A national champion at 16 years old, slam poet KJ Hayward speaks with teen breathe on this unique and powerful world of words.
Hi KJ! most people are familiar with poetry, but what is slam poetry?
Slam poetry is a type of performance poetry that combines rap, rhythm, and rhyme to create a story that is often personal, motivational, and inspiring. Some people use fast tempo lines or even sing parts of their poems! I like to write about things that I have experienced, because the emotions that I felt in that moment come through in my poetry. I like to challenge thoughts and stir up your feelings. I like to say that if it makes you want to jump out of your seat and change the world, then it’s a slam poem.
What have you learned since performing slam poetry?
Anyone can achieve anything. I know it sounds clichéd, but it’s so true! Wanting to change the world can be pretty overwhelming sometimes, but try walking across a lake without making a ripple. It’s impossible! I’ve learnt to start my changemaking close to home, and then work my way out and up. I’ve also learnt that some of our biggest struggles can become our biggest ‘Aha!’ moments.
Writing and speaking about personal topics not only helps me spread my message, but it also helps me process some of the challenges I’ve faced. And it is suuuper rewarding to have so many people reach out and validate those feelings of struggle.
— Jump to KJ’s Teen Breathe poem
How did you discover your passion for poetry in the first place?
I’ve been writing since I could first hold a pen, although I do admit that I wasn’t very good to begin with – and that’s OK! I have an incredibly supportive family who encourage my interests and don’t focus on whether I’m any good at them, because in the end, who cares?! I’d rather be happy, doing what I love, (even if I’m doing it terribly) than feel terrible only doing things I’m good at. When I was little I was inspired by a slam poet called Solli Raphael, who was the youngest person ever to win the Australian Poetry
Slam, at just 12. Through his book, Solli introduced me to a style of poetry that allowed a quiet girl like me to find her voice. And at the time I didn’t have a lot of confidence, so I really needed something that I could turn into my own awesome passion. Never would I have imagined that I would go on to become a Youth Champion in that exact same competition.
Who or what inspires you the most when writing?
Most of my poems are inspired by open conversations I’ve had with my family. And those conversations usually stem from some controversial topic that was brought to our attention during the day. We’re probably a bit weird in this way, considering instead of making small talk about our day over the dinner table, we’re having a heavy discussion about what we feel about feminism, politics, and climate change.
What’s your creative process when writing a poem, and what’s the most challenging part?
I like to start writing as soon as an idea pops into my head, that way I don’t miss anything by waiting to write it down. I do have a very short attention span, so it is very challenging to keep my mind from wandering when I try to write. On the other hand, there are days where I can write for hours on end! Ultimately, I like to keep my creativity routine as free and flowing as my thoughts, this way I don’t get worked up when I’m having a mental block, because I just start whenever
I’m feeling creative! The most challenging thing about writing slam poetry is when I can feel the stirrings of an important poem inside of me, but I just can’t seem to get the words out, or they come out all rambled and out of order. Those days are both exciting and irritating, a bit like how the sky feels right before a massive storm.
Were you nervous the first time you performed?
The very first time I performed I was doing it for experience at an Open Mic Night Club. I wasn’t really scared because I didn’t feel like I needed to meet anyone’s expectations but my own – and those purely revolved around giving it a go. I’ve learned that the difference between a good performance and a performance riddled with nerves is having the confidence to say: ‘Not everyone is going to like this and that’s OK. I like it and that is all that matters.’
Success starts with you believing you are awesome. Also, I have my collection of lucky badges that I wear whilst performing – they all have positive messages and bright colours on them!
There’s a powerful line in your winning poem for the 2023 Australian poetry slam: ‘Good girls are quiet girls, and quiet girls must raise their hand first’ – what inspired you to clap back against this outlook? What advice would you give to young people being stigmatised or stereotyped?
I know that there are a lot of people like me out there who kept quiet and made themselves small in school so that other people wouldn’t fear the diversity hiding inside of them. We are so often told that ‘good girls’ are submissive, pretty, thin, obedient, quiet, and perfect all of the time! And when we can’t achieve these impossible standards, it can make us feel insecure, and that only keeps us exactly where stereotypes need us to be. It’s a vicious cycle that takes a lot of courage to rid ourselves of. I’m still working on it today! I suppose my advice to those living with stigma would be that no one gets to decide who you are but YOU.
How did you feel when you became the 2023 APS Youth Champion?
Aaahhh, how do I put this?
EcstaticcrazyshockedexcitedsuprisedbrimmingwithblissandfeelinglikeIcanconquertheworld!!
Phew! Glad to get that off of my chest! I was going up against people with 20 years’ experience in performing. I did not think my chances were very high at all, so I feel both honoured and gifted that people chose me to represent their voices. Because that’s what slam poetry competitions are about: giving a voice to those who don’t have access to a stage.
When you’re not crafting verses, what else do you enjoy doing?
I’m actually really glad you asked that! So many people get caught up in the ‘success’ story and often forget that I am still a pretty normal person. Sometimes it’s good to take a break from it all and focus my energy on asking ‘Who do I want to be? What do I like doing?’. I am homeschooled and am currently travelling in a caravan around Australia with my family and my dog, Bruno, so I have a pretty interesting life running in the background of my poetry career!
Currently I enjoy learning ukulele, discovering new places, singing at the top of my lungs, walking barefoot pretty much everywhere, finding interesting shells and rocks, eating new foods (as well as some good old lasagna), building huts out of things we find in the bush, walking, drinking tea snuggled up under a blanket with my siblings, and weaving together funny stories that make my little brother laugh. I reckon I might just have the best life ever lived.
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future? Do you have upcoming performances in 2024?
I have a tour performing around NSW and Victoria, running workshops, giving talks, and hosting events and competitions, before circling back to the Sydney Opera House to pass on the championship to the next inspirational slam poet. I hope to focus this year on educating and reaching out to as many people as
I possibly can, there’s no point in being a storyteller if I’m not seeking out new stories! I hope my future includes lots of tears, warm embraces, and belly laughs, and I hope that my voice rings out to those who need to hear it. I’m working on ideas to help people explore their passions through poetry and work through their struggles by exploring the wonderful world of words! If I can educate, inspire, or motivate a single person, then that’s what I’ll call successful, because I know that that person will pass the message on to the next person and soon one conversation will become a chain reaction of change.
Do you have any advice for other budding creatives?
The perfect opportunity isn’t going to land neatly in your lap. Your journey finding it will be messy, crazy, and complicated but so, so worth it. I could say all of the cliché things here and you’ll probably roll your eyes, but one sticks out for me: be who YOU are.
Not who you are told to be, or who you think you should be. There are another 8 billion people in the world, but only one of you, so make your life matter. Set your boundaries and dance your way through life being so completely yourself that everyone else has no choice but to be OK with that.
Read KJ’S wonderful Teen Breathe poem below.
Teen Breathe by KJ Hayward
Visit www.australianpoetryslam.com or follow @australian_poetry_slam to discover more about slam poetry
