We are so excited to see the return of punk/reggae band Dal Santo as today marks the release of their brand new single, ‘No Not Sorry.’
As the upbeat track welcomes nostalgia of summer through the guitars, it also brings a strong element of importance as the lyrics discuss the power of acceptance. The song is a call to change within society for how we treat and accept each other as we see the effects of not apologising for our thoughts and actions.
Jimi, Gaurav and Sunny who form Dal Santo are proud to advocate for the importance of equality between all genders, races and sexual orientations. Frontman Jimi describes this as being an important foundation of the band as they pride on promoting the inclusivity of everybody in the music community through their songs.
“To create inclusive communities, we all need to be proactive on stamping out the stigmas and negativity,” says Jimi to The Real Songwriters of Melbourne. “It’s about being proactive and making a change.”
Music Video: “No, Not Sorry” directed by Liam Semini
Recorded at Plastic Jungle Records by Will Cassely and mixed and mastered by Rory Maxwell, this is the second single for the band following their debut single, “Holiday”. Dal Santo’s fresh new look is also a positive outlook and we look forward to hearing what’s to come.
‘No, Not Sorry’ is the latest addition to our RSO-LATION Spotify playlist and is now available on all major platforms.
The Real Songwriters of Melbourne is proud to premiere the lyric video of The Hunting Birds’ brand new single, ‘Flashlight’. Discussing the anxieties of growing up and young adulthood, Flashlight is a reminder that we are not alone during what can be a dark and difficult period in one’s life.
“I wrote Flashlight at a time where I felt completely consumed by pressure. I had and still do have a lot of anxiety over my next moves as a young adult. I was waiting for some kind of sign, while feeling completely dormant in my life and growth while days keep ticking by. It’s that point that you hit where you throw your hands up in the air and want to sneak away into the shadows hoping no one asks questions so you have to go back to society’s expectations and a fear of wasting time.” – Kendra (vocals/keys)
Originally from WA, The Hunting Birds is a indie-pop band that have been performing together for over four years. Already, they have been a part of many iconic events including Falls Festival and Bluesfest as well as supporting the likes of The Lumineers and Newton Faulkner just to name a few.
Just recently in 2019, the band took out the WAM Award for ‘Pop Song of the Year’ for single, ‘Currents’
“We are honestly pretty stunned that we came away with Pop Song of the Year the second year in a row. We loved writing “Catch Up” and felt that it was pushing on our best work so far, so it’s an honour for that to be recognised in our home state. Some of our favourite writers from WA were up in our category and all were super deserving winners, so it truly is a privilege to be from and a part of such a creative community. Big thanks to WAM and all the sponsors, it’s going straight to the pool room.” – Connor Minervini
You can check out the lyric video below as well as the single on our RSO-LATION Spotify playlist as one of our new additions this week.
Take a look at the following video from Jena as she pledges for everyone to join the #RSOMCOMMUNITY in order to support all Melbourne musicians during this tough time.
Be sure to make sure you tune in this Sunday for our first Real Songwriters Live on Instagram!
The Real Songwriters of Melbourne is so excited to announce the return of their RSOM Live series – this time with a twist. What was the most loved event on the RSOM calendar, the weekly live event will now take place on Instagram starting from Sunday 19 April.
“Everyone’s much loved event is coming live to your screens as next Sunday premieres the first RSOM IG LIVE! We are so excited to return back to the digital world and we cannot wait to bring you fresh music from our amazing Melbourne artists to the #RSOMCOMMUNITY.”
The post was announced on RSOM’s Instagram today due to popular demand and we cannot wait to reveal the Artists who will be taking part.
Please make sure you are following us on Instagram to keep in the loop for further updates!
Nothing is stopping Abbey Stone this year as she once again releases another powerful hit titled ‘Flowers.’
Flowers continues on from the stem of her previous single, Say Anything as she explores frustration, grief and sadness.
“I wrote Flowers as a form of therapy when I felt neglected. I was word vomiting through tears and trying to make sense of a feeling I’d never experienced. I really noticed a shift in my own reactions after I wrote it. As lame as it may be, it was really healing.”
Not only is this sassy gal releasing her next single, but she is putting on a show to celebrate her forthcoming EP, BADLADY which will be on Friday March 27.
