Keli Holiday – the solo project of Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde – has self-deprecatingly called his singing “shit”, saying he takes inspiration from artists like Lou Reed.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Hyde said he had to fight the instinct to perfect his voice and hit every note perfectly. He said that shift in approach was deliberate, albeit somewhat messy.
“I like if it sounds shitty and I like if I’m not hitting the right note in that vocal. It does something to me and I think it’s kind of weird,” Hyde said, noting it took a conscious effort to embrace a more raw delivery.
Producer Konstantin Kersting encouraged him to lean into those imperfections rather than fix them: “He was like, ‘Yeah, you’re a fucking weirdo, so be a weirdo, be where you are.’ And I think that’s the best anyone can bring out of anyone in any partnership.”
Hyde cited influences like Lou Reed and Shane MacGowan, artists who prioritise personality and storytelling over technical precision, adding that he admires the way their imperfect voices still carry profound emotion.
“All my favourite singers can’t sing for shit. Lou Reed, he doesn’t sing. He just talks with style. And I think that’s my lane.”
That attitude informs his solo album Capital Fiction, out today (February 13th).
This album feels like the first Keli Holiday offering that is true to who I am,” Hyde said. “It explores themes of longing for more, finding love in a crowded room, and the union of sex. I have spent the majority of my days since the birth of Keli Holiday focusing on what I want to say, how I want to say it, and what I want it to sound like.”
While it is full of high-octane moments, including a sneaky sample from Aussie dance music royalty The Presets in “Plastic”, Capital Fiction also reveals a softer side to Keli Holiday, with tender tracks like “Sacred Sweat” and the heartfelt closing ballad, “Favourite Stranger”. It also features the popular “Dancing2” and “Ecstasy”, which both placed on the recent triple j Hottest 100.
Hyde is touring the album around the country next month – check out the upcoming dates here.
