It actually all began at high-school… I’d never sang before and for some reason decided to audition for our school musical Peter Pan. The next thing I knew I got the lead role and basically it all started from there!
What had you first interested in music?
My parents both sing and play instruments, so it was always around me and something I wanted to do. My parents put me in piano lessons in primary school, and when I was 12 I started teaching myself the guitar.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
Great music can move people, influence people, even save people. To have an ability to “speak” to someone in this form is an incredible gift and something I will never take for granted, and that’s why I do what I do.
What are your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist?
I want to tour internationally and play on the biggest stages around the world. Right now my goal is to hit a million streams on Spotify… once I achieve that I’ll move onto the next goal and so on… it’s kinda a never-ending process and it’s how I am fulfilled.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? A tour to Melbourne and Sydney in July! Along with some more music releases 😉
Tell us a bit about your latest album and how would you best describe your music?
My EP was very much a singer-songwriter with different flavours of pop, rock, folk, and soul. It was definitely me discovering my sound and trying different things, and had a lot of deep thoughts in it. For me is a document of that time in my life.
Success, what is the secret to it? Passion, work ethic, and just the right amount of crazy.
What has been your biggest career highlight?
This is a really hard question… it’s hard to top the Peter Pan thing actually! I can’t describe the feeling but it was so relieving and emotional because I’d taken this leap of faith and it had pulled off. I’m really proud of myself for throwing myself in the deep end like that, especially as a “cool footy boy” at school, took a lot of guts haha!
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Ed Sheeran, Michael Rosenburg (Passenger), Eminem
Any new projects in the pipeline? A new EP!
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Honestly I have no bloody clue haha! I hope to see myself amongst the top calibre of artists in Australia and be doing well internationally.
Name a few of your favourite Aussie artists. Matt Corby, Flume, Sia, Pnau
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
Business is business and the music industry is forever changing! I hate that social media is such a huge 24/7 part of my job but I also love it because I can connect with my listeners so easily and can reach more people than ever before. I do hate though that platforms like onlyfan’s can make people thousands but streaming services pay artists less than a cent per stream for their hours of dedication and sacrifice… it’s a little bit backwards, but at the end of the day it’s not about the money so I’m grateful for the opportunity to have my music heard in almost every country in the world.
Thanks for the interview! What final message do you have for us today?
Thank you for supporting local music and please if you have two seconds, follow me on Spotify and check out my tunes!!
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Aussie group Darlinghurst.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
We all together through a mutual producer Pete Dacy, who knew all of us through separate projects and sessions. When he picked up on all of us liking the idea of doing original projects, he basically got us all in contact with each other to see what happened and if sparks flew. Now we are here!
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
I think for us what motivates us is the fact that we want to make the best music that we can and using the different styles that each of us bring to create something that is uniquely Darlinghurst
What are your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist?
Our biggest goal is to be able to continue writing and performing and make a solid living doing what we love. For our songs to be universally recognised would also be very special
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
In the coming months we hope to start gigging a whole lot more. We are also in the process of finishing off our debut album. If we get the chance to tour in the near future that would be something we would absolutely love
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
Our latest release is Called ‘Where Do We Go’ and it really about spending time with the ones that mean the most, travelling in the same direction and really enjoy every moment along the way. I think we would best describe our music is country with portions of styles from all 4 members blended together.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
I think every song is slightly different. We are lucky that all 4 of us write and get inspiration from so many different spaces and experiences that we have been through. We are all so open to ideas that we all have to ultimately create something uniquely us.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Maybe… but if we told you it wouldn’t be hidden anymore. Haha
Success, what is the secret to it?
We have no idea. We love that we have the opportunity for write and sing together and do what we love and for us that means more than anything else.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
In our very short career thus far we have had some mind blowing highlights and opportunities from supporting some of Australia’s most iconic artists including The Black Sorrows, Thirsty Merc and Cad and Morris to performing on the red carpet at the Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth but I think the craziest thing we have down was playing at Rochford Winery with the one and only Jimmy Barnes.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
How much time have we got…? Haha no we find the most inspiring artists are the ones who keep grounded, respectful and really stands by their art and their vision.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
At the moment our main focus is finishing this debut album but we definitely have a few things up our sleeve but you may just have to wait for that.
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Hopefully still all together, writing, touring and continuing our Darlinghurst journey
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
Our favourite part would definitely have to be getting to do what we love and experiencing it all together. Not a lot of people get to do what they love and we are really blessed to be able to do that. The least favourite part would probably have to be being away at times from the people that we love the most but we are lucky that we have each other.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Wow this is a very hard question as we have so many. Jimmy Barnes, Thirsty Merc, The Myclymonts, John Farnham, Diesel, The Black Sorrows and ACDC would just be a very small start.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
As an artist there is a part of you that just has to go along with how things are changing to help get our music out there. I think though especially for us performing live is the most impactful way of getting our music out it is one of our favourite things to do and people can really see who we are and how much we love making our music and sharing with whoever will listen.