Joined by up and coming Melbourne singer/songwriter Maya Rose as well as band members Sean Hutton and Claude Carranza, Abbey Stone will be gracing the Birds Basement stage to celebrate the release.
The three singles BADLADY, Say Anything and now Flowers already prove that this EP will definitely be one not to miss. The EP resonates strength, self-importance and self-love from the title sassy track BADLADY to Abbey’s strength in Flowers.
The third single ‘Flowers’ to Abbey’s new EP ‘BADLADY’ is out now on all major streaming services. Click the link below to hear it first! Also, tickets are now available to purchase for the BADLADY EP Launch via link below.
Listen to Abbey Stone’s new single, ‘Flowers’ here
BADLADY EP LAUNCH ft Maya Rose Friday March 27 Birds Basement, Singers Lane, CBD Tix: $24 + BF Click here to buy tickets
Following the success of single, #BADLADY, Abbey Stone is ready to drop her next track titled SAY ANYTHING.
Featuring Claude Carranza (Black Sorrows, Kids in the Kitchen) on guitars, the song shows another side to Stone – one that we haven’t seen before.
In contrast to her previous single, #BADLADY released in Dec, this next release shows a different side to Stone as she talks about being caught up in your emotions and letting them take over.
“The song is very much about letting your anxiety fight for you; taking a back seat and knowing you’re about to blurt things out that you don’t mean. Whether it be, “I hate you,” or, “I love you,” I’ve definitely been guilty of speaking purely from emotion and then feeling different soon after.”
Say Anything will be the second single to be featured on her forthcoming EP, BADLADY, set for release next month.
BADLADY, the female anthem of 2019 is the long awaited new release from the fearless Abbey Stone.
Out now, the track relates to the everyday working woman and sings the message of empowerment and strength. It recognises the importance of self worth and self love in a world that can put you down.
“It’s deciding to roll with the punches but making your confidence, peace and happiness a priority,” says Stone.
“BADLADY is a song that I wrote at the end of an awful day. It sparked the idea that I couldn’t give from an empty cup. I had to reset and find a way to go about my daily life in the most empowered way possible; first and foremost for myself, and in turn, for those around me.”
The release is also a credit to Abbey’s growth and dedication as an independent Artist in the Melbourne music scene. Upon releasing her last EP, Complete, in 2017, in which she earned her first production credit, BADLADY steps up to the next level as the production has resulted in a sexy and sassy track.
Following the release of her last EP, Complete, Stone has been head deep in writing and performing with notable key performances including singing alongside Brian Cadd and Russell Morris at Crown Casino. Another big highlight for the 24 year old was performing at the Palais Theatre in November 2018 supporting Richard Marx.
BADLADY will become a part of an exciting new EP set to be released in summer 2020.
Tamara Violet Partridge may only be 22 years of age, but she’s already making her stance in Melbourne’s electronic music scene. Apart from working on her debut album, she’s currently focusing on her headlining show ‘Ladies to the Front,’ a showcase of women in electronic music. RSOM sat down and spoke to Tamara about all things feminism and all things music.
Welcome back to RSOM, do you just want to start by giving us a rundown of what you’ve been up to since we spoke to you last October?
“I’ve been teaching for the last year or so, and I’ve helped written the curriculum for the course I teach. Other than that, I’ve been working on the album which is set to release later this year or early next year. I’ve got a single with my first professional music video accompanying it in the next few months as well coming out, which has been fun to make and collaborate with people on. I’ve basically just been writing a heap of songs and working out which ones to pick and choose from, because I’d rather write 20 tracks and pick the 10 best ones, the great ones. Just a lot of writing at this stage is where I’m at.”
You’ve got an amazing project coming up called ‘Ladies to the Front,’ where you’re headlining. Are you able to tell us what that’s about?
