songwriter – RSOM MEDIA

RSOM at Face The Music Summit Day 1: 23/11/2017

on December 6, 2017November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne 1 Comment

Day one of Face The Music presented eager and aspiring talents in all facets of the music industry to join as a community and to hear from many different representatives in the music scene.

In Face The Music’s TENTH year, the beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral was the hub of the two day conference as well as for Melbourne Music Week.

As a member of the Melbourne music community both as a musician and a female in the music business world, there were three important key themes that stood out throughout the day.

1. USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE – FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN A SALES POST AND AN ORGANIC POST. This was a major discussion in the first workshop titled “Meet Your Future Boss: Our Picks for Tomorrow’s Fearless Leaders.” Speakers featured Gloria Brancatisano, Music Editor of Beat Magazine, Alex Gleeson, Entertainment Manager of The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood, Hip/Hop Rap artist, Mallrat, Georgia Cooke, Promotions Lead at Remote Control Records, and Charlotte Ried, Executive Assistant at Michael Parisi Management. “The key is not to always post about stuff that people can do for you,” explained Mallrat as she believes social media should be used to not only promote yourself but to share your personality and to engage in conversation.

One of the biggest mistakes in the music industry is that artists use social media just to advertise where they are playing so that they can get people to come to their shows, but as social media now plays a huge part in our everyday lives, artists should become more honest on socials and show their personality to their fans.

“Putting yourself out there and taking yourself out of your comfort zone is important,” said Alex Gleeson. He explained to the crowd that when applying to play at venues, it is like applying for a job. The applications that stand out are ones who show enthousiasm, initiative and dedication and doesn’t look like a copy and paste job.

The same applies when going for a job or internship. Don’t wait for Facebook to show you a job opening, call or email the company and express your interest as that shows that you are taking initiative for your learning regardless of your experience in the industry. For those who are under 18 and are wanting experience before stepping out into the real world, apply to volunteer at festivals and events so that you can meet people and build relationships from then.

2. USE SOCIAL MEDIA DATA TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE Times have changed and social media is no longer something we should fear, but embrace. In the workshop titled, Building Blocks: How to Grow, Understand and Meet the Needs of your Audience, the panel highlighted that Melbourne has a massive audience out there who want to see live music on a regular basis.

The panel consisted of Yvette Myhill, Swan Hill Performing Arts, Harley Evans, Moshtix, Sally Mather, Corner Hotel and Stacey Piggott, Secret Service.

Last year, Live Performance Australia survey results showed that 5.6 million people went to see a gig in 2016.

The panel encouraged artists to be proactive when putting on an event such as asking the venues for ticketing data after a show or doing their own publicity if they cannot afford a publicist.

If you know who your audience is, you can target your marketing to that specific group, whether it be female, 18 – 35 from the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne and use Facebook’s advertising functions to help you improve your reach. Or, why not use it for a completely different group to help spread the word and GROW your audience?

There are short tutorials on Facebook that you can watch under Facebook Blueprint that can help you utilise this great social media platform to spread the word as an artist.

3. THERE IS STILL NOT ENOUGH REPRESENTATION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY OF FEMALES, AGE AND COLOUR.

There are a lot of females who are working in this music industry that are so good at their jobs and don’t get recognised. Georgia Cooke was one who stood out as the 22 year old Promotions Lead at Remote Control Records confesses that she left out her age on her resume as she had a fear that employers would immediately dismiss her application. “Diversity and representation is important,” said Cooke as the panel highlighted that we are still in a highly dominated male industry.

“Being young and a female is an issue that people should realise and push away,” said Mallrat as she discussed the idea of having more female sound engineers in the music industry. “Every female artist always records with a male sound engineer. It would be nice to have somebody that is like you.”

What should be commended is the equality of male and female speakers in each workshop today and how each workshop that I attended commended that. As a female, it is definitely refreshing and comforting hearing from successful females in the industry and gives hope to those who are struggling to find a job.

4. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT NETWORKS ARE KEY WHEN WORKING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. Working in the music industry is not a 9 to 5 job for most people, therefore it is important to take care of your mental health. If you are an artist, you could be on the road with little sleep driving for 2 hours at a time to a gig, or you could be an artist manager checking up on a client on the phone at 3am who is currently overseas on a US tour.

This theme again appeared in another workshop titled, The Manager’s Special with guest speakers Leigh Treweek, Owner of The Music Magazine, Charlotte Abromsfrom Hear Hear Group (Gretta Ray, Haarlo, Angie McMahon), Ellen Kirk from Lookout Kid (Courtney Barnett, Fraser A. Gorman, Jen Cloher) and Jim McKinnon from Team Trick (Dead Letter Circus, Mallrat)

This gave both musicians and music business individuals an insight into the life of these managers as they work closely with household artists.

A manager is someone who is ultimately responsible for the direction of an artists’ career. It is very important for an artist to have a relationship with their manager in order for the manager to bring out the best of the artist where possible.

“If you’re not taking care of your artist, then it becomes creatively stifling for them,” said. Charlotte Abroms.

Also, it is important for an artist to not just have a vision musically, but also as a person and know how they want to be represented so that their manager can lead them in the right direction.

All in all, the workshops gave music lovers an insight into the reality of our industry and really honed in a sense of belonging and community. It was a place where musicians could gain more knowledge and learn the necessary skills for them to implement into their career, no matter what side of the music industry they decided to take.

RSOM would like to thank Face The Music for having us this year and we hope to be involved next year!

Stay tuned for our review of Day 2 of Face The Music.

Written by Jena Marino

KINGS

on July 19, 2016November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

Melbourne’s KINGS take on the West Coast with their new single

Melbourne’s underground electro-pop music scene is already champing at the bit, looking to get a taste of the latest release single from local music group KINGS, titled, (U) West Coast.

The band features producer and vocalist Hayden Jefferey, guitarist Sam Buirski, bass and keyboardist Caleb Williams, and drums and audio sampler Tim Cox.

Coming off of the back of their previous release, Whispers, which has garnered over 110,000 plays across YouTube, Soundcloud and radio and continues to grow, (u) West Coast is a vibrant new track looking to arc back to fond memories of the band’s past, and the nostalgia of sunshine and summertime. The single is sure to be a hit across the board from intimate gatherings up onto to summer festivals with its laid back, optimistic attitude.

The song has already garnered attention from multiple Australian music and media circles including Triple J’s Unearthed.

What will likely impress listeners the most with this latest track is the quality of its production and mastering, as the song throws you head first into a deep pulsing rhythm, punctuated by glassy highs and sharp percussion.

As the song progresses, the sharp, repetitive phrase of the hi-hat contrasting against the smooth melodic lines of the keyboards creates an almost “double layered” effect, keeping the ears focussed on two elements at once in a sort of trance like state.

The effect doesn’t stop here, as the lead verse casts out the multiple competing elements and leaves us with a relaxing mix of ambient guitar and clean vocals layered on top of thick, reverberating bass accents and airy synths.

It would come as a surprise if anyone can go through this song without thinking of summer, sunshine, beaches and the vast expanse of the ocean. For an even greater challenge, try not to think about those things while watching the official lyric video on YouTube, with its complementing backdrops of some of the nicest coastal scenery on offer bombarding your senses and compelling you to kick back and revel in the satisfaction of the simple things.

On top of all this, what may come as a surprise to those new to the bands work is the fact that the entirety of KINGS’ music is produced, recorded and mastered from the one location, in vocalist Hayden Jefferey’s home studio in the heart of Melbourne. As a testament to their work, the production value of their music stands up strongly against even professionally mastered pieces.

I sat down with the bands producer and vocalist Hayden Jeffery and discussed KING’s unique approach to music production in an ever growing and diversifying indie landscape.

K: “I take it that you have known each other for some time before KINGS was formed, how did you come to pursue music together?”

H: “We all knew each other (before). Tim Cox [drums, audio sampling] and I knew each other and have been playing music since we were about 15 through high school, and we knew the other members from other schools. So eventually when we all got out and went to uni, our paths found their way toward each other and we ended up starting KINGS together.”

