Jake Dietsch
An aspiring Bouvard rapper who has racked up hundreds of followers in the past month says living with autism was a help, rather than a hindrance, to his creativity.
Lachlan Brownlie, 18, always received As in English, despite struggling in other subjects, and started experimenting with poetry at the age of just four.
“I started mixing words together and that’s how I developed my creativity,” he said.
With help from disability service providers through the National Disability Insurance Scheme, he has set up a home studio and developed a following on Instagram and Tik Tok.
His Instagram page, twelve.thirty.two, has nearly 2000 followers.
Mr Brownlie said he mostly rapped about things he could relate to, which had helped inspire other young people with autism.
“I’ve always told people that I make music for me. But if you listen to it that’s even better,” he said.
“A lot of stuff I talk about is very personal. People who have been through it can relate and they often say ‘you helped me get through this’.”
Mr Brownlie said rapping was easier than talking for him and having autism meant developing lyrics came naturally.
“A lot of people suffer from writer’s block. I don’t have that issue.
“It becomes hard when I have a normal conversation. Because I’ll be talking and they’ll say, ‘can you please slow it down?’
“[Rapping is] how I express myself.”
Mr Brownlie recently wrote a song titled NDIS, dedicated to the support services who have helped him in his musical journey.
“I wanted to actually dedicate the song to NDIS and the reason why is, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“Without these services I wouldn’t be able to accomplish what I have, which is amazing because now I’m able to help my family a lot more.”
Mr Brownlie has moved forward with his dream of becoming a professional rapper, undeterred by the pandemic.
“I’ve set up my own home studio. So I’ve kept making songs in lockdown,” he said.
His next goal is to produce an album.