“The whole process of it really was that I wanted to put on a show that showcased women in the electronic music scene in Melbourne, because there are a lot of really prevalent artists that just aren’t making it to radio play or are getting the recognition they deserve when they get to that touring or even international level that male artists are getting. I just think to myself ‘well why is that?’. It’s not in a negative way or to put down any male artists at all, we’re just trying to create equality in a safe space for female artists because it can be very confronting. Especially in electronic music where there’s still that association with technology being a ‘masculine’ thing. It’s a very boys club kind of thing, which is totally fine, but it’s making sure that everyone feels equal regardless of what industry they’re in. It’s the same thing with DJ’ing, it’s not something that should be surprising or more engaging, I want you to come see me because I’m a good DJ, not because I’m a woman. The more shows we put on with women involved, where women are in the front, the better. It’s just one evening where we’re saying, ‘these chicks have worked really hard, let’s celebrate that.’
What are you looking forward to most about it?
“People have said that it’s becoming a theme in society, which is actually kind of offensive in its own right. I feel like it’s been a major theme in society since the suffragettes, but now we have the technology, the statistics and the power to talk about it. It’s like when people say, ‘feminism doesn’t have a place in modern society’ and I’m like ‘well let me tell you why it does and I know you’re allowed to have your opinion but here’s why your opinion is wrong’- statistically speaking. It’s just about that education, because sometimes people just don’t know and that’s fine too. But you need to be open minded and be willing to learn new things that you didn’t learn whilst growing up. I’m looking forward to people seeing a great show and not single out the fact that it is women performing.”
It seems like a lot of female electronic artists adopt these badass stage names. Do you feel as if ‘Lacuna’ gives you a sense of identity and confidence when out in the industry?
“It does, because I feel like as a composer when I perform it’s a totally different approach to music and a totally different industry. Being able to put a ‘Lacuna’ hat on, I talk about feminine power and feminine sexuality and mental health and sexual harassment. These are all themes throughout my album and themes throughout my music, because I like to sing about taboos. So that they’re not taboos anymore and people don’t feel isolated in these situations. I don’t get the chance to do that in composition because I’m working with someone else’s story and I’ve worked so hard to control my attitude, like I never can really express how I feel. When I’m singing; however, I can just belt out or even scream how I feel and I can swear and it’s not to my name, it’s to the name of something inside of me. I feel like Lacuna is the part of me that just wants to aggressively yell about it.”
You’re obviously a deep songwriter, but you play electronic music. Do you find it difficult to reflect the lyrics you’ve written into the electronic sounds and songs you create?
“See, that’s the easy part, which is actually really weird. I find that the hardest part is finding the flow of the story, and bringing it back into a mainstream, popular approach. It comes down to personality which is the beautiful thing about music- every artist will have a different challenge. The lyrics have always been the easy part for me and it’s something that in the Lacuna project I start with and make the beat around it. The darker or the more societally unacceptable a topic is, the more upbeat and happier key I’ll put it in to mask that. So, when people listen to it, they’re like ‘oh it’s a really good song,’ but then they find out what it’s really about and they’re shocked but realise that the song actually has a really great message.”
What’s the electronic scene like in Melbourne and do you feel like you’re empowered by the other women around you?
“Yes! And that’s exactly why I’m doing this gig. There are so many people that were on the list that couldn’t make it for various reasons and it’s like ‘why aren’t as famous as Banks’ or even male artists, it’s just like why not!? I think there’s still that unconscious bias, even though it’s getting better. You look at some of the artists and you’re like ‘you have everything perfected and there’s nothing else you need to do with your music so why is it different?’ Even the bands we play with are amazing and have done heaps of things already but people are still unaware of who they are. There are so many B-grade male DJs that people know about, yet the A-grade female DJs are almost unheard of. I don’t understand why it’s still like ‘oh so you’re a female DJ.’ Like no, I’m just a DJ, I wouldn’t call you a “male DJ.” There are so many female electronic artists and mixed bands that have trouble over male acts. There’s a big support system though. I’d love to turn it into an ongoing series too, and I might not even need to play at the next one because there’s so many female electronic artists out there. Electronic music is popping up everywhere, especially female musicians and it’s just great.”
Who are your favourite women in music and in electronic music currently?
“I think the biggest person is Bjork, like from when I was a kid. There are a lot of European artists, as well as Banks, FKA Twigs. I also love the RnB side, the girls I grew up with like TLC, Destiny’s Child, Missy Elliot, those who are big in the electronic/RnB scene. They changed the world. It’s really great when artists are the turning point for you, like FKA Twigs inspired me to want to perform again because what she’s doing is so amazing.”
