In Konversation with OCY:
Get ready to hear a lot more about Sydney based artist OCY
Off the back of her debut EP release, Red Moon, KOT-J spoke with OCY about everything from her songwriting process and personal life influences, to women in music, and the importance of what you wear and why.
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Congratulations on your debut EP! We have been counting down the days until its release. Can you tell us a bit more about how this process was for you, from conception to release?
“Thank you! I just wanted to make something that people could put on and leave it on and it wouldn’t be annoying. I also wanted to make something that I liked. I had been writing for ages, and the songs were getting a bit better, enough that it felt like they were worth recording. I got to work with people who are excellent at what they do, which made everything so easy. There were songs I came in with that were fully formed, and others that happened on the day. The whole process was a lot of learning and improving, both with songwriting and singing and with composition.”
Do you have advice for your past self going through this creative journey?
“Advice? (She laughs.) No. Maybe don’t worry. Shoulder surgery will be worth it, because you will get marginally better at Logic.”
We’re huge fans of your tracks Semi-Hurt and Marseille Hardcourt, and your EP is clearly a raw and personal body of work. Is there a track you connect to more than the others? How is it looking back on these tracks now they’ve been released to the world?
“I love ‘Hardcourt’ ‘cause it’s a bit strange and fun to sing, but in terms of connecting to a track, I think it depends on my mood. ‘Last Thing’ definitely has some stuff in it, and it’s also got some nice chords in there too. I like the fact that the EP sounds like a small body of work, like a neat little moment in time.”
What role do mistakes, both personal and artistic, play in your creative process?
“I think I’ve become much more comfortable making mistakes, honestly only semi-recently. I used to be afraid of them, even though I made them all the time. Becoming more fine with this has meant I could make this EP.”
You’re the first woman from Westway Collective to join the label, and at the end of 2025 you headlined a show at Vic on the Park in Marrickville, with another incredible female lead, Jordan Laser, and her band opening for you. What has it been like sharing stages and these kinds of opportunities with your own band and with other women in the industry?
“I’m definitely for the gals, always. Jordan is incredible, and it was so special to get to do that show together. Getting to play music with your friends is kind of at the top of the list of excellent activities to do with your time, so I’m very happy and grateful that I get to."
Choosing clothing is such an intimate ritual, and you recently shot your EP artwork wearing pieces from KOT-J! How do you approach selecting garments for everyday life versus what you wear on stage?
“OMG KOT-J! Feeling right about what you have on is key across the board. You can always feel it when it’s not quite working and it’s always best not to push it.”
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OCY’s EP Editorial features her favourite pieces from the KOT-J ARCHIVE:
Prada 2011 Red Mini Pocket Dress
Issey Miyake AW 1997 Slit Leg Pleated Pants
Givenchy Spring Summer 2013 Madonna Layer Tank
Moschino Vintage Cheap and Chic Embroidered 2-Piece Suit
Gucci Pilot Aviator's
Shop OCY's Edit from the KOT-J ARCHIVE here
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