How do you plan on cracking the international market?
At the moment we are just focusing on getting our album finished and then we will start working on some sort of plan. The ongoing pandemic has obviously changed a lot of plans for everyone, but we will keep at it and we will find a way to put the word out there as best we can.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
Yes we do collaborate with others. A handful of our songs( including Where Do We Go) have been written with the acoustic/pop duo Dacy. We are always working out of the same studio and around each other so ideas have flowed during coffee breaks etc. They are very talented writers so we feel blessed we get to spend so much time with them. In regards to a wish-list, we’d love to collaborate with anyone that shares a similar vision and who’s just as excited about the writing process as we are.
What advice do you give for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
There is quite a lot of advice we could give to people wanting to do the exact same thing that we are trying to do but I think the most important things are patience, persistence and hard work. You can never be the best but if you constantly are working at your craft and working to better yourself and as a band you can’t go wrong. This industry is full of ups and downs and you just need to push through especially if the love is there. You definitely need to have a love of music over anything else to be in this industry.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your fans?
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. If it wasn’t for people loving what we are doing and following our music, it would be so hard to build yourself in this industry. Fans and music lovers are the heart of it and if we can connect to people through our music then for us, that means the world. We try to interact in all ways whether it be through social media, through gigs and just people reaching out to us. We are so grateful for people enjoying our music, so interacting with them makes us really happy.
Any last words?
Love what you do and be kind. Right now in the world we live in, its so important to make the most of the life we have, so we need to grab and never let go.
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Australian singer/songwriter Adam Faybrem.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? When I was 4 years old, I remember switching on MTV and Rage and seeing all heavy height Pop and RnB artists from Cher to Madonna, Michael Jackson and Usher. I said to myself I wanted to become a great entertainer one day and be able to spark joy in others and inspire others how I was inspired.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? Life scenarios and listening to other artists create this is where I get my influences from. Also always having a message, you want to put out into the world, whether it would about you and your personal experiences or someone else’s view of a certain event in their life.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish? Make the world a better place, even if it means financial contribution, I always had that in my heart to make the world great again. Also winning a Grammy or 2 hehe…
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? I started planning recently as soon as my album drops around July, and then I am going to plan a tour hoping this pandemic dies down quickly.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music? Everytime is my 2nd single off my upcoming album “Disco Galaxy” and I heavily express the love for a person you thought would never show interest in you, I mention how much I want of that and never wanting to lose them. The style of this whole album is Pop, Disco and EDM, So I am giving everyone a little bit of everything in one album.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? If something happens to me personally, I can be quick to write down how I felt in a song, sometimes it comes from past experiences in life or events. My strongest writing point is basically third person view type of writing where I see someone going through something or if a friend or a family member tells me an experience, I quickly jolt that down.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? There are hidden meanings in all songs from all artists and as for me, I am the king of controversy so I do have messages and meanings but I’ll let listeners decode the album.
Success, what is the secret to it? This is a really good question from what I see success I feel its being honest with yourself, loving yourself as much as possible. Putting out good and truthful relatable content so that people can relate to you also your characteristics reflecting on anything you do comes to show the real success a person or an artist brings, helping people in any way you can this applies to yourself. That I feel is true success it’s showing purpose fulfilling life duties and not just being a glorified monument.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? Sitting at number 10 in the UK charts back in 2013 – 2014 it happened so quick and that is probably my greatest achievement in music so far, hopefully I break into more charts with this album in the next coming months.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Freddie Mercury, I watched the movie bohemian rhapsody and I never knew how rough he had it in his personal and music life this really sparked new flames in me. I can list probably 20 stars but the main people are as mentioned. I will include Michael Jackson and David Bowie and Tony Bennet, Cher, Madonna, Justin Timberlake. Growing up I had too many, but in more recent years I would say Drake, Sia, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? There are a few which include acting, some that are Netflix featured, but due to the pandemic since last year everything was put on hoping it all commences end of year.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years? I will be completely honest and say I have no idea; I could lie and say a billionaire living in the Bahamas but the world and the industry is constantly changing who knows where any of us might be. I am hoping though to see myself as a great inspiring, innovative artist to the rest of the world.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? Being able to always express yourself freely, having a mind of your own with no one telling you what to do. On the other note always trying to maintain a particular consistent product, which sometimes doesn’t cater to most.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. Sia, Iggy Azalea, Vanessa Amorosi, Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mauboy.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye? I have seen it evolve with my own eyes being in the heart of Hollywood to the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne to my bedroom. Because of technology and social media, it’s easier to make records and release them on your own. We know major labels always have the key’s, but if you get lucky and strategize there is always a way in. It’s rare to see that success come from such a plan, but releasing music to the world means everything. Because I mentioned earlier that when you make relatable content and people enjoy it and feel the emotions you are feeling, and when they understand what you go through and for some to come and tell you about it, that really is a good feeling.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? Very simple maintaining your image and staying on trend its mediocre but it works.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? When I was doing ambassador work for iHeartRadio, we held events with Kiss fm for artists like Adam Lambert, Shawn Mendes, Ariana Grande. I got to write a song for Shawn but his team refused it haha.. I also had a song writing session with AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys but that single got dropped in 2018. I would love to work with anyone really, I am open minded and hate to miss out on opportunities.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? Don’t make silly mistakes always read over every business contract twice. Think about your decisions and actions before making or doing them. Don’t be afraid to show who you truly are, and never comprise your creative output.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Twitter and Instagram, I try to respond to everyone on Instagram but some dm’s need to stay unopened because they are either inappropriate or spam haha.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? We’ve continued to find new inspiration at different points in our lives, but I think the earliest moments that I can remember was the first time we played our hometown festivals. The show went over really well, and people we clapping and asking for more music. It felt really good. I remember being instantly hooked to that feeling. A few years, and many trips down to Nashville later, we formed Petric and never looked back.
