VICE Spotlight: Brazen Barbie

Brazen Barbie’s raps are rapid, cheeky and entirely shameless. She doesn’t care for niceties or if her words cut you deep. All she wants to do is make music that is “unapologetic”, “bold” and “brazen”.

I first discovered Brazen Barbie on a playlist featuring other powerhouse female artists in Australia; Vv Pete, POOKIE, BVT, Srirachi. Her flow made her stand out in a lineup of already strong performers. On some tracks, she’s reminiscent of Memphis rap legend, the late Gangsta Boo. Brazen Barbie encapsulates what made Gangsta Boo a luminary in Memphis rap – a complete unwillingness to censor herself.

On other tracks, Brazen Barbie sounds fresh and current, her lyrics and delivery reminding me of the unwavering attitude of rappers like GloRilla and Lola Brooke.

It’s clear that, at 19-years-old, Brazen Barbie is utilising what she knows, loves and appreciates about rap and hip-hop, and recontextualising it to her experiences and upbringing as a Kenyan-Australian in Perth. Joining fellow Boorloo artists Mali Jo$e and xmunashe as some of the state’s most exhilarating creative exports, there’s no doubt Brazen Barbie is up next.

“I don't really have a favourite artist or an artist that is sole inspiration. I just listen to anything I like,” she told VICE.

“Lately, I've been trying to make music that's old school. I'm really getting into the Crunk scene now too, I’ve been listening to a lot of Duke Deuce. So I'm trying to make that type of music. No one’s really doing that here.”

Brazen started her music journey in primary school, where she played the cello and sang in the school choir. From the age of 14 she started making her own music and, by 16, she decided it was time to make something out of it.

“I started singing before I started rapping. I always wanted to rap but never realised that I could just do it,” she said.

“I never really listened to singing, I always listened to hip-hop and rap. So I wouldn’t be happy just singing, that wouldn’t fulfill my passion.”

When the time comes for Brazen Barbie to put pen to paper and write, she makes sure she creates something that makes you feel good. Her latest single “CHECK” with TAAYLEE G is a no-nonsense track that tells it how it is. Her lyrics are as iced out as the jewellery she sports, a braggadocious and playful declaration of her assuredness. If she’s feeling confident, she wants to make sure you do too.

“I try to give bold, confident energy. And hopefully, that resonates with people,” she said.

“I just like making music that people can get hyped to. When I'm writing and talking about myself, and saying “I’m the shit”, you don't listen to it as in I’m saying that, you’re hearing it in yourself. That energy is what I try to go for.”

While Brazen Barbie calls Perth home, she recognises that bigger and broader opportunities exist outside of her home state. An all-rounded creative community is still under development in Perth, making it hard for Brazen to drive her career further.

“It’s not really a good place to be if you’re creative,” she said.

“There's not many connections to make. There's not many things here that are actually based in Perth. There's not much you can excel in once you've kind of done everything. There aren’t many proper producers or good event organisers. It makes it hard to pursue anything.”

While she feels motionless for now, domination of the music scene is still on her mind. Brazen Barbie’s youthful drive and no-bullshit attitude is respectable. Her plans for the future say it all.

“My goals for 2024: branch out internationally and become a household name across Australia.”

Adele is the Junior Writer & Producer for VICE AU/NZ. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter here.

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