THE LAST WORD: Katie Underwood

K AT I E

U N D E RWO O D

Originally with girl group Bardot, Katie busted out of lockdown with Belinda Chapple as a duo, Ka’Bel and the disco-tinged Broken Hearted. Interview by MARC ANDREWS

DNA: You’ve been in lockdown but making disco music in your kitchen! Katie Underwood: We’re doing it as much to save ourselves as anyone else. It’s been my only refuge throughout this whole time. 2020 was Bardot’s 20-year anniversary. Is that where the idea for Ka’Bel came from? Absolutely. Tiffani [Wood] was very keen as well for a while, but had to gracefully bow out. Belinda and I were both consistently saying yes throughout the process. You juggle motherhood and music, are there more tracks from Ka’Bel coming? We initially explored the options of a few, but this one was the one that stood out. We don’t have anything else at the ready and I probably shouldn’t say that, but why lie? There’s also a connection with your Disco Montego hits! Absolutely. It was certainly a no-brainer in regard to doing this, but Belinda was also known as the disco queen in Bardot. She also looks a lot better in hotpants than me right now, so she can do that! There’s been a reckoning in the Australian music industry about the way young female artists were treated in the past. Did that affect Bardot? The benefit we had, 20 years ago, was we were a tribe of five powerful women. In an industry that it male-dominated and there are lots of drugs and alcohol involved, people make poor choices on both sides of the gender divide. You still have a sizeable gay following since the Bardot days. One of the things I loved about my time in Bardot is that the other girls were, what I considered, traditionally beautiful and fashionable. I struggled with that and aligned more with the tomboy and being androgynous. That part of my nature struck a chord with the gay community, boys and girls. I’m openly bisexual, or pan-sexual, so it’s not so much the gay community is following me as they’re my community. Do you feel an affinity to any LGBTQIA+ artists at the moment? I saw that Lil Nas X video recently in the jail with all the pink jumpsuits. I fucking love that! I know it’s hard for men in the hip-hop/R&B scene to come out as gay and for him to do it in such a blatant gangsta style is so brilliant. Frank Ocean came out but he was quite-quiet about it. This paves the way for all other LGBTQIA+ artists coming after that. Did Bardot’s record company ever tell you to be quiet about your bisexuality? I didn’t go public with my bisexuality until after I left the band because I wasn’t ready to go there. Sexuality is private and it’s up to each individual if they want to share that or not. Who were your own pop idols growing up? My first vinyl was Wham! and then George Michael and Annie Lennox. I felt something stirring when I saw her, much like when I used to meet young Bardot fans, who I would call “baby gays”. I would be able to tell if they were gay before they even knew. Anyone you want to work with now? PNAU! What’s your message to the readers of DNA? Thank you for the love. We’ve had such a wonderful response. It also affirms it’s never too late to do something you love.

I saw that Lil Nas X video in the jail with the pink jumpsuits. I fucking love that!

MORE: Broken Hearted is released through Xelon. For more find Ka’Bel on Instagram.