The music industry doesn’t “interest” us much at all. It’s a brutally tough business, but the rewards it offers, and the experiences that we’ve had chasing dreams, its more than we ever could have imagined. We love music, and we love performing, so we’ll keep showing up as long as people will have us.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? We’re all fans of a great song. When we hear one from one of our favourite artists, or we write one, that gets us inspired and excited more than anything. That creative enegery carries into the studio, and onto the stage with us. We spent a lot of time writing for Flashbacks, and making sure we had the right songs for the album. I feel like that was probably the toughest part of the whole album.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish? Our biggest goal is always to produce the best music we possibly can. Whether that’s in the studio, or on stage, we hold a very high standard for ourselves. Everyone in our band agrees if we set the bar high, we will continue to improve and that’s a great feeling. Personally, I would love to create opportunity for us to travel the world with our music. We hope to make it down to Australia once the world is in a little bit better shape!
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? Honestly, no. It pains me to say that, but our Canada is in not good enough shape for large gatherings. We are finally starting to head in the right direction but we still have some work to do. We plan on shooting a few more music videos for the tracks on Flashbacks, and hopefully do some writing. We started working on new music in December, so we’re always energized to create and hear new songs.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music? Flashbacks is without any doubt the best musical representation of Petric. We’ve worked very hard over the past decade to hone our skills in the studios, and as song writers. A lot of album these days are all program instruments, and recorded over a weekend with one or two people. We didn’t want Flashbacks to be one of those albums. Writing and recording this record took over 2 years, but with taking that time we were able to infuse so much more of our own input, ideas and talents into it. There is a lot of energy in Petric, and there is a lot of high tempo tracks in Flashbacks. Generally we try to record songs that are going to go over well with our fans at shows. I think we have a few of those songs on Flashbacks.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? It just happens. Ideas show up. If they are good, they usually end up in my phone for a few months. If they are really good, they find a way to resurface sooner than later. I am a huge fan of co writing. I think it’s one of my most favourite things to do in life. It’s liberating, like chatting to a therapist, but also get to be creative. I really try to tear down all my walls, and insecurities when I write. I always try to find the most honest words to use. So when I get to go through that process of just being in that raw emotional state, and then you come out of it with a song that I know is going to work perfectly for Petric, it feel very good. I hope we can do some more writing in 2021.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? I don’t know. And if I did, would I tell you?
