Wikipedia

Kučka

Not to be confused with Kucka.

Laura Jane Lowther, known professionally as Kučka (stylised in all caps; pronounced /ˈkʊtʃkə/;[1] Serbo-Croatian for "bitch"), is an Australian singer and producer. Lowther is known for her solo works, in addition to her collaborations with Flume, Vince Staples and ASAP Rocky.[2] She has been praised for her "dreamy, forward-thinking, electronic pop songs"[3] and her "delicate beats, and ethereal vocals".[2] Her debut album, Wrestling, was released on 30 April 2021.

Kučka
Lowther performing live in 2020
Background information
Birth nameLaura Jane Lowther
BornLiverpool
OriginPerth, Western Australia
Genres
Years active2012–present
Labels
Websitewww.kucka.co

Early life

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Kučka grew up in Liverpool.[4] She said she found it a strange place to grow up in, and said "I wasn't very creative when I was there".[5] At 16, Kučka moved to Perth, Australia. On her parents' computer, Kučka began to create music using GarageBand.[5] At that time, Kučka was creating emo music, which contained "angsty lyrics with guitar looping".[5] She notes Shaking the Habitual by the Knife as an inspiration: "I used to thrash Shaking The Habitual when I worked at a cinema in Perth. I'd be so worried that the bosses would come in because it gets pretty wild".[6]

Career

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Kučka released her debut eponymous EP in 2012. It was later re-released on an Australian experimental label, Wood and Wire.[2] She collaborated with A$AP Rocky in 2013, singing background vocals for some tracks on his debut album, Long. Live. ASAP. In the same year, she received five nominations and one win from the West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMis) for the release of the single "Unconditional".[2] Her sophomore EP, Unconditional, was released in 2015. For the EP, Kučka received Best Electronic Act and Best Experimental Act at the 2015 WAMis, as well as 4 other nominations.[7] The EP was compared to FKA Twigs, and called "shimmery, warm and intimate."[3]

In the following years, Kučka was featured on multiple Flume albums. She appeared on 2016's Skin, on the tracks "Smoke & Retribution" and "Numb & Getting Colder", and again on 2017's "Hyperreal". She was also featured on 2019's Hi This Is Flume, on "Voices". Her debut album, Wrestling, was released on 30 April 2021 and featured co-production from Flume, Nosaj Thing, Vegyn, and Exmoor Emperor.[8]

In March 2023, Kučka announced the Cry Cry Cry Australian Tour 2023, alongside the release of a single of the same name.[9]

In May 2024, Kučka announced her second album Can You Hear Me Dreaming? will be released on 12 July 2024.[10]

Personal life

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As of 2017, Kučka resides in California.[11] She has been in a relationship with Dillon Howl since 2017. They married in 2019. Howl is Kučka's creative director and co-directed all of Wrestling's music videos. Kučka's stage name is the Serbo-Croatian word for "bitch" (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Кучка). It was given to her as an affectionate nickname by a Serbian friend.[12][13]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with release date and label shown
Title Album details
Wrestling
Can You Hear Me Dreaming?
  • Released: 12 July 2024[10]
  • Label: LuckyMe, Soothsayer
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Extended plays

