Category: Video

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lara Villani Makes Powerful Debut With “STOP”

Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Lara Villani has just dropped her debut single, “STOP,” and it’s really something special. Through its deeply personal lyrics, Lara shares the physical and mental challenges she’s overcome to emerge the artist she is today. While it deals with darkness, it’s ultimately so uplifting.

“‘STOP’ is a very important track for me,” Lara shared. “Not only is it my first single, but it is a deeply personal song which is drawn from a really difficult and personal experience I had in my life. When I was 19-20 years old, I was in a really bad place. I had just been through an extremely awful experience and found myself severely lonely and left badly hurt. ‘STOP’ is about this journey and the mental and physical battles that I was overcoming.”

That journey is brought to life in the music video for “STOP”, directed by Mertcan Damoglu and produced by Tier One Productions’ Caleb Keyte. In it we see scenes of Lara at her piano juxtaposed with a car crash victim, a physical representation of her pain and hurt.

Lara plans to release several more songs through 2024, so make sure you keep an eye on her socials to learn about them first.

Image used with permission from Lara Villani

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Imogen Clark Drops Brilliant New Single, “If I Want In”

“If I Want In”, the latest song from indie-pop act Imogen Clark, is one of those rare songs that is every bit as brilliant as it sounds on paper. When I heard she’d recorded her latest single at Abbey Road Studios with Georgia Maq from Camp Cope and members of Gang of Youths, my expectations were raised pretty high. However, it’s every bit as good as its credentials suggest.

“‘If I Want In’ is about making the choice to go your own way and become the person you have to become, even though everything and everyone around you is trying to pull you back onto the expected path,” Imogen explained. “It’s about acknowledging where I come from and how it shaped me, but I won’t let it define me. It’s about a little girl who spent her days at Penrith High School and her nights playing covers at Western Sydney pubs, dreaming of the big world out there and finding her place in it.”

Imogen shot the music video in Gandangara and Darug Country/Western Sydney, where Imogen played her first gigs as a teenager, and in other iconic locations that her music’s taken her, including Nashville, Los Angeles, and Venice Beach. It finished up at the Oxford Art Factory in Eora/Sydney, where we see Imogen rocking out with her band.

“If I Want In” comes from Imogen’s upcoming solo album, which she’ll release early next year. Before then, Imogen will bring her Holiday Hootenanny shows to Eora/Sydney and Naarm/Melbourne. These annual festive events, which started in 2020, feature a whole bunch of brilliant special guests who’ll perform their songs, songs from the other artists present, and some surprising covers. They should like they’ll be a lot of fun, so make sure you grab some tickets!

23 November 2023 – Holiday Hootenanny @ The Vanguard, Eora/Sydney (with The Buckleys, Clews, Lindsay McDougall, Sarah Belkner, and Timothy James Bowden)
9 December 2023 – Holiday Hootenanny @ The Gasometer, Naarm/Melbourne (with Alex Lahey, Darcy Fox, Demi Louise, Eilish Gilligan, Jess Hitchcock, Shannen James, and Katie Wighton)

Image used with permission from Chinwag PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Swift Farewell Release Latest Emo Banger, “Like This (I Don’t Wanna Die)”

The lads from Eora/Sydney pop-punk trio A Swift Farewell are back doing what they do best with the release of “Like This (I Don’t Wanna Die)”. This is their fourth release of the year and the music’s still sounding fresh.

“’Like this (I Don’t Wanna Die)’ is a song about being deeply unhappy and unsatisfied with where you are in life and letting it ruin your mental health,” explained A Swift Farewell’s vocalist, Ryo Andi. “We wrote it last year when the band wasn’t really doing anything or playing shows. Because of that I felt like my life was just wake up – work at my boring job – sleep – repeat … And it made me feel so depressed that I started withdrawing from things and people … I guess this song was a way to say ‘Hey, sorry I’m not replying to texts but I feel so stuck in a hole right now and I just hope I won’t feel like this forever.’”

A Swift Farewell headed to Metronome Studio to film the single’s music video, which they also produced.

“We love focusing on angles and aesthetic and trying to re-create these old school/’90s emo vibes with the blue wash effect and the fish eye looks was a fun challenge,” Ryo added.