K: “Is there a particular genre or style of music which you take inspiration from? What do you hope to achieve as a band?”

H: “Where we take inspiration from is not entirely different from what we’re doing, but of course we’re not trying to replicate what we’re inspired by. We basically take our inspiration from various types of electronic music, we’re quite into a lot of melodic stuff like R&B from over in the U.S. What we’re trying to achieve musically is a sort of smooth, electronic style with a rock influence.”

K: “Has music always been a pursuit for you? When did you turn onto music?”

H: “I think music was something I was interested in since I was about 12 years old, and I knew that music was going to be my full time pursuit from the moment I started High School. I just wanted to make music all the time, and I had those visions of a young High School kid where music would be enough to make a living through. We’re centring everything we’re doing on making a career in music.”

K: “Do you feel that the constant diversification of the independent music scene is beneficial or is it cornering your audiences?”

H: “It’s very interesting to see the different trends that come through. It’s a big thing to be (making music) completely solo, and have no backing band on stage at all. Something that KINGS really try to do is treat our approach to music traditionally with the four of us as a band. We still call it rock music and we still perform with our instruments on stage and give people a live experience. That’s what we’re really all about.”

K: “Let’s talk about your home studio production, what are the benefits of recording in your own space?”

H: “It’s where we rehearse as well as where we record. It’s a space that we don’t have to pay for, with no time pressures. We’re not wasting anyone’s time or creating pressure or stress it’s about having (people) in the room and being able to get things done by ourselves, and we can just pick up from where we left off. We record everything ourselves and I product it as best as I can. We then bounce the sample off of a mixing engineer that I really trust, we talk over the phone and we get things the way we want them.”

K: “Has your home studio approach garnered attention from any prominent people? How so?”

H: “West Coast did actually just gather some attention from a videographer called Jarrad Seng, who called us up and has used the song in the upcoming Oktoberfest festival’s promotion. That was a big step which we weren’t expecting and are very excited about. So all the hours critiquing and getting West Coast exactly how we wanted it to be really did pay off. It’s kind of something everyone picks up along the way through self-teaching and sharing different things you discover with your mates.”

K: “Where are you planning to go with this next single? Is this going to become part of a greater project?”

H: “We are working towards a track list for an EP, and now it’s just working out which tracks will stick with us and which previous tracks will be on the EP. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll be leaving the other tracks behind us, we’ll be pushing them as well and continuing to perform them live. We’re still unsure if the EP will be entirely new songs or if we’ll stick with some of the songs we’ve already released and push them further.”

K: “How did you settle on the overall style and layout of the music video?”

H: “With the song being titled “West Coast” the verses are completely based around summer and coastal scenes. Something that has been a massive part of my life is going down to the beach every weekend possible and getting into the waves, having a surf. My girlfriend and I would go and explore the coast and cliffs, and so it’s a big part of my life. We thought it would fit really well to have images of that (kind of) scenery. I called up a friend who is quite decent at editing video, and we gathered a massive library of footage from our friends which we put together. We basically filmed it in one night and stuck the lyrics over the top.”

(u) West Coast is available for purchase on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1124506888?ls=1&app=itunes)

Follow KINGS on
Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter

Written by Kieran Balmaceda

Want to be featured on our website?
Head to our Contact page to find out how.

SINGLE REVIEW: Views Up [Prod. Rookie Pro] by NYUON

on May 14, 2016November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

NYUON or N.Y, a Melbourne based rapper, self-produced musician and songwriter has just premiered his new single, Views Up, a song which explores everything from N.Y’s early days discovering and exploring music, to the modern day life of a rap musician and the modern music scene.

The piece begins with a seemingly random assortment of instruments, beats and sounds, almost akin to some form of pre performance sound check. It keeps the listener guessing for the first twenty seconds or so, trying to figure out the song. What is the main hook? How is the beat structured? When is N.Y going to come in?

The only answer to all of these questions is given mere seconds before the song lurches into full speed, as four indicative hi-hat splashes set the tempo.

