ARIA Award-winning artist Illy is bringing his genre-defying sound back to Newcastle on 15 August as part of his massive Good-er Life regional tour, and despite being under the weather when we spoke, he was just as fired up about the road ahead as ever.
“The tour kicks off this weekend, and I’ll be sweet by then,” he laughed, nursing some lemon and ginger tea. “I’m in that phase where you’re just doing sleeping pills, tea, bed, repeat. But I’ll be good.”
With a 27-date regional run stretching across the country, Illy is set to bring his acclaimed live show to fans in all corners of Australia. It’s all in support of his latest album Good Life, which hit #1 on the ARIA charts, and according to Illy, it wasn’t just a chart win. It was a personal triumph.
A Long Road to the Good Life
“Calling it life-affirming was really about playing it live,” Illy said. “I put so much into this album. It started back during COVID, had a few false starts, and ended up taking three and a half years to release, never want to do that again.”
The delays left him feeling defeated at times, especially after planning for 2020 to be a breakout year. But Good Life finally hit shelves and stages, and the response was exactly what he needed.
“To have people show up and really connect with the music… it just made all the struggles worth it,” he said. “That’s what I meant when I called it life-affirming.”
Reinvention as a Rule
Despite being written across a few chaotic years, Good Life still feels fresh for Illy, largely because of the risks he took.
“I didn’t want to make the same album again. I listen to so much different stuff, not just rap, so this was about pushing myself. I’m proud of that,” he said. “Every track sounds different, and it worked.”
“The stuff I’m working on now leans more into that Aussie hip hop sound again,” he said. “It’s not like I ever left it for good, but I’ve had time to try things. Now I’m ready to come back to that.”
Tour Vans, Warm Ups, and Rap Royalty
When asked about what’s on his pre-show playlist, “Honestly, it’s mostly vocal warm-ups for 30 to 45 minutes,” he laughed. “But in the van, there’s always music going around, all kinds of stuff.”
Lately, he’s been hooked on the new Clipse album and, of course, Kendrick Lamar’s latest. “I know I said I don’t only listen to rap… but those are the ones getting the most plays right now,” he grinned.
A Love Letter to Newy
Illy has a soft spot for Newcastle, one that dates back over a decade. “The Cambridge was one of the first venues I ever sold out outside of Melbourne,” he said. “That show meant a lot.”
More recently, he’s played King Street, but the connection to Newy runs deeper than any one venue. “There’s just a history there for me. I always love coming back.”
A Track That Hits Hard
When asked if there’s a lyric that lands harder live, Illy didn’t hesitate. “Good Life, the title track, always hits. That one really encapsulates everything the album went through. It wasn’t what people expected when I dropped it. But live? It just makes sense. People get it.”
And that reaction has been the payoff. “It’s like somewhere between Aussie pub rock and Oasis,” he laughed. “And now Oasis is back. So I guess it’s good timing.”
Illy plays King Street in Newcastle on Thursday, 15 August, as part of his Good-er Life regional tour. Tickets are on sale now via illyal.com.
