‘I Wish It Didn’t Exist’: Kita Alexander Calls Out Tall Poppy Syndrome During Darwin School Visit

Kita Alexander, who was among a stellar BASSINTHEGRASS lineup over the weekend, surprised aspiring musicians at a school in Darwin with an impromptu music lesson and chat. 

Dropping in to Casuarina Senior College on Friday, Alexander spent time with students to chat about songwriting and touring life, before joining them in a performance of her hit song “Between You & I”.

“We have some of the most talented people here, and it all comes from the kids. Like, the kids will be coming up and giving us the music that soundtracks our lives. So I can't wait to see if some of these kids actually pursue it as a career. And hopefully they do,” she said. 

"On my next album, I actually have this song called ‘Miss Australia’ and it's about tall poppy syndrome and how I wish it didn't exist. And in Australia we're so quick to cut each other down before we even had the chance to grow up and rise to what we could become. So, supporting each other, supporting the local act down the street, supporting a certain artist, buying tickets." 

Alexander also presented a number of musical instruments to the school on behalf of festival sponsor Santos, helping to support access to creative resources and nurture the next generation of young musicians. And on the spur of the moment, she offered the whole class to be on her guest list at the festival, with VIP tickets. 

She also shared her regret of not finishing school, after dropping out in Year 11, adding that if she had stayed through to Year 12, she thinks she would “just have a different mindset and an outlook on life”. 

She said: "I look back now and I have regrets because I wish I had finished high school, just so I had a better sense of completion in my life. And I find with my songwriting, sometimes I can get lazy and I'll finish it and go, oh, I'll get to that later, or I don't need to do that. 

“I haven't been to a music high school class since I was at high school myself, and I found a love of music at school. You know, being in every extracurricular choir, every band I could, I jumped at every opportunity. If I could do this for the rest of my life, just go around to kids schools and inspire them and give them a bit of insight and knowledge, I would be very happy.”

Check out some of the best photos from her visit below!