Young Australian electro-pop duo Naked Face is from Melbourne. Naked Face is an energy, a mood, an atmosphere, and a feeling. It is led by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steve Slik and bassist Luke House.
Eyes In Love is an energetic, electro-pop dance song that touches on themes of addiction, betrayal, and heartbreak. Their singer Steve Slik wrote the song about his battles with a deteriorating, turbulent relationship and a severe opioid addiction following surgery. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
NAKED FACE: We’re originally from Melbourne, Australia. We started playing together in 2019, primarily performing a mix of punk pop and indie rock music. At that time, we had a full four-piece band for live shows, and a three-piece lineup for our online presence. As time went on, we began exploring different genres and styles, and eventually decided to make the leap into electro pop in 2023. This transition wasn’t without its challenges, and we went through several lineup changes before finally settling on a two-piece setup.
2. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
NAKED FACE: As professional musicians and songwriters, we have no time to waste on negative feedback that lacks constructive criticism. We simply ignore their criticisms and hateful comments towards our music. Through experience, we’ve discovered that people who engage in hateful and critical behaviour often suffer from severe insecurities themselves. Instead of hiding behind screens and spreading negativity, we encourage them to create music, put their faces out there showcase their ‘talents’. However, we understand that not everyone is willing to take such risks.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘NAKED FACE’?
Steve Slik: Growing up, my earliest musical influences were iconic bands such as The Beatles, The Police, and Queen, as well as classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven. More recently, I’ve been drawn to the unique sound of modern bands like Twenty One Pilots, who continue to inspire my own music today. As for the name of my band, Naked Face, it actually came from a song I had written years ago. My young sister suggested the title, and we all agreed that it would make a fantastic name for a band. It’s a name that embodies the raw, unfiltered energy of our music, and we’re proud to represent that sound under the Naked Face name. All in all, my diverse range of musical influences and the unique inspiration behind our band name have helped shape us into the musicians we are today.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
NAKED FACE: At the heart of our music lie several key elements that define our sound. First and foremost are our melodies – carefully crafted to resonate with our listeners and leave a lasting impression. We also place a strong emphasis on groove. In addition to our sound, we draw heavily on our own experiences when it comes to the themes and stories behind our music. This emotional connection lends an authenticity to our music that resonates deeply with our fans and listeners. Our sound is a mood, feeling, energy and an atmosphere.
5. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
Steve Slik: A lot of the times these days, a song will start while I’m at the piano playing chords based on how I am feeling (majority of the time I’m sad haha). Ill come up with the music and then the vocal melody. Then ill record the song on voice memos and add it to the hundreds of ideas in storage. Ill then look back and sift through the ideas. The ones I like most I then bring it into Pro tools (DAW) and complete it from there. Then my dad and I will produce it, write lyrics and finalise the melody and any other elements. Sometimes we’ll even completely change the song all together. There are some songs where my dad will come to me with a written melody, and ill create the music behind it. It really varies sometimes. My dad and I are 50/50 writers in all the music in Naked Face. Sometimes ill write the melody, sometimes he will. Sometimes he will produce the song and ill come up with the melody, I must say I prefer him writing lyrics as he is more poetic and cryptic with his words. It really makes you think about the lyrics, as they all have a much deeper meaning to them. My approach to lyrics at the moment is really straight forward on how I m feeling. I guess this whole project deep down is just a father and his son bonding over music and creating art together.
6. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
Steve Slik: Throughout my life, I’ve had a range of experiences – some exciting and wonderful, while others were traumatic and difficult. It’s difficult to pick just one, but undoubtedly the hardest experience I’ve had to endure was my oxycodone withdrawal after a failed medical prescription. Due to being over-diagnosed with heavy opioid painkillers, at an excessively high dosage and for far too long, I was never tapered off. The doctors in charge of my care were not keeping track. The withdrawal symptoms were so severe that I thought I was going to die. For an entire week, I couldn’t sleep, my joints ached, and I had severe panic attacks and depression. Two months later, my anxiety had become so bad that I felt like I would never recover. I was ultimately diagnosed with acute anxiety disorder, panic disorder, severe sleep anxiety, and medical trauma. Since that time, I’ve dealt with bouts of debilitating anxiety, depression, and sleep anxiety of all kinds. As artists, our biggest challenge was finding individuals who shared our same drive, passion, dedication, and love for music. Unfortunately, we’ve encountered individuals in the past who were only in it for the wrong reasons. Our goal is to create meaningful and authentic music, not just to make a quick buck. If you want money, go get a job and chop up some meat!
7. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
NAKED FACE: We believe everyone should have the freedom to interpret the song in their own personal way. Its their Jigsaw puzzle, and they have to work it out. If at the end of the day, it affects their lives in a positive manner, then we have achieved our objective.
8. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as EDM?
NAKED FACE: Right from the beginning, we made a conscious effort to be as original as possible. Rather than trying to copy or emulate other bands, we focused on staying true to our sound and identity as musicians. This commitment to authenticity has been a driving force behind our music, and has helped us stand out in a crowded industry. Over time, our sound has evolved and developed in exciting new directions. While we started out playing pop punk and indie rock, we eventually found ourselves drawn to the sounds of EDM and electro pop. This style of music resonated with us as songwriters and artists, and allowed us to fully explore the unique facets of our sound. Through this evolution, we’ve remained committed to our original goal of staying true to ourselves as artists.
9. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
Steve Slik: I’ve been honing my musical skills since the age of five. From the beginning, I was classically trained in piano, and began studying jazz and contemporary guitar at the same time. As the years went on, my passion for music only grew stronger, and I eventually decided to take up singing professionally. It’s been five years since I began my journey as a professional vocalist, and during that time, I’ve received training to help me. In addition to singing, I’ve also been writing songs and creating music for as long as I can remember.
10. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
NAKED FACE: Based on the worldwide reception we have received, regarding how songs have affected people, that in itself is more fulfilling than anything else. I mean, just the fact that we wake up every day and are able to commit to the craft is fulfilling in itself.
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Photo Credit: Naked Face 2023