This is an excellent way to introduce a listener to a piece of music for the first time, as this piqued curiosity leads to a genuine and almost rewarding sense of surprise as all of the elements, shown first in relative isolation, come together and drag you head first into the song in a truly immersive and indeed almost aural bombardment of strong driving grooves and airy leading phrases.

Aside from the more urban roots reflected in the main beat and bass lines, Views Up takes on a more modern “lounge/urban” feel with the accompaniment of gliding piano melodies and ambient synthesizer tones filling out the sound and giving a more driven, reverberating feel to the listener’s ears, like sitting back and letting the soothing bass vibrate your ear drums in a comforting way.

As for lyrical content, N.Y’s lyrics are first used as a device to describe the change in attitudes of people he was once surrounded with growing up, then reflecting on his current life and aspirations.

Particularly, N.Y uses the old paradigm wherein people seem to want nothing to do with you, but all of a sudden leap onto your success as though it’s something they can lay claim to being a part of, which he describes as

“One time for the girls that didn’t choose us, in High School we were losers, nowadays all they say is that they knew us”

In a prior interview with The Real Songwriters of Melbourne, N.Y describes this inner reflection and storytelling as a means to create an interesting narrative but still keep the desired story relevant and perhaps provide insight for those who listen to his music.“With me, I just get in my zone and get lost in my brain,” he describes.

As the song progresses, N.Y turns to his current life in the music scene, reflecting on what little he had coming up and pursuing music to now where he has achieved broader recognition and “can have nice things”

This song immediately cemented itself to me as a great motivator for people who might feel discouraged when it comes to having or indeed pursuing any form of aspirational goal, although in fairness this can also equally be seen as a song for relaxation, encouraging the listener to feel content in their life and its direction.

With a single this well written produced, it’s if anything a surprise that this up and coming Melbourne artist isn’t more well-known. But only time will tell how well his work will be received.

Rating: 4.5/5
A triumphantly feel-good piece of street music, well worth a look.

Written by Kieran Balmeceda

Download Views Up here

Check out NYUON on
Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Twitter
Add jusnyuonn on Snapchat

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ABBEY STONE

on October 4, 2015November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

The last time we spoke with Abbey Stone, she was just about to leave the country for the States.

Now five months later, she is back down under with her latest hit, Brave Heart and with a major announcement to be released exclusively via RSOM.
So Jena could not WAIT to catch up with her!

In June, Stone returned back to the States.

J: Tell us about your time in the States this year. What did you get up to?
A: This year was about playing a lot more shows and recording a number of songs in Nashville with producer Mark Moffat. Last year was more about discovering myself a bit more as a writer, which I feel like I did. So this time around, I was recording the songs I wrote last year. It was really cool.

J: Did you record or perform anywhere iconic once again in the States?
A: I got to play at The Bluebird in Nashville again – twice! I cut three songs on Music Row as well, right near RCA Studio B, which was crazy incredible. I played some really insane underground shows in New York where the crowds were those crazy, creative and wholeheartedly passionate people. I learned a lot about myself as an artist playing those shows – for example, if you’ve got something to say, there will always be someone who has said, or wanted to say, the same thing… felt the same way. It’s uplifting.

On the 14^th September, her latest single, Brave Heart was released.

J: Your latest single, Brave Heart is very different to your other tracks in regards to the style of your music. Is this the new Abbey Stone?
A: Brave Heart was a song I wrote a while ago and it kind of just sat there amongst other songs I overlooked. I’m really fortunate to know some incredibly talented people and one of those people is my mate Lucian (aka LUCIANBLOMKAMP). I’ve told him this multiple times, but I think he is a musical genius. So I asked him if he would consider producing the song and giving it a bit of life. This dude is ridiculous. I sent him a really rough version of the song and he sent me this bassy, ambient sick tune.

I decided to release Brave Heart for free because it is a lot shorter than the rest of my music AND because it is so different. I’m always listening to a lot of different music, there’s a lot of music I listen to that no one would expect, and because of that, I like to experiment with different sounds. I wouldn’t say there is a ‘new’ Abbey Stone because I’m still messing around with different melodies and finding what I like best, but it’s definitely a sound that I enjoy listening to and making, so I guess we will see!

