Proteins of Magic

Living between Auckland and Nashville, Tennessee, Kelly Steven is a multi-faceted artist
practicing in both audio and visual media. She writes, produces and performs as Proteins of Magic, and creates
visual worlds to translate it to the screen using claymation and digital art.

There isn’t a single genre that describes the musical output of Proteins of Magic, but in broad terms it embodies
the realm of Gothic; from the use of voices from elsewhere, layered upon one another, to the drama of art pop
melded with eerie post-punk, accompanied by videos that morph from the natural to the cyber.

On stage she has a solitary, commanding presence, she doesn't just transform, she almost seems possessed.
Delivering her existential poetry over layers of loops of vocal harmonies, breath, flute and keys, she fuses them
together with her pulsing bass guitar.

Kelly Steven has played bass with seminal NZ band Dimmer, which also included touring America with The Brian
Jonestown Massacre; she also played bass in NZ band Voom, and was in the duo Punches with James Duncan. In 2021 she created her own solo project Proteins of Magic.

"I consider her in that lineage of female musicians with a completely unique voice and approach, in the tradition
of Nina Simone, Nico, Patti Smith, Björk, etc. She is the real deal.” - Shayne Carter 2022