What inspired you to get into the music industry and how has the journey been so far?

 

My biggest inspiration would be watching all my heroes perform. Not just musicians or singers, but comedians, filmmakers, dancers, etc. I love artists/performers who are able to combine many creative elements to express something. I love musicals for that reason. watching Charlie Chaplin on a big screen in an old theatre, or getting to see Stevie Wonder live, moments like that have been really life changing.

 

What was the first song you recorded or wrote?

 

The first original song I ever performed in public was “change you”. I was 20 or 21 at the time. It was the first song I wrote that I didn’t totally hate! (only took about 20 years to get there hahahaha).

 

 We love your Girls & Boys video, what was the inspiration of this song and where did the idea come from for the video?

 

My good friend Hypatia Porter is an incredible video editor and designer, she came up with the concept of the video, and we worked with a Melbourne based production company called ‘Monster & Bear’ who brought it all to life. I wrote the song based on all the sort of cynical feelings I had as a teenager (and still now sometimes!), never really understanding how to “play the game” in the dating world. The song for me is really about respecting yourself (and others).

 

Adults can act like children in relationships (not being responsible, thinking they know exactly what they want, getting it, and realising it may not be the best thing for them), and on the flip side, kids are being trained to act more and more promiscuous at younger and younger ages. So that’s why Hypatia’s video idea was perfect and summed up exactly what I wanted to express.

 

 What are you working on at the moment and what’s next for you?

 

I’m in the middle of recording my first album, I’ve been working with grammy award winning engineer Brian Paturalski (Outkast), and at the moment I’m in New York working with Hypatia on videos for the new singles. Also, I don’t want to brag, but I’ve got a pretty amazing photo I took of this lamp in Santa Barbara (don’t worry, I’ll be posting soon).

 

 

What are your musical influences and how have they help shape your music?

 

I would say I’m heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder’s fusion of the soul/funk genre with beautifully implemented jazz harmony, the same with bands like Earth Wind & Fire & Jamiroquai and artists like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.

 

I love their infectious grooves with really interesting melodies and chords. I think lyrically I learnt a lot from listening to Carole King, I love how she says things really simply, but it’s always so powerful and deep. I also listened to a lot of Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughan and Flight Of The Conchords.