Success, what is the secret to it? Hard work. I feel like you have to commit to something daily if you want it to have a chance of finding success. Part time efforts won’t cut it.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? Headlining our own show at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg has to be at the top. It’s an iconic venue in Winnipeg, where many of the major bands who come through town play. It was a bold undertaking, but we sold it! Our fans never let us down. It was our last show before the pandemic, so it has extra special meaning now.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Keith Urban has been one of the most influential artists for all of us. His life, and career continues to evolve, and thrive. His no fear attitude towards his music, and guitar playing have always resonated with us. We love exploring new sounds as a band. We love playing guitar, and writing songs. We continue to be inspired by so many artists.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? There is definitely new music in the works. It’s coming together a little slower due to the pandemic, but we have a solid batch of songs that are already recorded, so we’re in pretty good shape. We have a duet in the works with an amazing Australian singer. Fingers crossed, but I’m really excited to see that one come together.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself in a few years? I think 2020 has taught us that predictions are tough to make. I just hope we’re still making music. This last year, our band has really come together more than ever before. We’re finally finding our stride as a team and it feels great.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? I hate the judgement and the competition. Someone is always comparing you to another artist or song. Youre always competing against somebody else, wether thats for airplay or a gig. I don’t think it brings out the best in anyone. I love meeting people. This industry gives us the opportunity to meet fans all over the world. Some of these fans end up becoming life long friends. Music is all about bringing people together, and that’s absolutely my favourite part about being in the music industry.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. The Wolfe Brothers, and Casey Barnes seem to be on a hot streak for putting out great tracks. Hayley Jensen has an amazing voice as well. I hope we’ll get the chance to do some shows with some of these artists in the future.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in gettng your records out into the public eye? Social media is a platform that we can use to connect with people. Like I said earlier, music is all about bringing people together. Any way we can connect with fans over music, we’re all for it. We’ve been very lucky to expand our audience around the world over the past year. Hopefully we can get out to these new markets and play some shows soon.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? We’re going to do our best to continue to make the best music we can. We’ve been working hard to expand our team in these new markets. The time difference is sometimes a little fun, but it has been going really well so far.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? I’d love to write with Chad Kroeger. Nickelback is one of the best bands Canada has ever produced. I am a huge fan of him as a song writer. Maybe one day.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? If its what you want, go for it. Life is too short to not live it to the fullest. Don’t be afraid to take risks, trust your gut, and enjoy the journey.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Instagram and Facebook. We do our best to message back to all our fans! We love hearing from you!
Any last words? Petric is just getting started! We can’t wait to see you all at a show soon.
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with local Melbourne artist Lakelend.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? I started playing guitar properly when I was around 1o years old. From there I played in the different groups they had available to be a part of at school. When I was about 14 (year 8) I ‘got the bug’ and was hooked. This came after watching some of the older kids play in the live band for the school production ‘Grease’. I just thought it was so cool that these guys not much older than me were performing these songs exactly like the originals, doing them justice and really making noise! From that moment on I knew this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to play music, so I started practicing, alot.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? Performing live, hands down. There is literally no better feeling in the world than having an audience react to your output of sound, stories, messages and emotions.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish? The ultimate dream is to build a career playing my songs to as many people around the world as possible and set up myself and my close friends and family during the process.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? So I’ve just dropped my second single ‘Supernova’ with the music video to follow! I’ll be releasing a few more tracks as we move into the new year and then it will definitely be time to start playing some shows!
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?Supernova is about the journey of falling in love with someone extremely fast, moments within and looking back. I wrote and recorded this in August 2019 with my good friend Cam Bluff. Cam co-produced Amy Shark’s breakout smash ‘Adore’ and has also created some of the bangers from Hilltop Hoods, Illy & Allday to name a few!
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? I think for me, most of my songs (so far) have been linked to extremely emotional times of my life. Whether that be heartbreak, intense romance or loss there is definitely some type of correlation or common thread in the songs that I write. I’ll usually start with a story or diary entry that i have written on my phone and pull it apart, reshape it and create a song out of it.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? Not specifically as I try to make my experiences as easy as possible for the listener to understand but I will say that each single artwork so far has the letters ‘BHC’ on the right hand side. These letters will be linked to and revealed a bit further down the track.
Success, what is the secret to it? Success to me is doing what you love every day. So many people settle for something less, but I can’t. I’ve got a dream and I won’t rest until it’s a reality.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? I think there have been a couple of highlights so far during my time in the music industry. Some would include playing to thousands of people in my old band ‘Storm The Sky’ at a festival called ‘Unify Gathering’ as well as playing some of Australia’s most iconic venues like The Enmore Theatre with ‘The Used’ and also having the opportunity to tour the country relentlessly and pop over to play in New Zealand!
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? There are a few artists that I really look up to. One that inspires me everyday is Juice WRLD (rip). He had a brain and work ethic like no other.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? There are, this year has allowed me to write song after song and build up a really cool collection to choose what I release in the future. The plan (at this stage) is to put out a couple more stand alone singles and then a body of work.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself in a few years? I see myself touring as much as I can both in Australia and overseas. I want the world to know my songs.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? Favourite would be performing for sure. I don’t really have a least favourite but I guess at this early stage of the game asking fans or friends to help push things isn’t my favourite thing to do but it’s necessary! (I don’t like asking for help in general so that’s probably ingrained as part of my personality!)
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. A few Australian friends/artists that are killing it right now would be: The Kid Laroi, Troye Sivan, Ruel, Illy, ONEFOUR, Mallrat, Running Touch, GRAACE, CXLOE, Triple One, Lastlings & Carla Wehbe.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye? I think with the internet and social media things can happen for an artist extremely quickly nowadays. Someone could be slaving away for 10+ years and then ‘overnight’ a song could take off. I also think what takes off has never been more unpredictable.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? I honestly think the music I am making these days probably translates better in the American market but i’m sure time will tell! Would love to get over there as soon as I can when the rest of the world opens up!
