Dharawal/Wollongong-based indie-rock artist Bronte Alva has wowed me with her new single “Taylor Swift.” It’s a deeply personal song that recounts Bronte’s own experiences dating someone ten years her senior as a teenager.
She says the song captures “Heartbreak and growing pains within the power imbalance of dating an older man in my teens. I was 17. He was 27. He was my gym instructor. A week before my 18th birthday he ghosted me. I felt angry, sad, betrayed, played, manipulated and pretty damn stupid. It wasn’t until later with a lot of reflection that I realised it wasn’t my fault. One song in particular that connected to me was ‘All Too Well’ by Taylor Swift. It follows her reminiscing on her experiences dating an older man and all that comes with it. I wrote the song when I was 18, ruminating and reminiscing on the experience. It taught me my worth and ultimately those were growing pains that got me to where I am.”
Bronte has a stack of gigs coming up. Catch her at the following venues:
11 August 2023 – Botany View Hotel, Gadigal/Sydney
18 August 2023 – The Basement, Ngunnawal/Canberra
19 August 2023 – The Alley Band Room, Gadigal/Sydney
20 August 2023 – Icebreaker Festival, Gadigal/Sydney
26 August 2023 – Stag and Hunter, Mulubinba/Newcastle
1 September 2023 – Klok Fest @ La La La’s, Dharawal/Wollongong
14-15 October 2023 – Yours & Owls Festival, Dharawal/Wollongong
Image used with permission from Good Intent