Thankfully A Swift Farewell should be out of that rut because they’ve played plenty of shows in 2023, and they’re not slowing down. They’ll support Bellweather on their “Bloodline” release show at The Vanguard in Eora/Sydney on November 18.

Photo credit: Gabrielle Michael

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

WAMALA Wows Me With “My Whole Life”

WAMALA brought us upbeat vibes with his debut single “Dance Again” earlier this year. But there’s more to this Ugandan/Australian alternative talent than meets the eye. This Naarm/Melbourne-based artist shows his softer side with the release of his latest song “My Whole Life.” While “Dance Again” was a real bop, this new track shows real depth. WAMALA’s stunning voice and the eight-piece string ensemble backing him up make it a song of such rare cinematic beauty. Take a moment to stop what you’re doing and listen, but it deserves your full focus.

WAMALA says he wrote the song after the love of his life randomly appeared in his newsfeed while he was doom scrolling during the 2020 lockdowns. This song perfectly captures the random beauty that can come out of the darkness at a time you least expect it.

“My Whole Life” is the latest track lifted from WAMALA’s forthcoming EP, Fitter, Better, Healthier.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Venice Qin’s “ALIEN” is Out of This World

Aotearoa/New Zealand-expat Venice Qin has settled in Eora/Sydney and is ready to take the local music scene by storm with her latest single “ALIEN”. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Venice knows all too well how it feels to be the odd person out. However, this cool song makes such a strong statement that it almost claims that otherness as a superpower.

“I’ve always found myself in spaces where I don’t feel like I belong. Whether that’s as an Asian in Western spaces, a Westernised Asian in Asian spaces, or just having a different mindset to people around me, and not relating to their experiences,” Venice explained. “My song ‘ALIEN’ comes from a very personal, vulnerable place for me. I used to find myself constantly changing my persona when I went out, so that I could fit in and would always come home feeling even more alienated, doubting that my younger self would like the person I’ve become in those moments. Sometimes I still do that, and I’m not proud of it.

“As much as we’re told that we should embrace our quirks and differences, it is hard when you feel incredibly misunderstood and that you’re not the only one that feels or thinks the way that you do. Even throughout the creation of this song, I was full of insecurity and anxiety that people wouldn’t listen to it, because they wouldn’t relate to what I was feeling (lol…). Because the song is sonically less in your face, as an Asian woman, I was fearful that people wouldn’t take the time to hear my voice and what I was going through. But thankfully I have really great people in my life who listened to this song, and heard and believed in me, so the song has gotten to where it is today so that more people can hear it. I really want it to reach and unite us aliens of the world, and to let us know we are not alone.”

“ALIEN” is the title track from Venice’s debut EP, which drops on November 17.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sweet Talk Drop Vintage Banger, “Warm Love”

The Teskey Brothers pipped them for the title at the recent 2023 National Live Music Awards, but Sweet Talk might just be the best blues and roots act that you haven’t heard of. Their latest single “Warm Love” shows why they weren’t just making up the numbers in that coveted category. It’s got so much swag. This is the kind of music people just aren’t making enough of any more.

“It’s got a little more rock n roll steez about it,” admitted Sweet Talk’s frontman Tane Walker, of the band’s adventurous new sound. “We took what we normally do, then dirtied up the tones and tuned our instruments down half a step,” added bass player James Harding.

“Warm Love is a belter to play live!” added guitarist Soren Walker. “That’s the litmus test we need to vet songs for the studio, if the punters come alive, then it deserves a shot on record and this immediately ticked that box.”

You can see how good this song is live at one of Sweet Talk’s upcoming shows:

27 October 2023 – Bridge Hotel, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Castlemaine
28 October 2023 – The Eastern Hotel, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Ballarat
29 October 2023 – The Barwon Club, Djilang/South Geelong
3 November 2023 – Music on the Hill, Bunurong Country/Main Ridge
4 November 2023 – Archies Creek Hotel, Gunai Country/Archies Creek
10–12 November 2023 – Blues at Bridgetown, Nyungar Country/Bridgetown

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sophian Celebrates the Now With “Beautiful Day”

Boorloo/Perth-based indie-rock act Sophian have impressed me again with their uplifting new single “Beautiful Day.” Coming hot on the heels of other stellar 2023 releases “Moments” and “Georgia,” these guys are having such a great year.