Brave Heart Official Video Clip – Abbey Stone

J: So, what is Brave Heart about?
A: I was 17 when I wrote the song and I had a fake I.D. I went out to clubs a lot and I used to think I was really cool and invincible. So Brave Heart is about being 17, thinking you can do anything and going into every situation fearlessly. The song says, “tomorrow is distant, the future’s a given, and we’re not afraid.” So whatever we do tonight doesn’t matter because tomorrow is a definite certainty that is so far away, we can chill. It’s about being teenagers really.

J: Tell us all about the video and the filming. What was the best part of it all?
A: The video was shot over two different Saturdays. Firstly we shot the ‘morning after the party’ scenes, which involved being on set by 5:30am, hair, makeup and outfit ready. It sounds like I had it bad but the crew were there the night before setting everything up and being amazing. We worked until about 9:00 that night and then returned the week after to shoot the ‘party’ scenes.

The best part of it all was working with a lot of people! Being a solo artist, I don’t really get the chance to work with a big group like that, so having many people around to have a laugh and be creative with was something I can’t wait to do again.

And now, a massive exclusive to RSOM!
Abbey Stone will be releasing her very first EP!

J: RSOM is honoured to announce the release of your EP! When will it be released?
A: November 5^th! It’s a bit of a tradition we have running. Every year on my birthday, we release something and this year, it’s finally an EP. It’s something we have been working on for a while, and are still working on. It’s also something I’m really proud of.

J: What is your EP called? Are there any major themes or messages within the EP?
A: The EP is called Doorways. When I play live, I play a set within a set. There are three songs that I play in chronological order of events that occurred throughout the year I wrote them in. I refer to this set/these songs as the ‘trilogy’. They are the first three songs on the record and start with a song called Doorways. I feel like this is really fitting because it’s about the beginning of something and the opening of the first ‘doorway’.

J: Are you doing any live performances soon? If so, when and where?
A: I’m performing at Les Twentyman’s 20^th Man Fund Annual Gala on October 24^th and I’m playing at the Bikes 4 Life’s ‘Live at the Trak’ event on the 8^th November.

We once again thank Abbey for featuring on the blog and wish her every success for the forthcoming release of her EP, Doorways.

You can check her out here:

Check out the last post of Abbey Stone who was our very first guest on RSOM.

A Preview of BYMYSELF

on September 1, 2015November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

Delve into the mind of the 21 year old hip hop artist as BYMYSELF takes you on a 40 minute journey with intimate, chill and cinematic beats.

This will be the latest from NYUON as the Melbourne Music Bank 2014 runner-up is reaching new heights after recently performing at the MCG and other special events, scoring many radio plugs and interviews as well as a successful single launch for fan-favourite track, Your City.

We have the pleasure of revealing the cover of this upcoming project.

With a new music video on the way, BYMYSELF will be released online October 23.
You can also grab a free playlist to download now off Bandcamp.

ALANNA EILEEN

on September 1, 2015November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

Singer/songwriter Alanna Eileen credits her Irish background as an inspiration as she was always encouraged to sing throughout her childhood.

She has described herself as being a folk singer due to the fact that she mainly prefers to play “fingerstyle” on her acoustic guitar, although the piano has now become a most recent asset to her musics. She also sings occasionally in French and Spanish.

“In the past primarily drew inspiration from literature, nature and traveling, but my new songs are more grounded in the minutiae of daily existence within the context of being in love with someone,” she said.

Alanna describes her EP, Absence, as a combination between her old and new songwriting techniques and life experiences.

Turning to songwriting was only a recent development, she explained as she never considered the idea of having a career as a musician to be a possibility. She just wanted to share her music.

A persistent and dedicated musician, Alanna said that she intends to keep on making and sharing music, and if her dream of fame doesn’t come true, a job in the music industry or teaching music would suffice.

Being able to pursue music for a living is just a plus in her eyes.

“The actual act of composing and singing is what I most love and want to do. As long as I still have the ability to do those things, I don’t mind what my career is.”