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? I do! I love the process of collaborating with other people. Some of my best collaborations to come have been literally written with a really close friend as we’ve been able to be completely open to each other as to what we want to say. The good ones have also been written in about an hour which is usually a great sign! My wishlist of collaborators would definitely include Julia Michaels, Benny Blanco, Machine Gun Kelly, Sasha Sloan, Paul Klein, Lauv, Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler, EDEN & Nothing Nowhere.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? I’d say go for it and that you can do anything you put your mind to.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Always happy to chat to people that enjoy what I do! My dm’s are open for all!
Any last words? Thanks so much for having me, appreciate your time and to those that have read on! See you at a show in 2021!!
#FridayFever on 97.9 FM Melbourne / 2pm – 4pm Friday Afternoons.
U.S. performer Bruce Springsteen plays his Fender Telecaster guitar while singing his hit song “Born in the U.S.A.” as he completed his world tour at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in September 1985. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Nashville based singer/songwriter Hunter Davis.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
My father is a songwriter (we wrote Sticks and Storms together) so wordsmithing and music was just a part of life from my earliest recollections. Entering into songwriting and music was one of those things that seemed as natural as taking over a family business.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
Authenticity and catharsis. For me personally, there’s a sense of needing to get words, melody, and material out of my head and into the world to allow it to become something else, for someone else. That authenticity and knowing it needs to live in the world, always drives me to make better music.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
Well my first son will be born in a few weeks so I’ll be taking a short time off haha But I have two singles slated for release in early 2021 and with the state of the world its tough to say what the touring projection will be. In support of the singles its looking like a digital tour will be most likely.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
This latest release was written in the wake of the Nashville Tornado that struck the night of March 2nd. I woke up about 10 secs before my fiance and I took a direct hit and the song outlines some of the moments and emotions of that event.
As far as my music, I just do my best to stick to the tenants of what I feel is honest and makes the best art. The craft of words and melody are gospel, whatever comes from that combo is what you hear from me.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
As a writer I feel a certain obligation to capture the events, feelings, and emotions of life around me. Any number of those things can spark an idea that leads to a song. But often, I hear a melody within a particular chord progression of riff while playing guitar and I match that with an idea or emotion…and then I just ride that wave to see if it takes me anywhere.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
“Meaning” is subjective. I would personally say no, but that doesnt mean that the next person might discover a hidden meaning in a line or lyric that Ive written which, in that case, would turn that “no” into a “yes. Art resonates differently for everyone.
Success, what is the secret to it?
Determining what your definition of “success” is and then stubbornly and doggedly pursuing it. You have to stay in the game to win the prize, but theres no buzzers or periods to know when to stop… just gotta keep playing.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
On this last single I had the wonderful opportunity to work with producer Gena Johnson. Other than being one of the single most outstanding humans on the planet, she’s also engineered and produced some of the greatest(and personally my favorite) bands and artist records. From her, to the supporting band she assembled for the single, I was humbled and in awe of the talent that was in that studio. Hands down my biggest highlight.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Jason Isbell is hands down the most inspiring for me. From just a wordsmith perspective, he’s top of the mark.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
Always. Other than the two singles slated for the release at the beginning of 2021, I also have an entire record that is tentatively releasing at the end of Summer 2021.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself in a few years?
I see myself continuously pursuing that highest quality music and content and being dynamic enough to know how to navigate that ever changing world.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
My favorite thing is “This line of work” and my least favorite is “This line of work” haha
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Not just one of my favorite Australian artists but one of my favorite artists ever, is Xavier Rudd. I discovered “Food in the Belly” around 2012 and was completely blown away. What an insane talent and so much respect for his views on the environment.
I know this will seem like an obvious answer and many Aussies will roll their eyes (yes, I know he was born in NZ) but hands down Keith Urban. Just an outstanding musician, writer, and overall person.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
In so many ways the advent of social media has made our job better and more difficult all at once. You know have access to so much data (views, streams, numbers, regions of promotion etc etc) that it allows you to target audiences and interact more specifically. But its also potentially overwhelming for artists (aka me) who want to focus more on the craft of writing or performing,but now also have to run numbers like an accountant.
How will you continue appealing to the international market?
Just continue to release high quality material and remain within their sphere of awareness.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
I know we already talked about him, but can I add Xavier Rudd to the wish list? haha
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Focus on your reasons for pursuing music and why its important. Follow that passionately and with honesty, it will cut down on a lot (not all) of the anxiety and mystery of the endeavor.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans?
Thank you so much for listening! Feel free to reach out on Instagram or Facebook, I’m usually pretty good at responding to everyone! (just give me some time haha)
Any last words?