“I think part of me always knew that I was going to be a performer – I was lucky enough to begin performing at a very young age, and became addicted to it pretty much instantly!”
At just 19 years of age, Gretta Ray has had a big couple of years. Having been announced 2016’s Triple J Unearthed High winner, Gretta has since gone on to play sets at Falls Festival and Splendour in the Grass. 2017 has seen her return from a stint in the United States.
2016 was also the year Gretta won the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition, on the day of her Year 12 English exam, no less. It was an accomplishment, she says, she still can’t believe happened.
“It was amazing to be recognised and credited for my songwriting, because it is something that I have been working at for years. At that point in time, Drive was the song that I was most proud of. I am so grateful to have had the support from APRA that I have,” Gretta tells RSOM.
What was an eventful day for Gretta was also a reflection on her ability to balance her studies and her role in the music industry.
“I do recall feeling a sense of pride that I was able to maintain a balance (between school and music). I intended to give both areas of my life the same amount of energy, and that night I felt like that was something that I was achieving.”
So surely such a stellar start to a career would require a kickstart from an early age? That certainly was the case for Gretta, with many of her family also being musicians. She says music was an underlying theme of her childhood.
“I grew up playing instruments and singing in choirs, as well as going to see a lot of shows with my mum, who made sure I was immersed in music from a young age.”
At the age of seven, songwriting had become a hobby, writing what she could on her keyboard, and she admits it was a hobby she quickly became passionate about.
“I didn’t write another song until about two years later, but from that point forward I really kicked into gear and was writing little ditties whenever I got the chance to.
“I perceived songwriting as a hobby that made me fantasise about being a performer. I think the moment that I knew that I wanted that fantasy to become a reality. I think the moment that I knew that I wanted that fantasy to become a reality was during the process of recording my debut EP ‘Elsewhere’. I was in my element in the space of a studio.”
Along with songwriting, Gretta began performing at a young age and as a result has years of experience performing music in Melbourne. Having performed with groups such as Young Voices of Melbourne and If You See Her, Say Hello, Gretta believes that her experience with these groups, particularly in Melbourne, have shaped her into the artist she is today.
“Within the choirs that I have been a part of in the past, I have learnt much about myself as a musician, and also made some beautiful, talented, life long friends.
“The Melbourne music scene is an incredible community, too. I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
Some years later, Gretta is known in the Australian music scene for her perfect rhyming, and use of alliteration, when writing. Despite her love of the English language; however, she admits that she doesn’t have a particular song writing process, and says this is what makes song writing worthwhile.
“A song often starts with a seed of inspiration, a concept, that I have been pondering on for a while. I will accumulate a bunch of ideas in relation to the initial idea, and then set side time to sit down with my work and construct the song.”
And as for what she finds herself writing about, Gretta is particularly interested writing autobiographically, reflecting, rather than focusing on a narrative.
“I have predominantly written about relationships and the notion of observing the human condition. I want to write about a range of things over the duration of my career.
“[With Drive] I wanted to write a song that explored that concept of the intimate, magical atmosphere that is created in the space of a car when one is driving around with someone they love. In this song, the idea is portrayed as more of a fantasy than a reality.”
With an abundance of songs up her sleeve, an EP and plenty more music to follow, Gretta is aiming to perfect her new music. Knowing the ins-and-outs of the Melbourne music scene, it will definitely be easier this time around, and slowly becoming a household name, she has plenty advice to pass on to up-and-coming songwriters.
“Work really hard, make your own decisions about the direction of your career, seek inspiration, listen to those whom are more experienced in the industry and take their advice on board, continue to grow as a writer and person, challenge yourself but don’t become overly obsessive about your writing. Let your emotions and creativity drive your project.”
There is no doubt that Gretta has had a massive couple of years, and that 2018 will be even bigger. Having finished off 2017 touring the country with fellow Melburnian Vance Joy, Gretta is back in the studio and is hoping to release more music in the near future.
“I got into music at a really young age, like I started taking professional lessons from the age of about eight. It’s been ingrained in me for a really long time I guess.”
With an extensive background in musical theatre and performance, a career in the music industry was always going to be the pathway for Melburnian up-and-comer Maddie Lucy.