Artists that have had a major influential role throughout Alanna’s life include Mary Black and Roy Orbison, Roy Harper, Joanna Newsom, Joni Mitchell, Conor Oberst, the composer Zbigniew Preisner, Beethoven, Schubert – these were all of Alanna’s personal favorites during her childhood. Most recently, her inspirations have been Julie Byrne and Olivia Chaney.

“At eighteen, the violinist Pekka Kuusisto made a big impression. Then, when I first started trying to write songs, I listened to a lot of outlaw country music. Later, I heard Elliott Smith, then Karen Dalton and Robbie Basho around the same time, which was a combination that changed everything.”

One of Alanna’s first ever songs was titled Little Bird, she says that it was “philosophical in subject” much like many of her other songs earlier on. Her approach to song writing is constantly changing but even so, it is more of a slow process of trial and error.

“Initially it was like learning how to write all over again, because my poetry was too verbose to work within the context of a three or four minute composition. I had to simplify, so I started paying close attention to how songs in various genres are structured. It was a conscious effort with minimal results.”

Alanna’s upcoming album features a song called I Pray for Desertion which she says is her favourite due to the fact that “it’s a recapitulation of one of my happiest, and, also, conversely, most painful, experiences.” She says that for her it represents somewhat of a journey of something integral .

Alanna was presented the opportunity to record in Cairns in late 2014. Her most memorable achievement in her career to date was launching her debut album at The Toff In Town. Returning from a tour of her debut EP, plans are underway towards the release of her next album, set for release next year, as well as another Australian tour. She will also fly overseas to perform some shows in London and New York.Check out Alanna Eileen on:
Website | Facebook | Soundcloud
Bandcamp | Tumblr

Written by Kyra Tsitsinaris

RICKY MUSCAT

on July 27, 2015November 4, 2019 By realsongwritersofmelbourne

A man who has tried every trade but always called music home

31-year-old Ricky Muscat said that music was “built in him,” as he called his late father a major inspiration. A self-taught musician, he was always participating in music at school but could never afford singing lessons. “I never really learnt anything…. I just sang.”

Entering the workforce at a young age, Ricky tried every single apprenticeship but only lasted a week or two. “It just wasn’t me,” he said.

At the age of 20, Ricky decided to try and audition for reality TV show, Australian Idol.

“I got to the point where I was like, “I know I can sing” so I thought, let’s try Idol.”

After getting knocked back the first year, he decided to try a second time and at the age of 21, Ricky was a contestant on Season 4 of Australian Idol.

“I was thrown into the deep end,” Ricky explained as he learnt everything from vocal health and technique to utilizing the stage.

“Most people go to singing schools. “This was my foundation…where everything started. If it wasn’t for auditioning, I wouldn’t have known how to get into it.”

Life was always busy at Idol as his biggest highlight was making the Top 12 and eventually fifth place. A mad AFL fan, another special moment was featuring in a half-time performance at the MCG. After Idol, Ricky was regularly performing around Melbourne.

Six years ago, he was approached by James and Vince Leigh (formerly of bands Pseudo Echo and Invertigo), and this introduced Ricky to the conventions of songwriting, a new adventure for the soloist. “Everything I learnt today has been through them. They know what people want because they’ve been in the game.”

Staying away from major record labels, Ricky is now on his way towards his first debut EP with his band MUSCAT.

His upcoming single, Girlfriend will be the latest from the band as the single heavily hints the message that he is single and looking. “It’s about being out and about and connecting with this one girl that you just can’t take your eyes off.”

You can check out a quick snippet of Girlfriend here.

The EP revolves around relationships with girls, which are all based on personal experiences. Co-written with James and Vince, Ricky is now starting to master his craft of lyric writing with melodies and music being his strength.

Currently, Ricky and his band MUSCAT are regularly playing around Melbourne with upcoming gigs supporting RNB superstars Pretty Ricky and Ashanti on Saturday 2nd August at Brown Alley and Ginuine on Friday 21st August at Trak Lounge Bar. Keep your eyes peeled on the release of his single Girlfriend and his debut album.

Follow MUSCAT on
Website| Facebook | Twitter | Instagram