Tag: Asha Jefferies

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Holy Rollercoasters Teams Up With Asha Jefferies for Double A-Side Single

The 2019/2020 Woodford Folk Festival was a big event for the Holy Rollercoasters for many reasons. They played six shows in seven days, they camped near Emma Wiggle, and they spent the week collaborating with Asha Jefferies.

One of the tracks they performed together was Asha’s own song “Absence & Copyright,” which was transformed from a quiet, delicate number to a powerful soul song. They planned to record the song together, but then the pandemic happened and things took a little longer to come together. In the meantime, they decided they should also lay down one of Asha’s unreleased songs, “Don’t Do Cocaine.” The Holy Rollercoasters’ frontman Jimi Beavis took lead vocal duties and the artists gave the track a fresh and funky makeover.

“It seemed right,” Jimi said. “I had been thinking about going to see her single launch and then with recording for our album about to start, I began to plan with Andrew. Later that day I bumped into Asha at the shops and I was going to call her but … we just ended up discussing it right there in the health food aisle in Coles and here we are.”

As it turns out, Jimi actually inspired the song “Don’t Do Cocaine,” as he gave Asha that sage advice before she played her first BigSound appearance. Their history goes right back, with Asha and Jimi attending the same English class at Music Industry College and the Holy Rollercoasters’ guitarist Chris Bancroft playing in Asha’s band.

Asha and the Holy Rollercoasters won’t play any launch shows for the double A-side single as the Holy Rollercoasters are focused on their new album and Asha’s got a full touring schedule. However, if you want to see them perform together, you might want to get along to the Holy Rollercoasters’ next few shows, just in case. Their next show is supporting Cigány Weaver at Brisbane’s West Room on May 28.

Image used with permission from 4000 Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Megan Washington, Matt Corby & More For Brisbane Bushfire Fundraiser

Fire Fight Australia and Down to Earth: A Fire and Climate Relief Concert may have sold out in a red hot minute, but there are still tickets available for a host of fantastic bushfire fundraisers. One of the best that I wanted to put on your radar is Raise ‘Em Up, a Brisbane show aiming to raise $100,000 for the fire relief efforts.

The bill is stacked with local talent including Megan Washington, Matt Corby, The Kite String Tangle, Asha Jefferies, Ngaiire, and The Riot. These artists will donate their time to the event, ensuring 100% of all ticket, bar, and merch takings can be divided between Red Cross and WIRES.

“Both WIRES and the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal are hugely worthy causes and we hope that throwing this Raise ‘Em Up show provides people another way to support their critical work,” explained The Tivoli’s co-owner and creative director, Dave Sleswick.

“In return, we promise a jam-packed evening of live music which will kick off from 5pm with food trucks, a car park party and a great community raffle also taking place.”

Raise ‘Em Up hits The Tivoli on January 25. Tickets are all general admission and ranging from $50 to $200, so you can donate as much or as little as your budget allows and still see the show. Get yours from Ticketmaster while you can!

Image used with permission from Aruga

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Asha Jefferies Shows New Grown-Up Sound With “Bad Kisser”

“Bad Kisser” is a coming-of-age charmer from Brisbane’s own Asha Jefferies. It’s what I imagine a good teen movie might sound like, a John Hughes flick set to music if you will. There’s angst and pain, but also an optimism that this will get better.

“I wrote it about an extremely euphoric and tragic moment involving a festival; lust, longing, intoxication & one ultra-big insult,” Asha reflected. “It takes a bit of growing up to realise not every interaction you have with a stranger you like and meet will be romantic.”
The introspective track is a bit of a new sound from Asha, but one that shows incredible growth from her debut EP.

“After the satisfaction of releasing my first debut EP and first headline tour, I took an enduring time and effort away to re-discover myself – grow up as a person, not just developing as an artist,” she explained. “I’ve created a new sound and direction, in ode to the many things I did experience in the months I had off and in the movement of growing up.”

Get to know the new and improved Asha when she plays shows in the East Coast capitals in the coming months.
21 September 2019 – Low 302, Sydney
28 September 2019 – Brisbane Festival @ Riverstage, Brisbane (supporting City & Colour)
4 October 2019 – Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne
26 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Habit Music Company

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sahara Beck and Asha Jefferies Headline Brisbane’s Bloom Festival

When I cast my mind back to my teenage years, my biggest frustration was missing gigs. I didn’t want to go to pubs and clubs to drink; I just wanted to experience the music. Under 18s gigs are still in relatively short supply, so I wanted to put Bloom Festival on your radars. The event is for kids and organised by kids from Fortitude Valley’s Music Industry College, with the support of industry professionals and the Brisbane City Council.

Sahara Beck and Asha Jefferies will headline this year’s multi-day, multi-venue event. These talented women and other local acts will play venues like The Triffid, MIC, Phase 4, Winn Lane, Bakery Lane, California Lane, and the 4ZZZ car park.

