Last month, Tkay Maidza played an intimate show in a fried chicken restaurant to celebrate the release of her debut album, simply titled TKAY.

Along with the watermelon slushies and champagne at Butter in Sydney’s Surry Hills, Tkay served up her own brand of bubbly, infectious hip-hop – backed by bouncing dance production and an undeniable knack for pop hooks. At the end of the performance, Tkay thanked the crowd and fought back a few tears – an indication of the intense journey that the 20-year-old emcee has undertaken over the past few years.

Originally hailing from Zimbabwe, Tkay lived in various spots in Western Australia and South Australia before settling in Adelaide. She excelled in high school and tennis before picking up music full-time – winning fans on the festival circuit with her catchy soundtracks and endearing onstage dance moves. It wasn’t long before she was invited onstage by fellow Adelaide emcees Hilltop Hoods, suggesting that Tkay had won fans from younger and older generations alike.

While Iggy Azalea remains Australia’s most internationally recognised female emcee, there’s no doubt that Tkay is picking up similar traction. She’s already shared the stage with Mark Ronson and Charli XCX, while global tastemakers like Zane Lowe have also supported her music. She featured as a guest vocalist on Martin Solveig’s single ‘Do It Right’ – a summer banger in every sense – while her own ‘Carry On’ features ATL legend and Run The Jewels rapper Killer Mike.

This momentum has culminated with TKAY. Just a few weeks old, the full-length is a crossover success that draws upon her eclectic influences with ease, featuring production from the likes of What So Not, Swick and Salva. Moreover, it’s established Tkay as Australia’s most lovable rap queen, who’ll stop at nothing to get your feet moving with vigour.

Get familiar with her in our interview and shoot right here, while you can catch her final two headline dates in Adelaide and Hobart this week. She’ll then be performing at Falls Festival and Field Day to close off 2016 and welcome the new year.

Talent – Tkay Maidza
Photographer – Mitchell Tomlinson
Video – Andrew Yee & Will Suen
Interviewer & Words – Christopher Kevin Au
Stylist – Freddie Fredericks
Location – Sun Studios, Alexandria