Margo Mann Interview
It was mostly written from a place of shedding. Shedding expectations I’d absorbed that weren’t my own, shedding traumas or memories of events I was holding onto too tightly. This might sound dramatic, but I think I was standing at the finish line of what had felt like girlhood, trying to work out what I wanted to take into adulthood with me. The record speaks a lot to the different personas and protective masks we subconsciously adopt to fit in, or survive, and how they ultimately stop serving us.
Crawlers Interview
I think these songs have a little bit more of a political edge, as well as battling the inner problems that we love writing about so much. It’s quite dramatic and has those ins and outs, so I imagine it as one of those films that has like 12 different climaxes. You think it’s over, then another thing happens and you’re like, “When does the main character get a break? This bitch needs a break.”
Right at the end of the EP, we end with this extremely cathartic screaming, vocally and musically, and then end in the quiet. There’s something about that conclusion of solace and calm after the storm. It’s like when the credits roll on a film and you’re like, “I’m not satisfied, but I’m glad it finished there.”
Blondshell Interview
I started the record in late January of this year, and it took us a little less than four months to make. I feel like I came into making it with a different sort of writing perspective that I didn’t know I had until I started writing.
There’s a lot of stuff having to do with the body, and not just body image, but actually becoming comfortable with living in a human body and all that comes with that. That’s one of the central themes.
Another thing is trying to balance how ugly the world can be with how beautiful it can be, and trying to make sense of all that.
Michael Marcagi Interview
It’s been a dream. I’ve done some shows with Noah before and it’s always amazing. His band is so good and the show is incredible. I’ve wanted to do a proper tour with him for so long, and the fact that it finally happened is a dream come true.
I’ve gotten the opportunity to come down here before and play some headline shows, and I just had so much fun. The crowds are so engaging and fun down here. We’ve also been having so much fun hanging out in the cities, exploring and doing new things.
Playing for that many people, especially that many nights in a row, is pretty wild. It’s insane to see the reach that Noah’s music has. It’s really a dream come true kind of tour. It’s been so fun.
Asha Jefferies Interview
We went over to London to make the album, which was very beautiful and special. I think it was important to leave Brisbane and make music in a completely different place. What I found really special was coming back to Brisbane and I recorded a bunch more stuff by myself at my parents’ house in the lounge room. That was very fun and a very special part of making the album.
Maia Toakley Interview
Everything On Fire is about trying to accept the gravity of walking away from someone who you still think so highly of. Having a baby together feels like one of the most trialling things you could do in a partnership and also the most shatteringly perfect thing to romanticise if you’re yearning for someone.
Jess Humphries Interview
Jess Humphries is one of Australia's most exciting emerging musicians, known for her honest (and often devastating) lyricism, infectious pop hooks, incredible production (shout out Josh), and refreshingly hilarious, down-to-earth personality. With her latest single, Juliet, Jess turns heartbreak into an empowering anthem, as she does best, blending the perfect combination of humour and vulnerability. I caught up with Jess to chat about the story behind the track, navigating the pressures of social media, her creative journey, and what's next.
Neish Interview
Neish has a reputation for writing some of the most gut-wrenchingly honest and vulnerable songs in the Australian music scene, and her latest single, want, is no exception. want revisits a deeply personal moment from her teenage years, capturing the complexities of first love, mental health, and growing into yourself. I caught up with Neish to chat all about the track, finding confidence as an independent artist, the challenges of the modern music industry, and where she's headed next.
Lara Buchanan Interview
I’d tell people that if they’re tortured by their own reminiscence, they’d probably really like my music.
Anybody who’s deeply sentimental, deeply affected by nostalgia, their memories, and the concept of “what if”, I think they’d really like my music.
Budjerah Interview
Gentleman, my debut album, is inspired by performing and up-tempo music. I went into the studio just thinking that I wanted everything on stage to be so high energy, kicking, fun and joyful. That’s how we ended up with all these up-tempo songs.
Holly Hebe Interview
All of the songs have really potent and direct emotions for me. I’m excited to see how people interpret that themselves, which colours they gravitate towards, or whether a song represents a different colour for them.
George Alice Interview
I think social media virality has replaced radio and it’s also backing up the sync world. Movie and TV soundtrack discovery is happening a million times heavier now because we have virality on our side. Kids are constantly talking about things online while also finding all these shows on the internet. It’s so accessible now, whereas before it maybe wasn’t.
Willow Avalon Interview
He was the dumbest man alive. He was unable to spell anything, including his apology note to me for being the most despicable human of all time. He wrote me this note saying it was the lowest point of his life, and he said, “You’re my dream girl”, except he spelled “your” wrong. So, I took a picture of it, and that’s now the cover of Hex.
Queenie Interview
Vivid came from healing from a lot of the stuff I’d experienced earlier in life and relationship-wise, and hoping that it wasn’t all just a dream.
The life I’d envisioned for myself had started to come to fruition a little bit, and Vivid is about coming to land in a fluffy, safe nest that’s really beautiful and warm. At the same time, it’s about the fear of that maybe being taken away, or maybe not being real.
Royal and The Serpent Interview
The project itself isn’t just one name, one person, or a band. Royal and the Serpent already confuses people, so really personifying it and understanding who was behind it all this time — and realising it wasn’t just me as Ryan — was how the story came together.
Sarah Blasko Interview
I don’t have regrets as such. There are things I question why I did that, but I don’t think I would call them regrets. The moments where I feel like I’ve come close to regretting something have been the moments where I haven’t followed that voice, and I’ve done things to please other people. So I think I would just go back and reiterate that one.
Azure Ryder Interview
I wrote this song as a way of fully embracing who I am and who I’ve always been. I feel like, throughout my journey, not only in discovering love, but in understanding the essence of who I am, I’ve often been told I’m too much, or to be less of this and more of that. This song is me coming to a place where I’m embracing exactly who I am, how I love and always have, and how I want to continue. It’s kind of a manifestation of me calling in something that matches how I see love, how I hope others receive it as well, and finding people who match our hearts in the same way we give ours.
Vanessa Amorosi Interview
Get a better lawyer haha! That would’ve helped me in all different angles of my career.
Maybe being a little bit more savvy on the business side of music. In saying that, there’s so many things to keep up with as an artist. It’s like any young person stepping into a role in the social world. These are big positions, and you’ve got a lot to learn while starting off.
Anna Hamilton Interview
It’s just me and my guitar, and I want to evoke emotion. People are laughing and then crying at some point of the show.
Live music is so important and it’s just so different when it’s face-to-face because you can really connect that way. I love being able to talk to the audience during the show, crack some jokes, and then meet people afterwards at the merch table. People share their stories, sometimes they’re crying in my arms and it’s the most special experience.
Charley Interview
It’s very much the gay crowd! They love turning up in their finest attire and meeting each other. They then message me after saying they’ve just met their wife or their husband, and I’m always like, “Wow tell me more, let me be the officiant at your wedding please”.