Wash your hands, believe in art, and don’t be an arsehole
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM special interview with Georgia Lines.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
Growing up I was always singing, performing, creating shows/circus performances for my parents and their friends, but I didn’t really start singing outside of sing star until my first year of Intermediate. A group of school friends and I had decided to re-enact one of the scenes from High School Musical and I landed the “role” as Gabriella singing breaking free for the school Talent Quest. This was the moment I can point to where it all began. Up until then I had never sung in front of anyone, including my parents and I think they were just as shocked as I was that I could sing. I guess my interest grew from there, and I started writing songs towards the end of high school. The choice to pursue a career in the music industry was more about my love for music and my lack of passion or excitement about anything else.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
I often feel this deep sense of needing to create. It’s a little strange to explain, but it’s almost as if I become dis-satisfied within myself when I stop creating. I feel like my motivation to make great music comes from wanting to articulate how I see or experience something in my life, but it is also paired with a love of creating.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
One of my biggest goals, seems so simple but at the same time so hard to do. It is to work really hard at staying present in all the small and big moments throughout my entire career, however it may unfold. I have spent so much time getting carried away hoping, dreaming, chasing after success… that often I miss out on the fact that I am actually doing what I have always wanted to do – have a career writing music, performing and just creating rad things.
Of course I have other goals, but for now I am keeping those close to me and am working hard to make them happen (enjoying the moments along the way of course).
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
Obviously the landscape of Touring is looking a little different in the current Covid climate, but I am actually heading back into the studio next month to record my next project which we are planning to release in 2021.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
Earlier in the year I released my debut EP (The week our NZ lockdown began.. thanks Covid) which has a bunch of songs that I feel so deeply proud of. Since releasing the EP, we have been working on a remix with Jack Burton for ‘Made for Lovin which is due for release October 30.
Hmmm, I always find this the hardest question but it is a combination of 70 inspired sounds, mixed with 90’s pop and many other things in between … the best way to describe it would be groove pop.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
My creative process often changes depending on what stage of creating I am in. I am trying to constantly find spaces, books, podcasts, places, art, fashion and other things to inspire and fill my creative tank. If I can fill myself up with creative things, when I start writing I often have ideas and inspiration to draw from. If I don’t pour into myself creatively, I often find that I don’t feel inspired or like I can create anything amazing. Aside from that, my songs are often written about moments/things/events/people/relationships in my life or observations that I have around something. I am trying to be more honest about what I say in my music and write in the hope that It really means something to me and the people that listen.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Not that I am aware of… I’ll let you know if I find one.
Success, what is the secret to it?
I think it depends on what your definition of success is. For me, success is simply doing what I love for a living. Within a creative industry, the bar is always moving and what it looks like for one person to succeed is completely different to the next. Writing music that I love, creating something from nothing and getting to do that for a job is success. If I get carried away with what success is painted out to be for another person, I am constantly competing with myself and everyone around me and the outcome is that I feel never quite good enough.
I am learning to be present and enjoy all the little moments along the way. Taking in each stage of the journey and being thankful for where I am at. To answer the question… I am running my own race, sticking to my lane and working hard to enjoy the race along the way. That is success to me.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
It sounds so simple, but my biggest career highlight has been recording my EP that I released earlier in the year. When I was in the studio recording, my initial plan and selection of songs were completely different to what is now on the EP. The reason why It was such a huge moment for me, was that for the first time I trusted my own gut and made the call to start again with some songs and completely throw out others. For too long I cared too much about what people thought hence why it took me over 4 years to release anything.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
I am super inspired by Solange and have been for the past few years. Everything she does inspires me creatively, from her videos to live shows, to her music… I think she is wonderful.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
I am actually about to head into the studio in a few weeks time to record my new EP. It has been a busy few months writing new music and I am so excited to bring these new ones to life.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years?
To be honest I don’t know what the next few years are going to look like with Covid dictating so much of what we are able to do. However, In an Ideal world I would love to be releasing music that is honest and true to me, still creating projects and music that excites me, and hopefully playing those songs to people all over the world.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
There are so many favourite parts… but my favourite part is making the ideas/songs/video concepts come to life. I love executing an idea and bringing it to life. I always get so excited by that! & of course live shows.
Currently my least favourite part is having to do my accounting and admin… ugh! I was terrible at maths at school so find it quite difficult at times.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Troye Sivan, Matt Corby, Gotye, Kylie Minogue, Angus & Julia Stone
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
Social media carries so much weight in the industry these days.. You can’t afford not to have a presence and be engaging with your fans. Especially now that the world has changed so much in 2020, the use of social media and continuing to connect with your fans using instagram/facebook/online platforms for live shows has been hugely important in staying connected throughout the strangeness of this year.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
Yes! I love collaborating with others. I am an extroverted human being who finds being in a room writing alone at times quite difficult and boring (not all the time). I would love to work with Solange, Emily King, Sampha… There are so many.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
The best advice I can give is to keep going. At times pursuing a career within the music industry is really hard. There are many disappointing moments and hard moments, but there are also so many wonderful ones. You just have to keep going! Keep creating, keep writings, enjoy the journey along the way and don’t get weighed down by the stresses that the journey brings. Learn to enjoy all the little moments, work hard, write lists, get people around you and on your team who believe in you and who are going to cheer you on (you need those people).