“My wife and I were having a conversation one day around feeling the pressures of society to have life all figured out by a certain age. I saw what it meant it to her and I just wanted to let her know that it’s okay to not have it all figured out yet, life is still beautiful and its okay for us to just enjoy that moment. This song is about feeling free and enjoying life around you for just the way it is,” recalled the band’s frontman Sophian Manik.

Sophian will launch “Beautiful Day” for hometown fans at The Indian Ocean Hotel on October 20. After they sold out hometown shows at Old Habits Bar and The Bird earlier this year, I suggest getting tickets now to avoid missing out!

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tig Releases Powerful First Single, “Too Late Heartbreak”

Tig has made a really positive first impression on me with her debut single “Too Late Heartbreak.” It’s so beautiful and understated. By keeping the music simple, we can really hone in on those poignant lyrics and Tig’s sweet voice.

“This song is about catastrophising. Building walls. Trying not to get hurt. Confusing isolation with independence. Lying to yourself. And realising some feelings just have to be felt,” Tig explained. Oh yeah, that all hits.

The song comes with a gorgeous music video created by Tig’s high school pal Jasper Dorman.

“The idea started with these tiny felt hearts that my mum makes, you keep them in your pocket when you need a bit of love,” Tig added. “As the crux of the song is about keeping your heart intact, I asked myself ‘how would I protect one of these pocket hearts if it was prone to breaking?’ And so the lego house was born, followed by the Heartbreak Prevention Plan.”

“Too Late Heartbreak” is the first song lifted from Tig’s debut EP Inside Voices, to be released on 1 February, 2024. Tig has a couple of shows coming up at The Gasometer Hotel, a venue she sold out just a few months ago before releasing any material. If you want to be there, I recommend securing your tickets really soon.

18 October 2023 – The Gasometer Hotel (Upstairs), Naarm/Collingwood (supporting Izzy Summers)
26 October 2023 – The Gasometer Hotel (Upstairs), Naarm/Collingwood (supporting Nanas Pie)

Image credit: Kinga Howard

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jack Anthony Releases Rocking Single “Call My Name”

Dharug/Western Sydney indie-rock act Jack Anthony has blown me away with his latest single “Call My Name.” This track goes hard, with an energy reminiscent of the Arctic Monkeys or the Libertines. Just see if you’re not punching your fist in the air or at least grooving in your seat by the end of this one.

“‘Call My Name’ is about reflecting on an old relationship where you had known the person for years prior, before having a crack at a romantic relationship,” Jack explained. “We both knew we weren’t meant for each other and were filled with conflicting feelings of wanting to stay and leave. This song has a feeling of being happy/sad and bittersweet, whilst also being anthemic. A song that you can scream in the car and cry alone to, but also dance and the song would still be fun depending on what mood you’re in.”

Jack will join Kingswood at their October 29 show at the Lady Hampshire in Eora/Sydney, so if you’re going make sure you arrive early enough for his set.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hannah Stow Drops Sweet New Song, “Sunflowers”

Hannah Stow has thoroughly charmed me with “Sunflowers,” a love song with a difference. This sweet track explores a budding relationship with a healthy mix of heart and cynicism.

“My girlfriend said she loved me after three weeks of dating and I was trying to prove to her that what she felt was lust and not love. I said, ‘You know nothing about me,’ and she said, ‘I know your favourite colour is red, you didn’t walk until you were two because everyone kept picking you up, and I don’t know if they’re your favourite – but I know for sure you like Sunflowers’. The moment she said that I knew it would make a catchy song,” Hannah said. “So, ‘Sunflowers’ discusses the point in a relationship right after someone says ‘I love you’ where you’re feeling like they don’t know you well enough to express those emotions. It unpacks the moment you’re being proven wrong as they highlight facts about you which you thought they never listened to.”

I love the intimacy of this track. It’s so lyrically good, and the minimalist instrumentation makes sure you don’t miss a word. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more from Hannah.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR; credit: Ian Young