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List of EPs, with release date and label shown
Title EP details
Kučka
  • Released: 2 August 2012
  • Label: Wood & Wire
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Unconditional
  • Released: 14 August 2015
  • Label: Midnight Feature, Inertia
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"Unconditional"[14] 2014 Unconditional
"Divinity"[15]
"Recovery"[16] 2015
"Flux 98"[17]
"Drowning"[18] 2019 Wrestling
"Real"[19]
"Contemplation"[20] 2020
"Ascension"[21]
"No Good for Me"[22] 2021
"Eternity"[23]
"Beautiful"[24] Non-album single
"Down by the Water"[25]
"Messed Up"[26] 2022 Can You Hear Me Dreaming?
"Not There"[27]
"Cry Cry Cry"[9] 2023
"All the Things She Said"[28] Non-album single
"One More Night"[29]
(featuring Flume) 		2024 Can You Hear Me Dreaming?
"Wasting Time (Til the End of the World)"[10]
"Heavyweight"[30]
"Heaven"[31]
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List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, certifications, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUS
[32] 		NZ
[33] 		US
Dance
[34]
"Long Live ASAP"
(ASAP Rocky featuring Kučka) 		2013 — — — Long. Live. ASAP
"Nothing's Forever"
(Paces featuring Kučka)[35] 		2015 — — — Vacation
"Walk with Me"
(Cosmo's Midnight featuring Kučka)[36] 		— — — Moments
"Adhedoniac"
(Andrei Eremin featuring Kučka)[38] 		— — — Pale Blue
"Smoke & Retribution"
(Flume featuring Vince Staples and Kučka) 		2016 23 —[A] 18 Skin
"Queensbury Rules"
(Dro Carey featuring Kučka)[40] 		— — — Dark Zoo
"My Boo"
(Flume featuring Vince Staples, Ngaiire, Vera Blue and Kučka)[41] 		— — — Non-album single
"Hyperreal"
(Flume featuring Kučka) 		2017 60 —[B] 36 Skin Companion EP 1
"It's Happening Again"
(Flowerkid featuring Kučka)[42] 		2021 — — — TBA
"It's Our Destiny"
(Imanu featuring Kučka) 		2022 — — — Unfold
"Escape"
(Flume and Quiet Bison featuring Kučka)[43] 		— — — Palaces
"F1 Racer"
(Mount Kimbie featuring Kučka) 		— — — MK3.5: Die Cuts | City Planning
"Violet"
(Machinedrum featuring Kučka) 		2023 — — — 4#trax
"Chance on You"
(Cosmo's Midnight featuring Kučka)[44] 		2024 — — — Stop Thinking Start Feeling

Guest appearances

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List of guest appearances, with year released, album name, and reference shown
Title Year Album Ref.
"Pripyat (Part 2)"
(Seth Sentry featuring Kučka) 		2015 Strange New Past
"Lyf"
(Simo Soo featuring Kučka) 		Vitaminzzz
"Backyard Plastic"
(Simo Soo featuring Tobacco Rat and Kučka)
"Nothing for You"
(Charles Murdoch featuring Kučka) 		Point
"First Light"
(Milwaukee Banks featuring Kučka) 		2016 Deep Into the Night [45]
"Numb & Getting Colder"
(Flume featuring Kučka) 		Skin
"Where Did That Go"
(Zeds Dead featuring Kučka) 		Northern Lights
"Dec 11"
(Baauer featuring Kučka) 		2017 LuckyMe Advent Calendar 17
"Voices"
(Flume featuring Sophie and Kučka) 		2019 Hi This Is Flume
"U_Want"
(Machinedrum featuring Kučka) 		2024 3FOR82

Songwriting and production credits

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List of songwriting and production credits, with year released, artist(s), co-writers, co-producers, and reference shown
Title Year Artist(s) Credits Co-writer(s) Co-producer(s) Album Ref.
"Make You Feel Good" 2016 Fetty Wap Songwriter
Non-album single [46]
"Yeah Right" 2017 Vince Staples featuring Kendrick Lamar Songwriter
Big Fish Theory [47]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Smoke & Retribution" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number six on the Heatseekers Chart.[33]
  2. ^ "Hyperreal" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number six on the Heatseekers Chart.[33]

Awards and nominations

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AIR Awards

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The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 Wrestling Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP Nominated [48][49]

WAM Song of the Year

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The WAM Song of the Year was formed by the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. (WARMIA) in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 "Polly (Serialkillersundays)" Experimental Song of the Year Won
2014 "Unconditional" Electronica Song of the Year Won
Grand Prize Won

West Australian Music Industry Awards

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The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on annually by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). Kučka has won six awards.[50][51][52][53]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 Kučka Best Experimental Act Won
2014 Kučka Best Experimental Act Won
Best Electronic Act Won
"Unconditional" Best Single Won
2015 Kučka Best Experimental Act Won
Best Electronic Act Won