The RSOM team were fortunate enough to chat to Maddie about growing up on the Mornington Peninsula, springboard diving and the release of her new single Letting Me Go.
J: Hey Maddie, welcome to RSOM. Would you be able to start by telling us a bit about your background?
M: “I grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, in Mt Eliza. When I was really young, I was involved in a lot of different things, not just music. My sister and I did springboard diving for a while, to the point where we thought that was going to be a serious path we were going to take. I guess you could probably say I never looked at taking the most conventional path no matter what. I got into music at a really young age, like I started taking professional lessons from the age of about eight. It’s been ingrained in me for a really long time I guess. I have an older sister and a younger brother, and we’re all very musical and entertainment-based. My dad also sings and my mum sung when she was younger as well. We’ve all tried our hand at it, and we all kind of started out doing music theatre first. My sister and I did that for a really long time, we really loved it. My brother tried it and was like ‘yeah no way’.”
J: Do you think your musical theatre background has helped shape elements of your artistry?
M: “Definitely. I’ve been performing since I was eight, so now performing in front of live audiences isn’t really something that scares me at all. It’s more just coming into a completely different side of the music industry which is the most daunting thing for me, because believe it or not, even though they’re both music, they’re totally different worlds. It’s been a massive learning curve for me, I’ve had to be really proactive in my research and finding out how everything works. Because I’ve always had the passion for writing my own songs, and I’ve always loved folk music, but it’s always been something I had done hidden away in my bedroom, just writing my own stuff. I decided to do something with it about a year or two ago, so it’s still new to me, but coming from the music theatre side has contributed to the style I do, it’s folk/singer-songwriter, sure, but sometimes it’s a little bit quirky and I like having those really pretty sounds sometimes, or big dramatic sounds sometimes. It’s something I’ve had to try and work on too as well. In music theatre, it’s so important to speak clearly and make sure everyone understands what you’re singing, and then in folk music, it’s almost a no-no to pronounce your words right, people don’t want to hear every single little detail of your voice. Sometimes it’s nice to have that raw, untrained sound in your voice, so I’ve had to tap back into that sound I had all those years ago.”
J: Was there ever a particular moment where you realised you wanted to pursue music professionally?
M: “I think I’ve always known in the back of my head that I’ll probably never be anything else but a musician or at least in the industry. I’ve tried other things- I studied media at RMIT straight out of school. I loved it and I’ve been able to use those skills, but the office 9-5 thing wasn’t for me. I’m a very creative person and I don’t want to be locked in an office staring at a computer screen. I’ve tried lots of other things, I did consider doing a law degree for a while, but I always just came back to wanting to do music.”
J: When did you begin writing your own music?
M: “I began writing music at about the age of 15. Back then I was just dabbling in it and kind of kept it hidden from everyone. It wasn’t until the end of 2015 and the very start of 2016 when I delved right into songwriting, and really give it a good go, so almost two years ago.”
J: Do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
M: “Yeah I do! I can still play it, and I still think it’s one of the better ones. I don’t know what that says about me! It definitely needs work, but I think it has legs to become something. Maybe.”
J: Do you have a particular songwriting process?
M: “It’s probably different with every song. Sometimes, I have lyrics I might’ve just written but most of the time it comes from me playing the guitar or piano and mucking around with melodies or tunes that sound pretty and force myself to sing along with them. Then I’ll work out if it’s not going to work, or if it’s a cool concept that I’ll start to explore.”
J: Was the process the same when you wrote Letting Me Go?
M: “Letting Me Go was interesting. I had some lyrics for it, about three years before I actually wrote it- just some lyrics that I’d put down in the notes on my phone that I thought might be cool. Then I didn’t look at it for a really long time. I came back to it when my brother got a ukulele. I’d never really played one before, so I picked it up and started mucking around with it- it’s easy to do that. I started playing around with some chords and they sounded cool together, and something came out which was similar to what I had written down. I then realised that it could all work quite well together. It ended up being an easy one to write once I’d broken the back of it. It sort of came out after a while.”
J: What’s Maddie Lucy’s plan for 2018?
M: “I’ve actually recorded a whole EP, just released the first single at the moment and hope to do a single launch. From there I’ll probably release another single, and then the EP. Hopefully in the meantime, people here it, and they like it.”
