Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I grew up in Port Pirie, South Australia and relocated to Adelaide once I had graduated
high school to begin University to study a bachelor of media arts with focus on music
and media. I’ve always loved music but I didn’t start learning guitar and discovering my
voice until I was 16 years old. I think it was really towards the end of my university
degree and a little bit more life experience when I really started writing my own music
and finding my feet as an artist and what kind of music I wanted to make. It’s just
something I became really passionate about and couldn’t really imagine doing anything
else since!
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: I’ve been finding myself listening to music I was really getting around between
2016-2019 at the moment. Gang Of Youths album Go Farther in Lightness seems to be an album I go back to a lot as well as Lost Friends by Middle Kids. Such brilliant albums and songwriting! I’ve also been listening to Claire Rosinkranz a fair bit lately!
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, How does MANE describe the pressure she faces in the music industry?
A: Taylor Swift, Sarah Blasko and Florence and the machine were probably the OG influences of my music when I started out. I still love these artists and often listen to them. The pressures I face in the music industry is mainly the demand to be ever present on social media, constantly producing content and I just really struggle with that, it makes me feel weird and it’s become less and less natural for me but i also am very understanding that it’s a brilliant tool as an artist and it can really help engage with people who ordinarily may not discover your music so it’s a bit of a catch 22. I think some of the other pressures I face also come from within myself. It does get hard sometimes when you work so hard towards a release and even when you look at it on paper it might be deemed as ‘successful’ from others but in your brain it feels like you’ve failed yourself. I think that can really cloud the enjoyment at times so I’m really working on not having any expectations and just ensuring what I’m putting out is something I’m proud of! I think forging a path in the music industry really comes down to mental staminia sometimes.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Flowers’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Flowers is the opening track on the EP. I had the pleasure of co-writing this song in December 2021 with two of my closest friends and long-time collaborators, Mario Spate and Benjamin Tamblyn-Morrow. I had rented an Airbnb by the beach for a few days with the intention of writing music together. “Flowers” emerged as one of the outcomes of that getaway. The song delves into my personal experiences with social anxiety and the thoughts and emotions that arise when I find myself in situations that intensify that anxiety or pressure. However, it also adopts the notion of embracing the freedom to leave if that situation doesn’t feel right. The chorus lyric, “I don’t want to have to prove myself no more, when I’ve got flowers waiting at my front door, I’m coming home,” still resonates deeply with me. ‘Home’ isn’t limited to where I physically reside; it can be anywhere that safety and love exists. Fortunately, I’m lucky to have those safe and loving spaces/people in my life.
Q: What can listeners expect from your upcoming EP, ‘Caught In The Undertow’ in terms of style and content?
A: The EP is titled ‘Caught In The Undertow’ which is a lyric from the first single off the EP ‘Breathing Again’. When I was deciding what songs to put on this EP I wanted to focus on the songs I’d written that encapsulated the hopeful and healing moments I experienced through trying times as a reminder that even when things have been undeniably hard I’ve still managed to find things to keep me going. That doesn’t mean inbetween there haven’t been very real struggles I’ve faced in this season of my life. Much like being caught in the powerful current of an undertow, At times I’ve felt so overwhelmed and pulled in a direction that is so difficult to escape and have any control over.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners?
A: I try to be as honest as possible in my music, especially in the lyrics I write. I try not to go into specific detail of situations as sometimes that can be hard for others to relate to but I certainly touch on the very real and honest feelings that come with those situations. I hope that by being honest about where I’m at mentally/emotionally in my music is what resonates with listeners and makes them feel less alone in their journeys.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: The creative process is always changing and can look different each time. Sometimes it’s a lyric that comes to me first, sometimes it’s a melody, sometimes it’s just a concept or feeling that I struggle to talk about but know it needs to come out somehow so I chose music as an avenue to do so. I use to write alone a lot however for the most part nowadays, i’m often collaborating with my producer (Mario Spate) and guitarist/co producer (Benny Tamblyn) as we have been friends and collaborators for quite some time and we have created a space in which we can write so naturally and quickly and none of us are afraid to be honest with each other if we aren’t feeling something we are making. It also helps when they know you personally because they know exactly what you are wanting to say or speak about.
Q: What would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I think forging ahead as a musician/artist particularly through the last few years is something I’m really proud of. It’s taken a lot of resilience and learning to do so and I remind myself of that often, particularly recently. I’ve also played some amazing shows over the years, I had an epic time supporting Matt Corby across New Zealand in beautiful theaters across the country in 2019 and my recent tour’s of the USA were a hoot – I was able to connect and make some really meaningful relationships with people i would have never met if i didn’t do it!
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow MANE:
Spotify – YouTube – SoundCloud – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – TikTok – Website