KENT DUSTIN | INTERVIEW + TRACK REVIEW

Kent Dustin doesn’t just write songs—he captures life’s subtle, often-overlooked moments and gives them the spotlight they deserve. Blending elements of pop-rock and indie-folk, Kent’s music is rich with emotional nuance, crafted to connect with people on a deeply human level. Whether he’s drawing from a quiet moment of inspiration at a wedding gig, reflecting on nature, or channeling the stories of others, his approach to songwriting is thoughtful, open-hearted, and rooted in honesty. With a new EP on the way and years of full-time performance under his belt, Kent is carving out his space in the Australian music scene—not by chasing trends, but by choosing to create music that feels real. We caught up with him to talk about the stories behind the songs, the lessons learned from top-tier producers, and what he hopes fans will feel the first time they see a Kent Dustin headline show. This is a paid collaboration with 'Kent Dustin'.

TRACK REVIEW

From the very first bar, Closer to You grabs you with a captivating bassline that drives the track with steady confidence. The lyric “see you through the smoke and the lights” immediately hooks you in, setting the tone for a song that feels both intimate and cinematic.

The production is tasteful and layered, building gently without ever overshadowing the emotion at its core. There’s a sense of space here—each element, from the bass to the shimmering piano touches, is given room to breathe, making the whole thing feel effortless and refined. As the track unfolds, subtle changes in instrumentation keep things fresh, never jading or overcooking the vibe.

It’s the kind of track that feels just as good on a late-night drive as it does through your headphones on a reflective morning. One listen isn’t enough—this one’s definitely getting a few relistens today. Kent Dustin’s storytelling and production are both on point here, creating something that feels warm, nostalgic, and totally replay-worthy.

LISTEN HERE

Tell us a little bit about the heart of the Kent Dustin project, what kind of stories or feelings are you always trying to tap into with your songs?

If I continue to ask “why?” to the purpose of what I write for, I land on the fact that I want people to not feel alone in their feelings or emotions they experience in life. Art is the best opportunity to connect humans and remind us of how much we have in common beneath all our surface differences. 

You talk about celebrating the ‘little moments’ of life, is there a recent moment in your own life that sparked a lyric or melody out of nowhere?

I played at a wedding for an Irish couple and they invited me to “day two” of their celebrations and they had lined up back-to-back Irish bands to play at a pub they booked out. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face with how much that music moved me. The next day I was playing my guitar and singing melodies around that style and could imagine myself trying to write a song that could move the next person that much. 

Your sound blends pop-rock with indie-folk in such a natural way, was that always the vision, or did it evolve as you wrote more music?

I guess I tend to gravitate towards certain genres that I enjoy listening to, so that gets the ball rolling in a certain direction, but mostly, I like to make music to fit the message of the song or vice versa. It's probably to my detriment that I don't zone into one sound only for now to "brand" myself but I'd rather be authentic to each work of art from the get-go. 

You’re in the middle of working on an EP, what’s that process been like for you so far, and what do you hope people take away from it when they hear it?

This EP is a bunch of works that are a little more folky-country and have deeper lyrical content. It's currently getting mastered, and I hope to have it out to the world by mid-year. It's been a collection of songs I enjoy playing or that have some special meaning to me, like the song I wrote for my wife to walk down the aisle to. I think with the deeper lyrics and the country music influence that I grew up with, it should be named something like "Deeper Roots" and give listeners something a little more mature. 

As someone who plays full-time as a cover musician, how does that influence or even challenge the way you approach your original music?

Sometimes, I wonder if it musically exhausts me and hinders my creativity, whereas other days I know it helps me. It's certainly kept me a lot more practiced in performing and helped me explore a lot of music I may not have found by myself. Often weddings will require me to learn new songs and I've found some incredible artists and songs because of this who then become an influence for my songwriting because their writing and sound perfectly match the tone I'm chasing. 

You’ve worked with some incredible producers like Robby De Sa and Nick Zaharias, what’s something surprising you’ve learned from being in the studio with them?

The biggest personal lesson I think I've learned from them is to stop trying to wear every hat. I used to try and do a lot of self-producing, where I would take too long getting stuck on scrolling every synth sound (none of which I used) and forget where I was going creatively to begin with. With their incredible skill, it would take them a second to find the sound that I wanted, which meant I could spend more time actually writing the song and bouncing ideas back and forth. 

If someone was listening to your music for the first time, what song would you want them to start with, and why?

This depends on what genre they like most. If they love pop, No Parachute and Another Lover. If they are more country or rock-enclined, I would suggest Cigarettes and Whisky or Impress You. I guess it's the business side of me trying to offer the product that they are going to want rather than convincing them into something they might not. 

Who or what outside of music inspires the way you write, are there particular books, films, or experiences that shape your storytelling?

Nature, psychology, investing, rom-coms, or just simply putting myself in the shoes of others and their experiences. I question if I was this character or person, how would I feel about this? What am I seeing, how am I reacting, and why? We all share unique experiences if we look at the tiny details but zoom out a little, and everyone goes through the same trials and triumphs. Music is my tool to show people they aren't alone in experiencing that.

You mentioned hoping to build a fan base for your own headline shows one day, what do you think a Kent Dustin live show would feel like when that dream comes true?

This year so far I have watched a variety of music, from The Script to Polaris, to see not only how they play their songs, but how they really perform them, making their shows worth going to; time and time again. I've read it in several books now that people don't actually care how technically great you were, but whether they felt something. With my live shows, I'd like to be able to emmulate that feeling. It's hard to pull off a Parkway Drive elevating stage with flames blasting out of it type thing, when you don't have much of a budget though.

Lastly, what’s coming up next for you, can fans expect more singles, acoustic moments, or anything unexpected on the horizon?

I'm hoping to get this EP out by midyear and then apply for festivals and write and record more going forward, so I have no plans of slowing down. I'll post any updates on my Instagram, so keep an eye out there @kentdustinmusic

LISTEN HERE