You’ll Want More Than ‘Just A Taste’ of the Jawbreakers

Australian duo Kali Forni-Kate and Sabrina Babyslut are not just drag sisters; they are producer/DJ hybrids delivering equally sickening beats and looks.

Known as the Jawbreakers, these Down Under dolls are gearing up to drop their debut EP, Just A Taste.

“We are super excited to release this EP, considering it’s been in the works for about three years now,” Kali exclusively tells OFM. “We’ve had a lot of the songs sitting there and ready to go since pre-pandemic. It was a great lockdown project because COVID canceled so many gigs and festivals that we had booked. So, it’s incredible to finally have it out in the open.”

“And it’s just a taste because there is 100 percent more to come,” Sabrina adds.

Working in conjunction with Vicious Recordings, the same label that discovered Avicii when he was a teenager, Just A Taste dishes out dance, pop, and tech house songs suitable for clubs and partygoers at home enjoying a late-night kiki. The EP also reflects the group’s live DJ shows that emphasize that they are not only playing the party, but they are the party.

“With our style of music that we DJ, we play such a broad range, considering that we’re two drag queens,” Kali explains. “People assume that we’ll only play pop, electropop, and genres that are very mainstream queer. Something that we have always prided ourselves on is our ability to not only enjoy those genres, but also venture into other areas like tech house, electro house, and even K-pop. With the inspiration behind this EP, we were trying to create something that is literally what’s in the name. It’s just a taste. It’s a tasting platter of different styles that we’ve picked and delved into. Ultimately, I think we used three different genres for this EP, which has been amazing.”

The EP’s first single, “Boyfriend,” was released in January and is a modern-day remake of Ashlee Simpson’s 2005 hit that chronicled her stealing Wilmer Valderrama from Lindsay Lohan. The Jawbreakers version features vocals from Amunda, formerly from Operator Please.

Initially meeting in 2016 while performing at a Britney Spears tribute in Melbourne, Kali and Sabrina immediately clicked and realized they had a lot in common. Both come from middle-class, nuclear family backgrounds, and both discovered their passion for drag while doing musical theater.

Once they learned of their shared interests in musical production, they decided to join forces. Six months later after buying a mixer, they were in business as the Jawbreakers.

“There is an age gap between us, but somehow, we balance each other out,” Kali says. “Also, we don’t fight. We’ve never really had an argument about anything. There are times where we’re not connecting or we’re not seeing each other’s vision, but then one will go away for about half an hour, come back, then everything merges together. It’s not like your idea is better than mine or mine is better than yours. We can clearly connect, and we make fireworks.”

The Jawbreakers have already headlined several international festivals including Sydney Mardi Gras and Milkshake Festival in Amsterdam, and their next big gig will be Summer Camp Festival performing alongside Years and Years, Big Freedia, and The Veronicas. They are also slated to perform the next Goodlife U18 event, as well as Adelaide Festival, St Kilda Festival, and Melbourne Pride.

While their unique look has helped attract attention to their work, Sabrina admits that performing as hyper-feminine drag artists has made it harder for fans and the music industry to take them seriously.
“We’ve had straight DJs hit on us and others wonder who the random chicks were in the booth,” she says. “But way more people have shown their support and their desire to see us succeed.”

“I also think things are slowly changing because of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Kali adds. “When I started, all I did was get into drag, go out clubbing to get free entry and drinks, party, and that’s what it was all about. This was nine years ago. Since then, obviously, it has become clear that this is very much a career path for some people. They are passionate, driven, and take it seriously.”

As for the future, Kali and Sabrina hope to collaborate with big-name artists and continue to play at festivals and events around the world. They hope Just A Taste is only the beginning.

“We are going to aim for the stars because we know we can do anything we put our minds to,” Kali says.

Stay up-to-date and connect with the Jawbreakers by following them on Instagram and TikTok @JawbreakersDJ. Just A Taste will be available April 1 on Spotify and all other music streaming platforms.

Photos Courtesy of Brianna Da Silva