Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, and new to our blog, Nepoleon Complex talks to us about his genre-defying music and new single, Blood on My Sneakers.
By Graeme Smith
“Music and entertainment have always been a huge part of my life,” says Nepoleon Complex when I ask him about his journey into music. “I’ve played in bands, explored different creative directions and worked various jobs along the way, but the desire to write music and perform has always remained.”
He goes on to explain that his unconventional journey is what makes his project interesting, and I’m inclined to agree. He refuses to stick to one genre and his latest single, Blood on My Sneakers, feels like the perfect case in point.
It opens exotically, infused with a rich, mysterious atmosphere before a passionate and vibrant verse sets in. A fascinating complexity marks out the electronic instrumental arrangement. An airy chorus provides some relief from the intensity of the verse. It’s a track that really does keep you guessing as to what will come next.
Nepoleon Complex describes the track as being about the effort nobody else can see, and I wanted to know what prompted it.
“It wasn’t necessarily one particular job or moment,” he says. “It was more an accumulation of experiences. I’ve worked in different environments, and while I’ve always been capable of doing the work, there’s often been this underlying feeling that I don’t quite belong. There’s another part of me that’s constantly thinking about music, creativity and performing. That conflict became an important part of the song.”
As we chat, he tells me about the pride he takes in his appearance, yet it’s what’s underneath that’s surfacing in the track.
“Underneath the clothes is everything people don’t see — the disappointments, sacrifices, uncertainty and determination. That’s where the title comes from. The blood isn’t literal. It represents the blood, sweat and tears that go into pursuing something you believe in.”
Reflecting on how the track came together, including its choir-driven chorus, he adds: “I wanted the verses to feel quite personal and introspective, but when the chorus arrived, I wanted everything to open up into something much bigger. The sampled choir gave me that contrast. There’s something incredibly powerful about multiple voices coming together, particularly with gospel and soul influences. I’m also involved with Brisbane City Gospel Choir, so I’ve experienced first-hand just how powerful those voices can be in a live environment.”
He’s quick to emphasise the work that’s gone into the single.
“I think people often see the finished product without understanding everything that goes into creating it. They see the music, the artwork, the videos and the presentation, but there’s an enormous amount of work behind those things. That’s really what Blood on My Sneakers represents.”
Nepoleon Complex isn’t finished with the hard work. He’s got a club-oriented version of Blood on My Sneakers in the works and some new singles coming down the line. He’s hoping to bring the project to the stage in 2027.
“My vision is to combine professional live musicians with electronic production, visual effects and elements of theatre,” he says. “I don’t want to simply stand on stage and reproduce the recordings. I’d love to create something where the audience doesn’t necessarily know what’s coming next.”
The modern world forces us to fit into boxes so it’s refreshing to talk to an artist determined to break out of his. Nepoleon Complex’s passion will hopefully see him through, and I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more from him down the line.
If you want to keep up to date with all he’s doing, you can do so by following him on Spotify, Instagram, and TikTok.
Blood on My Sneakers is out now, and you can listen to it below.
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