References

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  1. ^ "A Day With: Kučka". Pile TV. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2021 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c d Phares, Heather. "Kučka – Artist Biography by Heather Phares". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Woolridge, Rhosian (17 August 2015). "Music Review: Kučka, Unconditional EP". Something You Said. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  4. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (21 September 2020). "Artist Spotlight: KUČKA". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Kissane, Ash. "Interview, Kučka". Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  6. ^ "KUČKA takes the spotlight with her deeply personal debut album 'Wrestling'". NME. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  7. ^ "WA Music Awards 2015 winners announced!". WAM. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  8. ^ BG, Reid (11 February 2021). "KUČKA Announces Debut Album 'Wrestling,' Co-Produced with Flume, Nosaj Thing, & Vegyn". Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  9. ^ a b "KUČKA Announces Australian Tour and New Single, 'Cry Cry Cry'". Music Feeds. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "Listen: KUČKA - 'Wasting Time (til the end of the world)'". pilerats. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  11. ^ Queued Magazine (29 March 2020). "QUEUED 02". Issuu. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  12. ^ "KUČKA". Beat Magazine. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  13. ^ Nott, George (12 August 2015). "Kučka". The Brag. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Kučka – Unconditional Official Music Video". Kučka. September 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2021 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Kučka's "Divinity" is out 25th Nov on iTunes". SoundCloud. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Recovery – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. May 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Flux 98 – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. May 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Drowning – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. September 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Real – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. November 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  20. ^ "Contemplation – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Ascension (Mssingno Remix) – Single by Kučka on Apple Music". Apple Music. December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Kučka shares "No Good for Me", announces debut album". NME Australia. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Kučka makes her directorial debut with visuals for new single "Eternity"". NME Australia. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  24. ^ Bracken, Claire (14 July 2021). "Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' gets a Kučka cover". Triple J. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  25. ^ "KUČKA covers PJ Harvey's 'Down by the Water'". NME. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  26. ^ "New Aus Music Playlist Additions 04/06/22". Music Feeds. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Kučka grapples with loneliness on new single 'Not There'". Tone Deaf. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  28. ^ "Essentials: All the Things She Said – Kučka". Saint Audio. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  29. ^ "KUČKA releases monumental new single 'One More Night' feat. Flume". Astral People. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  30. ^ "KUČKA Shares Final Album Teaser 'Heavyweight'". Rolling Stone Australia. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Ethereal producer and songwriter KUČKA today shares her widely anticipated sophomore album Can You Hear Me Dreaming?, complete with new future-pop single 'Heaven'". Astral People. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  32. ^ Peak chart positions in Australia:
  33. ^ a b c
  34. ^ Peak chart positions on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart:
  35. ^ "Nothing's Forever (feat. Kučka) – Single by Paces on Apple Music". Apple Music. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  36. ^ "Walk with Me (feat. Kučka) – Single by Cosmo's Midnight on Apple Music". Apple Music. 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 31 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  38. ^ Welby, Augustus (August 2015). "Andrei Eremin". Beat Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 31 December 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  40. ^ "Queensbury Rules (feat. Kučka) – Single by Dro Carey on Apple Music". Apple Music. 28 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  41. ^ "My Boo (feat. Vince Staples, Kučka, Ngaiire & Vera Blue) – Single by Flume on Apple Music". Apple Music. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  42. ^ "It's Happening Again (feat. Kučka) – Single by Flowerkid on Apple Music". Apple Music. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  43. ^ "Flume Releases Two New Album Singles "Escape" & "Palaces"". Cultr. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  44. ^ "Cosmo's Midnight Release New Single 'Chance On You' Featuring KUČKA". RCA. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  45. ^ "Deep into the Night by Milwaukee Banks on Apple Music". Apple Music. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  46. ^ "Fetty Wap – Make You Feel Good [Audio Only]". Harlem Fetty. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2021 – via YouTube.
  47. ^ "Big Fish Theory digital booklet" (PDF). Universal Music Group. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  48. ^ "Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022". musicfeeds. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  49. ^ Tyler Jenke (5 August 2022). "Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards". MusicFeeds. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  50. ^ "Tame Impala Boost Trophy Cabinet, Scoop 2013 WAM Awards". tonedeaf. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  51. ^ "WAM Award Winners 2013". WAM. February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  52. ^ "Timothy Nelson & The Infidels, Pond Dominate 2014 WA Music Awards". Music Feeds. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  53. ^ "Tame Impala Dominate The 2015 WA Music Awards". Music Feeds. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
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