QUEER CRUSH OF THE WEEK: GUSSY

By Matilda Douglas-Henry

While most Sydney-siders are lamenting the demise of a once-vibrant nightlife, there still lies an exciting underbelly of queer performers who have capitalised on this subversion of the conventional. These artists get to play at underrated venues like The Red Rattler in Marrickville, and perform to a crowd who appreciate the rarity of these experiences since the lockout laws.

Gus Holland-Burns, or GUSSY, as the world has come to know and love them, is one of those people. Their career has blossomed in the face of Sydney’s occasionally stifling oppression – but as if anything would stop them anyway. With soulful electro bangers like Away From Home and Looking At Myself, as well as a penchant for making jaw-dropping videos to accompany them, Gus is paving the way for a dynamic, engaging, contemporary queer sound; joining the likes of Collarbones and Habits.

When you add the fact that Gus has the bone structure of Grace Kelly and a young Leonardo DiCaprio’s love child, and dance moves that give FKA Twigs a run for her money, it’s easy to see why they have taken the title of Heaps Gay’s second ever Queer Crush of the Week.

I have been lucky enough to know Gus for almost five years, and have perpetually been in awe of their innovative creativity, generosity, and, of course, their impeccable wardrobe. I caught up with Gus to briefly chat about influences, Sydney nightlife and their amazing mum.

Congratulations on being Heaps Gay’s crush of the week! What quality about yourself do you think is the most crushable?

Who? me? Don’t make me sing!

How has your background in classical dance, as well as studying film at AFTRS, shaped your musical performances?

Training in ballet was a big part of my introduction to music and feeling music on a practical level. Being able to move my body to music is closely tied to how I make it. In terms of live performance it brings obvious benefits in the form of being comfortable on stage, and learning how to act really badly in full theatrical makeup and high kicks. AFTRS has been great. I was set to continue my studies in dance in Germany when I finished high school but kind of freaked out and my mum suggested film school. It really has been the best decision and given me access to such a breadth of resources and information. Both film and dance are kind of intrinsic to what I want to do.

I’m obsessed with your mum, who is an amazing jazz singer. How has she influenced your style? Are there any other artists who have had a major impact on you?

I, too, am obsessed with my mum and she has been a big influence, mainly through her dedication to technique and how she always pushes herself to conquer new ways of singing, and also through her confessional approach to songwriting. Jazz has also been finding its way into some stuff I’m working on at the moment in small ways. Other than mommy dearest my biggest influences are Kate Bush, Grimes, Kelela, 1/3 of Madonna’s discography and literally every friend making music in Sydney & Melbourne.

How does queerness manifest in your performances?

Mainly through challenging an audience not to call me a drag performer, through taking myself incredibly seriously and not seriously enough and through being honest.

To what extent do you think the lockout laws have shaped the music scene in Sydney?

I think people don’t stay out as late, which is really sad, but that people will always go to gigs. In the time since the lockout laws were put in place, I’ve had great nights out at events like EVE, BV Quarterly and LOW TON without too much hassle, but conversely I think the experiences of those running these parties have been full of hassle to find venues and circumvent all the damage done by these draconian laws. I have hope, however, for Sydney’s music lovers in this prohibition era, and when the angry masses emerge from their inflated rentals to the beat of one of Marcus Whale’s percussion-heavy tracks I hope that those responsible quiver in fright.

Who is your crush of the week?

I only get one?! Does the crushing sense of imminent doom experienced by anxious millennials count as a crush?

 

Feature image by Joseph Brennan.

Immerse yourself in the beauty of GUSSY’s music through their soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/gussymusic