Hip-Hop rapper/ singer Illy chatted with our photographer and interviewer, Amy Brinkley via email about his law degree, picking guest appearances for albums and more. Read their conversation below!
Amy Brinkley: You’ve played hundreds of gigs and festivals across the country over the past couple of years, what’s your favourite town you always like to play in and why?
Illy: There’s a lot of places and particular gigs, that have been awesome! The hometown shows in Melbourne are obviously highlights for me, but Sydney has also had some wild gigs, 
same as Brisbane, Perth etc.. Regionals, I have a soft spot for Bunbury, Newcastle and Darwin. But North Queensland spots are amazing ’cause we generally tour there when it’s freezing back home. So yeah, everywhere has positives haha.
AB: Your upcoming album “Bring it Back”goes back to a more original style of hip hop as opposed to the more commercial sound in your earlier albums, why have you chosen to do this?
I: Just to do it really. There was no intention to make it, I just had a few tracks I had made with friends that then became half a dozen, and then it got to a point where I had all these different tracks, and thought they were good enough to build an album around. It’s different, but I’m really proud of how it’s turned out.
AB: When working on albums how do you choose the artists you want to feature on it?
I: I choose by who I think will suit the beat/chorus. Generally have a pretty good idea early in the process
AB: Your last album “The Chase” was very successful topping the radio charts and putting you on almost every major festival line-up, do you think the new album will generate the same response amongst the festival goers and radio charts?
I: It’s not an album made with that intention, so I havent really taken it into consideration. The first single Heard It All has done really well, the second one Where Ya Been is out now and doing its thing, so it’s been quite well received. But yeah, it’s not that sort of record.
AB: The song that you’re known best for, Pictures is very often called Footprints/Footprints in the Sand, does it annoy you that so many people don’t know it by it’s proper name?
I: The song I would say I’m best known for is It Can Wait, and that too gets called It Can’t Wait all the time.. I don’t mind that much, but it makes it pretty clear who has bought the song as opposed to burnt it! Haha
AB: You recently got your law degree with a very high score, you have done three albums in four years and over the past few years you have toured the country with your music and seen a fair amount of the world. How do you find the time to do everything?
I: By not allowing myself to not do any of it! Just make my mind up I’m doing something, and do it! Best way to do it iI rekon!
We would like to thank Illy for his time and if you can check out his site, linked below and his single It Can’t Wait
http://illyal.com/
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