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans?
I am so grateful that you would follow me along for the ride in this crazy, exciting, wonderful, nerve-racking journey. It always overwhelms me to think that you would listen to what I create and then love what I do. It’s always the hope that people would like what I create, and that It would speak to them in some way, but there is never any guarantee that what I create will resonate with someone else. So thank you for all the love and support and for listening. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve been working on xx
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Melbourne power pop act Midnight Drags.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
My earliest memories of falling in love with music are when I was around 6 or 7 years of age discovering my parents vinyl collection.. they were big pop music fans and I used to spend hours & hours listening to stuff like Men At Work, The Beatles, ABBA, Billy Joel, The Fureys, Willy Nelson, Carole King & Meatloaf standing on my tip toes turning albums over (the record player was quite high!). I was particularly obsessed with one 45 single: Little Red Riding Hood by Sam The Sham & The Pharaoes, me and my big sis and cousins would play it over and over running circles around the couch.. I think we were equal parts exhilarated and scared shitless of the howling he does throughout the song..
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
I’m motivated to keep growing and pushing as a writer when I hear other great music.. It’s always inspiring to hear what other talented musicians are creating. I’m constantly influenced by new and exciting music.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
Well the cool thing is that I’ve already accomplished some of my biggest goals ie: setting up my own studio and getting to work with other crazy talented people.. Releasing my own music that i’m super proud of (insert plug: Long Way Back Down by Lucas James & the upcoming Bad Business by Midnight Drags). So looking to the future I just want to be able to continue to do what I’m doing..
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
No touring plans (yet).. I think I’m just going to focus on getting more of the Midnight Drags stuff out in the coming months and keep writing new music.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
It’s essentially a love song.. A song about grief, pain and what happens to someone when the person they love gets taken away from them. It was recorded at my studio (Hot Bias Recording Studio) late last year with the greatest band on earth, consisting of : Ash Naylor on guitar (and co-production duties), Bill McDonald on bass & Brett ‘Wolfie’ Wolfenden on drums. Musically, I would describe the single “Ronnie’ as gritty power-pop with the rest of the album as floating between straight rock, hard rock, pop-rock, with a touch of glam rock in there too! It’s pretty rock 🙂
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
Often it’s just noodling around on the guitar or jamming over drum loops that gets the juices flowing. Once a musical idea hits, I work pretty fast.. I’ll usually hash out a chord progression and a melody in the first 5 or 10 minutes. Then I start looking for inspiration for the lyrics to fit my melodic ideas. Sometimes I’ll look in my notebook where I have a handful of lyrical ideas I can work off and other times I’ll come up with a story idea on the spot. I don’t know what gets me writing as I never force it. It’s the unreliable muse.. I’ll go months and months without writing, then I’ll have crazy, prolific periods where I’ll write everyday for a few weeks.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
I think in every song I write there is a little bit of my story intertwined throughout. Sometimes I keep things intentionally vague. For example I wrote a song called ‘Freddie Steals A Twenty’.. So, now my mum can’t find out that it was me who stole her $20 when I was 14.
Success, what is the secret to it?
Don’t ask me!! 🙂 (But I’ll give it a crack).. I think success is doing what you love and being happy. I don’t equate success to dollars or followers or hits, those are all nice but to me a person is truly successful when they are happy and at peace with what they do.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
Probably opening my own recording studio (Hot Bias Recording Studio). I’ve always had little home set-ups but the day I finally moved into my own proper space was a ‘pinch myself’ moment.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Producers like Shawn Everett and Paul Epworth are but a couple of people who inspire me, Kevin Parker is amazing and I’m a big Josh Homme fan too.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
As a matter of fact yes, I’m currently working with (actor) Stephen Curry on a comedy/music album! It’s going to be a bunch of silly yet very musical songs and skits that we hope to put out next year. People don’t realise that aside from being a funny bugger, Stephen is actually a very talented musician.. We played in a band together many (many) years ago.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years?
