene.

Photo courtesy of KUTX

Although the band may be less than two years old, Lili Hickman, Madison Baker, and Caelin bring their own rich experiences to queer alt-country outfit Next of Kin. Their debut EP, Homemaker, attracted legions of fans across Austin, many of whom flocked to ACL to see them perform at their first festival.

Afterglow: You’ve each obviously had your own musical journeys, but has the past year or so of forming the band shown you anything new about music, or made you grow in a surprising way?

Baker: Yeah, I feel like this was [my] first experience of writing as a trio. I really would only write music with myself or like one other person, usually at max. So writing with Lily and Caelin has definitely been such an incredible experience, definitely challenging in some ways, but all positive growth I feel like has come from it. What about you Lily?

Hickman: It's also great because I've done a lot of co-writing in the past, but to do it with two other femme people, or non-male people who are the core of this group … feels really cool. It feels really nice to have that shared experience and be able to write from kind of just similar circumstances.

You’ve described your genre as “cult country.” Could you talk about what that term means to you?

Baker: Well, we're the nicest and kindest cult in town, you can leave anytime. I feel like we gravitated towards that not only because of the alliteration, like it just kind of rolls off the tongue really nicely, but because we wanted to create a community where people felt like they could connect and show up authentically with themselves, interact with the music in whatever way felt the most aligned with them. We're trying to build a fan base that not only is really stoked about the music and what we're doing, but shows up for one another and takes care of one another.

Caelin: Yeah, I think there's definitely, like a familial element in our band … and our name is “kin”, “Next of Kin”, so basically what Madison said, just curating a space for people of all kinds, to feel heard and supported through our music.

You all obviously have amazing chemistry. How do you build that?

Baker: We spend a lot of time with each other.

Hickman: A lot of time with each other, and sometimes it feels like we're all in the same brain. We joke and say that we just share one brain cell and we trade it off. But it really is just something that cannot be explained that we were drawn to each other. I know, even though Madison was kind of the anchor, I was close with Madison, and so was Caelin, but just randomly, did we start singing with each other. I just randomly had the thought that we would maybe sound good together and ask them to come sing on a song. It just kick started everything and it really is some greater force in this universe I believe that has brought us together, and it was just meant to be.

Baker: I would say too, just with what you asked about, how do we build the relationship with each other? I think it's super important for us to spend quality time with each other that's not centered around our work. So we try to just do fun things and purposefully not talk about work and not talk about scheming and plans for the band.

Hickman: Although we love to scheme!

What’s your favorite song to play right now together in your current set?

Baker: Honestly, we really, really love playing “The Alley”, which is coming out October 24. It's our next single. It's a song that we wrote together here about retribution and taking matters into your own hands. I feel like we get to kind of step into, not necessarily our alter egos, but like the sides of ourselves that are very, you know, stoic and ain't taking no shit.

Hickman: What is a cult country band without a little murder ballad, am I right?

Caelin: I think that song is the most fun simply because it really gets people going. It's a slow burner song. It really starts soft and kind of spooky and it builds into this pretty big, heavy, heavy country rock kind of vibe. It's tension all the way.

Speaking on performing live, what do you want the crowd to feel when you play for them?

Caelin: I think that they should be able to be in the moment, just like when you watch a movie, and you're taken out of the world and your reality. The world right now is such an insane place for everyone, and having a space that feels safe for somebody to show up and just … feel the music and be with the lyrics, I think that's really the goal with us — let people just be and experience something that they enjoy.

Baker: I think just connecting with the songs and the ways that feel the most aligned with whatever they're experiencing in their own lives. The most we can ask for is just for our audience members to be present and listen, but it's really hard to do with everything happening all the time, all at once. 

Hickman: But we really have the best fans!

Can you talk about your experience playing festivals?

Baker: I mean, this is our biggest festival.

Hickman: This is our first festival!

Baker: It’s kind of crazy that ACL is our first festival, and we are just super open to whatever the experience may hold. I think we're just really excited to hopefully encounter a lot of new listeners.

Hickman: And we're just also fans, so walking around back here with all of these heavy hitters, it's crazy. Recognizing we're a part of that is really crazy and definitely exciting.

Caelin: I think it's good to remember that it's not a mistake that we're here and being around so many people that are we are inspired by, musically, and that we look up to, I think it's just a testament to all the work that we put in.

And being an Austin band, being at ACL, what does the city mean to you and your music?

Hickman: Well, let me just say, and I love to say this, I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I was born into the Austin music scene, and I like to feel that I and this band, we are continuing to keep Austin weird. We're continuing to just keep that legacy going of old Austin, true Austin. I couldn't be more proud to be playing with my two best friends at Austin's biggest festival.

Baker: No, it's crazy. I feel like the most beautiful part about Austin is its artist community, specifically its musicians. I have been lucky enough to … be scooped up and put under the wing of a lot of really, really talented, humble, and hard working artists who kind of just showed me the ropes and led me to this moment right here. So Austin is super special, but it really needs, you know, support. I feel like supporting live music is so, so important, going to the shows, buying the merch, telling your friends about the bands that you listen to, because, you know, that keeps us going.

Your first EP came out great and I know that you’re working on your debut album. What can fans expect from that?

Hickman: I think our EP was kind of this beautiful, soft, open, where we were all coming out of some different situations in our lives, and we created this really soft place for our listeners to rest. And I think with this new album, there is something grittier and darker, and it might be a reflection of the times, it might be a reflection of our sound evolving, but we are really putting all of our anger, all of our frustration, into these songs, and I think it's gonna be a really unexpected and nice change for our fans.

Baker: Yeah, I feel like we're really trying to step into our authenticity and really say what we mean in the songs and get right to the point. So I feel like the fans could expect a lot of that, and maybe even some risks, some surprises. Expect the unexpected.

Listen to Next of Kin on Spotify and Apple Music.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.