“I can’t wait to play Bloom in support of the school that helped me find the courage to do what I do today,” said Sahara Beck. “The fact that it will be all ages is so great; it’s important that young people get to attend shows that will inspire them. I know I am lucky to have seen all ages shows when I was a kid, if not maybe I wouldn’t even thought about becoming a musician.”

If you know young music fans in Queensland, make sure you tell them about Bloom Festival. It hits Fortitude Valley from July 26 to 28. It’s all free, ensuring kids all across Brisbane and surrounding areas can soak up as much of this great live music as they can.

Image used with permission from Starving Kids

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Hold Yourself Together” – Asha Jefferies

I was initially in two minds when I sat down to write this review. I have waxed lyrical about two singles from Asha Jefferies‘ EP before. “Chaos” and “Everybody Talks” were such standout songs, I wondered what I could possibly say about the EP that I hadn’t already said before. Perhaps I’d better just introduce you to the latest brilliant cut, “If You Were My Hero” and be done with it.

However to do that and neglect the EP review felt like ignoring its beauty. Asha Jefferies’ singles are gorgeous. You can certainly appreciate them out of context. But on the EP Hold Yourself Together they create a more complete, more powerful picture. They’re like pages from a diary, stories of moments that together make up a tumultuous period of time. While the singles struck me, they’re no stronger than any of the songs that haven’t garnered radio play.

Asha Jefferies is such a talent, and her debut EP Hold Yourself Together is the perfect showcase of that talent. Her poetic, vulnerable lyrics and distinctive voice that seems to effortlessly slide up and down the scale have continually impressed me. Her songs have a charming folksiness, a catchy pop sensibility, and a heart that’s undeniably compelling. Discover them. All of them.

Hold Yourself Together is out now. Asha will play the following shows to support its release.

8 February 2019 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
9 February 2019 – Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay
13 February 2019 – Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Sydney
15 February 2019 – The Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
16 February 2019 – The Espy, Melbourne
17 February 2019 – The Porch Sessions, Brighton
28 February 2019 – Beaufort St Songwriters Club, Defectors Bar, Mt Lawley
1-4 March 2019 – Nannup Music Festival, Nannup

Image used with permission from Mucho Bravado

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Asha Jefferies Releases Live Track Ahead of EP Release & Tour

I’ve admired Asha Jefferies music for so long that I was surprised to read she’s yet to release an EP. That will all change next month when her debut EP, Hold Yourself Together, drops. She’ll give us all an opportunity to learn the words to those new songs before hitting the road a week later.

If you’ve never seen Asha live, listening to her new live version of “Everybody Talks,” recorded at The Tivoli, might convince you to change all that. This stripped back version takes this song to the next level, encouraging you to hone in on those lyrics and the song’s meaning.

Hold Yourself Together drops on February 1. She’ll play the following EP launch show to celebrate its long-awaited release.

8 February 2019 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
9 February 2019 – Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay
14 February 2019 – Golden Age Cinema, Sydney
15 February 2019 – Retreat Hotel, Melbourne
16 February 2019 – The Espy, Melbourne
1 February 2019 – Nannup Music Festival, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Asha Jefferies Drops Gorgeous New Single Ahead of BIGSOUND Shows

Following her fantastic single “Chaos,” Brisbane’s Asha Jefferies offers another personal insight into her life with her intimate newie, “Everybody Talks.” It’s a gorgeous song, with Asha’s unique voice soaring as it interplays with delicate guitars and crashing cymbals. Those lyrics should give anyone who’s seen a friendship fracture all the feels.

“’Everybody Talks’ is about a falling out I had with a friend,” she explained. “We never spoke again; I heard a lot though. The whole experience left me feeling voiceless and powerless and it wasn’t until I wrote this song that I felt like I took my power back and made room for some closure about it all.”

Following recent supports for the likes of Radnor & Lee, Bec Sandridge, and Oh Mercy, Asha will step into the spotlight for BIGSOUND 2018. Queenslanders can catch her at the following venues.

4 September 2018 – Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
6 September 2018 – The Foundry, Fortitude Valley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Embrace the “Chaos” With Asha Jefferies

Brisbane’s Asha Jefferies continues to impress with the release of her latest single “Chaos,” a powerful ballad about recognizing, accepting, and embracing the failings of the people around you, then moving forward together.

“Chaos captures everything I felt driving to a party one night last year. I remember watching my friend behind the wheel, realizing they were driving me into a lot of chaos and wherever I followed them, that chaos came too,” Asha explained.

“I write music music to capture and anchor a feeling or a period of time in my life. I like to think I can hold it hostage, forever. Music has always used itself as a memory clock to me.”

It might have been written about a specific moment in her life, but “Chaos” is so easy to relate to. I was so drawn into this world she’s created, and all the emotions that go along with it. This is another strong single in a long line from this exceptional Brisbane talent.

Image used with permission from Major Minor