01 Jul 2021 | 5 mins

Here at Year13, we’re all about shining a light on you talented and creative legends out there. This one is for all the misfits, dreamers and high achievers. Whether you love painting, songwriting, gaming, inventing, fashion designing, mosaicing - no matter how niche or nuanced your hobby is, we’re keen to showcase your passion in our new Killin’ It series!

Meet Louis Libran [loo-wee lee-bran] - a queer and Indigenous creative that has carved a space for himself within the music scene as a singer, songwriter and producer.

Creating his stage name three years ago, he adopted his middle name “Louis” and tied in his astrological sign “Libra” to explore an identity separate from his birth name.

“I am very strong and connected to that extension of me. It is my safe space to be as weird and as queer and as different as I want to be. It gives me the space that I need to be a creative artist and to not judge myself.”

Being a Wiradjuri man with a close connection to his culture and people from the small town of Narrandera, growing up on Darug land out in the western suburbs of Sydney and making the move into the big city, Louis carries his identity with him nomadically.

“I feel like I come from a lot of places. It’s hard to pinpoint how my identity connects with my location… In terms of my identity, I’m happy to be a queer and Indigenous man. I didn’t really put the two together. It’s only as of recent where I made them co-exist.”

 

Growing up, Louis had plenty of idols that have influenced the electronic-synth, alternative pop sound he creates today.

“Mum introduced me to [bands like] Kiss and AC/DC [then I] moved into metal. Having these idols being different and a sense of anarchy really resonated with me, I wanted to make a difference.”

Going through high school and dropping out of university with the one mindset of pursuing a career in music, Louis struggled with the feeling of not belonging in the music scene.

“When you feel like an outcast or different in the music space, it kind of makes you second guess what you’re doing. I think the lack of diversity when it comes to queer, Indigenous artists in the music scene didn’t help.”

Despite the change in sound and image throughout his career, Louis’ creative process in producing music stays the same.

“I use music as an escape and as a form of therapy, I write whatever comes out. Whatever I’m feeling at that moment, I would try to express that through instrumentation.”

Louis has been tearing it up in all aspects of his creative career, from being played on local and international radio stations (one being triple j’s Unearthed), having a feature piece in Happy Mag as well as playing intimate gigs - his most recent performance at Sub-Kulture Vulture last month.

 

While Louis has also dabbled in creative projects such as recording two albums as the bassist in The Violet Stones, as well as the occasional modelling and acting gigs, his passion has always lied within committing to his art to the fullest while making it as a solo artist.

“Being a creative, no matter how hard it is or how unsustainable it looks, it’s attracted me to having all those struggles. I love having a sense of freedom in my existence and purpose.”

While Louis is consistently working towards his passion, he also has some bigger dreams to pursue.

“I want to resonate with people, to have an audience I can call my own. [I want to] feel like I’m making a difference in this world and to talk about things that aren’t spoken about, as well as breaking social norms [and] connecting with people.”

Continually honing in on his craft, he has some advice for upcoming creative artists that are keen to start laying down their own path into the music industry.

“Be yourself, it’s as cliche and as simple as it sounds. At the end of the day, when you have a bunch of phone memos in your phone or songs that aren’t getting as much traction that you thought you were gonna get… you always come back to your why and it definitely grounds you. Be yourself and know your why.”

It was a privilege to speak with the red hot artist on an incline to his version of success, Louis Libran. 

Suss Louis Libran at Soundcloud, Youtube, Spotify, Facebook and Insta. And while you're here, check out his latest single 'Haunted' here with a video to accompany - lit!