You’ve said, “when I’m not at the library I’m writing songs”. You’re very enthusiastic about libraries on social media – and we don’t blame you! (shout out to Northern Beaches Libraries)

What do you enjoy about these spaces? Do you have a favourite library, that you’ve been to in person or not?

I’ve always had a great love of learning. I am chronically curious and libraries are the perfect place to soak in knowledge. I love witnessing how others explore their inner worlds and organise their thoughts in various written forms– poetry, prose, non-fiction how-to’s, biography, narrative... Those who do so with finesse and an artistic edge captivate me and inspire me to keep honing my rhetorical skills as a songwriter.

From recreating scenes from Lord of the Rings on TikTok, to reminiscing on the magic of The Ingo books by Helen Dunmore, it sounds like you immerse yourself in fantasy fiction.

What draws you to this genre, and does it feed into your music?

Fantasy authors like J.R.R. Tolkien or Brandon Sanderson masterfully create worlds with their own language and lore. The attention to detail in all my favourite fantasy books allow for an immersive experience. You are placed in a new world or a new setting and that enables you, for a moment, to witness yourself in a new way– the unlikely hero on a journey to restore Middle-earth, a girl with a deep connection to the ocean and its magic, or a boy in a cupboard under the stairs.

I enjoy music that transports you into another world. I've always loved cinematic scores and my first single ‘I’ll be there’ leans into that. My new single Mother Wound grounds you more in reality with its indie-rock arrangement which felt right, being a more straight-shooting song. In songs I hope to release later this year, there is a varied mixture of sound design to reflect the different ideas and themes.

From what we gather, you listen to Lana Del Rey on repeat and are a self-proclaimed Swifty.

Who are your go-to artists, and how do they influence your music and lyric writing?

You’ve got that right! Lana Del Ray has a glamorous and other-worldly feel to her work, her melodies and lyricism feel reminiscent of an old-school Hollywood era and are mesmerising. Taylor Swift is so imaginative in her lyricism that you can put yourself in the narratives she creates. 

An Aussie artist I’ve been listening to lately is Angie McMahon, whose new album Light, Dark, Light Again is a beautiful piece of work– so tender and full of songs conveying personal inner transformation and acceptance. There are many ways to approach a song, and it's a constant experiment deciding what best captures the experience you are conveying musically and lyrically, and what listeners will connect with best.

You’ve played Open Mic Nights at places like Quakers Hat Brewery and Manly Library. We’re excited to see the next step of your career as you perform more professionally at local venues.

What have you learnt about performing live music from playing open mic nights?

Open mic nights have been so helpful. The first time I played my new single Mother Wound at Quaker’s Hat Brewery, the response was encouraging and hilarious. Someone from the audience came to the stage, knelt in front of me and swore fealty to me. As a fantasy book lover, you can imagine how great that moment was for me. The crowd response gave me plenty of confidence to release this song as my next single.

Being a solo musician takes a team. You’ve collaborated with sound engineers to recording your music, photographers to produce promotional material, and even with your sister in filming Hobbit-related TikToks.

What do you think makes a successful collaboration?

I’ve been really lucky to have such amazing creative people around me. I think successful collaborations come from clearly communicating and aligning with the goals for the final product, and working with people who are on the same page and can even make the song better than your original idea.

It takes a mixture of luck and trial and error to find those people.

You’ve said you have a passion for storytelling. You described your first single as a “saddie for all the softies who give a little too much of their heart”. A story of unrequited love unfolds through the song and hits you right in the heart strings.

Where do you start when writing a new song, and what are you hoping your audience will take from your music?

Witnessing any emotion or inner experience– like grief, love or pain– usually starts a song. Songwriting has always been a way for me to express and organise my inner world.

Once I start, the enjoyment of honing the song into something really good, through rhetorical and musical ideas, keeps me going until it's done! If others can connect with the way I’ve conveyed these experiences, then that is really special to me.

I think that the best thing about hearing a good song – you can witness your own humanity and inner world reflected back to you – a chance to accept yourself and your experience with good company.

You’ve released your second single Mother Wound. Council is proud to have supported your songwriting with an Arts & Creativity Grant.

Before the song came out, you teased us with phrases like “Happy Mother’s Day to all the women gentle parenting a grown man”.

Can you tell us more about this song and why it’s important to you?

Yes, haha! As an indie artist, you’ve got to be creative with your marketing! Mother Wound had some satirical marketing– celebrating women who don’t usually get recognition for their mothering efforts on Mother's Day but should. This new single is the first release of a project I’m working on inspired by the stories of women.

There’s a lot of conversation in the media right now about harmful cultural views of masculinity. I think a lot of women are actively seeking support and healing in their communities as they navigate the associated challenges here. This song is about recognising the wounds many men carry, that materialise in their intimate relationships. So many women are full of compassion and love, wanting to heal their partners – and a lot of women have the relational and emotional skills to support their partners in their healing. The problem tackled in this song is the unfair distribution of emotional labour that is required to maintain a fulfilling emotional connection, as many women pick up the slack for their partners.

In these stories, we often hear of women feeling unknown and uncared for, while they pour attention into their partners, and for some reason, this has been almost a culturally accepted norm. I’d love to see more men taking ownership of healing their wounds, and equally investing in the emotional wellbeing of their intimate relationships.

You’re on the precipice of a flourishing professional music career. Council has just announced the Live & Local program, designed to support emerging musicians just like you (read about Live & Local here!).

What does a strong local music industry look like to you, and what would you like to be doing in that industry?

I’d love to be able to keep writing songs that connect with others. A strong local music industry looks like one with opportunities for musicians to grow and thrive. It can be daunting to start something new, but having a community that has your back makes a world of difference.