Hopefully doing the same things.. Writing music, working with other artists and bands and I would love to be writing/co-writing music with more varied artists.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Off the top of my head: The Teskey Brothers, Skyhooks, You Am I, Even, Frente, AC-DC, Paddy Come Home, The Bamboos, Peking Duk, The Chats, The Drones, The Living End, Nai Palm, Speed Mullet .. I could go on.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
I love the way that social media and new platforms have given new artists a way to get heard.. I’m one of them! If you’re an artist from a small town with no live music scene it’s really cool to know that you can still be heard and seen on social media. The industry has changed so much and it really is possible to have a career as an artist without being signed to a label at all. Although, you do need to be tenacious with good nouse (and hopefully hella talent) but it can be done for sure.
How will you continue appealing to the international market?
Good question.. But to be honest it’s not something I think about! (terrible answer I know)
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
On the songwriting front, I would love to write with Jason Isbell, Kevin Parker, Mark Ronson.. In a playing/jamming capacity I want to play clean tight guitar with Corey Wong and funk it up.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Keep being yourself, don’t give up and work hard!
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans?
If you’re a fan of mine then well done.. You’ve got bloody good taste and I love you mum!
THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with US singer/songwriter Trevor Blake.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
I’ve been involved with music since I was 15 playing in bands. I just loved the idea of being able to create something from nothing and put it out into the world, it’s an amazing process that I wanted to be a part of.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
Seeing all the bands I grew up listening to do great things is a big push for me to try and accomplish those same feats. I want to make this world a better place than I left it and I think music is a great way to do that, changing peoples thoughts can change the way we live.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
I want to tour and visit some of the greatest cities in the world, and obviously I want my music to reach as many people as possible so a Gold record would be a nice touch.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
I’ve got a music video for my single “Down” that I absolutely loved filming and I can’t wait to unveil that. I have my fingers crossed that we have a vaccine before the release of my album in 2021 so I can start playing shows again, but until then I’d love to do some virtual shows.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
My upcoming single “Down” is coming out on December 1st 2020. It’s a song about breaking out of the projected characters we play in other peoples lives and just enjoying life to the fullest and being whoever we want to be. I’d say my music is Pyschadelic Pop, not in the sense that it sounds psychedelic but more in terms of lyrical content, I love slipping in little things that most people would overlook.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
Typically it’s 3am and I hop on my piano and play around on my piano until something really clicks with me. Almost everytime I turn it on I write a song. I think whenever I learn a big life lesson I want to share it with the world and my creative juices get flowing and I just let whatever posses me to take over.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Oh absolutely. Almost all of my music throws in subtle hints to my own psychedelic expericences, I know a lot of people shy away from being that blunt about it, but it’s an experience that needs to be talked about because it can bring so much value to people.
Success, what is the secret to it?
Hard work, taking chances, creativity, learning, and dedication. There’s really no secret, it’s obvious that if you put in the work and have the know how you will succeed.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
Making the music video for “Down” it was really the first time I had an idea for a video that came out exactly how I pictured it in my head and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Paul McCartney. I admire how positive he keeps his music and it’s amazing to see a man thrive the way he has even into his old age. Billie Eilish too, we can all see how hard it is to handle fame and her story is no different, struggling with depression myself I admire how she keeps herself afloat amidst all the negativity.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
My album is releasing in 2021 and beyond that I have plans to really experiment on the next record.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years?
It’s so hard to say, hopefully adapting. Obviously I want to say I’ll be touring and seeing great success but the future will tell itself. All I can do is put in the work and hope it all pays off.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
My favorite is performing and creating. The time between that where I’m prepping my release can be very discouraging not knowing how my music will be recieved, but I still find some joy in it where I can.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
In Hearts Wake is a great band, I actually had the oppurtunity to play with them while they were in America. Great guys, and have an absolutely amazing live show. Tame Impala is very good and even name dropped me in a song (although I’m about 95% sure it was a different Trevor).
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
The industry can be amazing when working with geniune people, but for some money talks and I guess we just have to take that as it is. Social Media has become an absolute staple and I think now more than ever we artists and media outlets need a better platform where we can be heard, I hope that some day we get that platform. For the time being all we can do is follow the rules in place now and learn and adapt.
How will you continue appealing to the international market?
I make music true to me and I think that’s well recieved everywhere. Thankfully worldwide releases are now very easy and I love working with press outside of America, I’ll continue to do that as I progress into my career.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
So far I haven’t but would love to. Speaking realistically I’m a big fan of this new artist out of New York, Morgan Saint. Geena Fontanella is another, I follow both of them on Instagram and I think it would be awesome to work with either of them.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Be prepared to put the work in and be authentic to yourself. As much as this can be a job you need to enjoy yourself when you create your content, people can tell the difference.
Thank you so much for your continued support. I usually talk to most fans on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok but if you message me or even tweet at me I’ll see it, and I love to hear from you guys.
Any last words?
Watch Joe Pera Talks with You it’s an amazing show. Also, my single comes out December 1st and you can Preorder and Pre-save it on my website.
