Short Stack Debut at Number One

Many have challenged the late great Michael Jackson, but it’s taken a bunch of Central Coast teens to bring his reign on the charts to an end. Short Stack have knocked Jacko off the ARIA charts top spot this week with their debut album Stack is the New Black.

It was another impressive debut for Paul Dempsey, who’s sitting at number five with his sophomore solo effort Everything is True. Meanwhile Lisa Mitchell has slipped down a couple of notches with her debut effort Wonder. It’s sitting at number eight.

Kate Miller-Heidke is leading the Aussie charge in the singles charts. Her latest track, “The Last Day on Earth”, is holding steady at number three. She’s just edged out Guy Sebastian, who jumps two places to sit at number four with “Like it Like That.”

Click below to see the complete top 10!

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New Song Obsession: "Last Day on Earth" by Kate Miller-Heidke

It’s funny how life sometimes brings you back to songs, making you remember why you loved them in the first place, perhaps even making you fall a little deeper.

When I received the album Curiouser by Kate Miller-Heidke last year I was instantly struck by just how stunning the song “The Last Day on Earth” was. Then Channel Ten used it in their latest advertising campaign for Neighbours, and I fell in love all over again.

Apparently the song raced up the iTunes charts as the Australian TV viewing public grieved, so Sony has decided to release the track as an official single. Smart move. And now that we’ve got an official film clip, with Kate looking absolutely stunning with her red dress and new strawberry blonde do, I can erase the image of a sobbing Declan from my mind as I listen! While I can’t embed that clip, you can enjoy this live version!

 

Kate Miller-Heidke Wins International Songwriting Competition

Kate Miller-Heidke has taken home the grand prize at the International Songwriting Competition for her latest single “Caught in the Crowd.” Kate penned the anti-bullying track with her composing partner Keir Nuttall.

The song was unanimously selected from over 17,000 by an esteemed judging panel, featuring the likes of Tom Waits, Neil Finn, ray Davies, Jerry Lee Lewis, KT Tunstall, and Loretta Lynn.

Kate was awarded $25, 000 US, which she’ll use to tour the United States and Europe. Congratulations to her!

Image source: The Harbour Agency

Upper Coomera State College Wins Kate Miller-Heidke Competition

You might remember me mentioning Kate Miller-Heidke’s “Caught in the Crowd” competition, which invited high school students to create their own music video.

The entries are in, and Upper  Coomera State College in Queensland has emerged victorious. Their brilliant video highlights not just traditional bullying, but also the modern epidemic of cyberbullying. Check it out below!

The school has picked up a $2000 video hardware package and a live performance from Kate Miller-Heidke for their hard work.

If you’re not lucky enough to be a student, you can still see Kate as she embarks on her Caught in the Crowd tour. It kicks off at Melbourne’s Prince in Wales on April 30.

Kate Miller-Heidke’s Caught in the Crowd

Kate Miller-Heidke is showing her sensitive side with her latest single “Caught in the Crowd.” This moving song about bullying is a world away from her most recent anti-dance hit “Can’t Shake It.”

The tune is currently featured in a nation-wide anti-bullying campaign in conjunction with MySpace, the Department of Education, The Daily Telegraph and Kids Helpline. In conjunction with the awareness campaign, students have the chance to win some awesome prizes including a Kate Miller-Heidke concert at their school and a Sony professional video hardware pack. To enter students should make a video for “Caught in the Crowd” and upload it to www.myspace.com/caughtinthecrowd.

But the MySpace profile is about more than this competition. It’s also a forum for people of any age to share their stories about bullying.With one in six Australian students bullied every week, it sounds like a great cause.

Kate will play shows in support of the single in April and May. You can catch the “Caught in the Crowd” tour at the following venues.

30 April 2009 – Prince of Wales Bandroom, Melbourne
1 May 2009 – Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne
2 May 2009 – Hi Fi Bar, Brisbane
7 May 2009 – The Metro, Sydney
8 May 2009 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide

Kate Miller-Heidke Announces Caught in the Crowd Shows

One of my favourite albums of 2008 was Curiouser by Kate Miller-Heidke, so I’m pretty excited she’s finally taking her new songs on the road.

The tour coincides with the release of “Caught in the Crowd,” the very different follow-up to “Can’t Shake It.” This sees Kate in introspective mode, dealing with the regret she feels at seeing schoolyard bullying as a child and doing nothing about it.

Kate will criss-cross the country in February and March, so there’s no excuse for not catching her “Caught in the Crowd” tour.

Here are all the dates!

5 February 2009 – Roar Sounds @ Melbourne Zoo
6 February 2009 – Ha Penny’s, Geelong
7 February 2009 – The Palais, Hepburn Springs
8 February 2009 – St Kilda Festival
10 and 11 February 2009 – Clarendon Hotel, Katoomba
13 February 2009 – Newcastle Leagues Club
14 February 2009 – Waves, Wollongong
15 February 2009 – Soco Cargo, Sydney
19 February 2009 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
20 February 2009 – The Capital, Bendigo
21 February 2009 – Peninsula Lounge, Moorooduc
27 February 2009 – Coolongatta Hotel, Gold Coast
28 February 2009 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
1 March 2009 – Community Centre, Lake Kawana
4 March 2009 – Spurs Tavern, Devonport
5 March 2009 – Republic Bar, Hobart
6 March 2009 – Batman Fawkner, Launceston
8 March 2009 – Push Festival, Old Abbotsford Convent
9 March 2009 – Stage 88, Canberra
12 March 2009 – Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga
13 March 2009 – Armidale Club, Armidale
15 March 2009 – Lizotte’s, Kincumber
18 March 2009 – Brunswick Music Festival @ Brunswick Town Hall
19 March 2009 – Amplifier, Perth
20 March 2009 – Players, Mandurah
21 March 2009 – Fly By Night, Fremantle

Image source: Ed-meister @ Flickr

Kate Miller-Heidke Plays Human Trafficking Charity Show in Cambodian Temple

Kate Miller-Heidke has played a history concert at Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. The MTV Exit event, the first rock concert ever held at the ancient site, looked to raise awareness of the plight of human trafficking victims.

Kate was the only Australian on the bill which featured Placebo, Duncan Sheik, and local Cambodian bands.
She described the show as “the most amazing gig I’ve ever done.

“The setting was magical and timeless as soon as the music started, all these Khmers came out of the forest and were dancing under the stars. While we were doing sound check, about a dozen Buddhist monks in their saffron robes were peering out of the temple at us, curious about what was going on. It was utterly surreal.”

Kate did not realise the extent of human trafficking until she became involved in the project.

“I was shocked to discover there are more slaves today than have ever existed throughout history,” she said. “Not thousands but millions of people are being forced into sex slavery and slave labour. It is a huge problem and it is happening in our neighbourhood.”

Good on Kate for getting involved with such an important cause!

Image source: Bauer-Griffin

"Curiouser" – Kate Miller-Heidke

Kate Miller-Heidke is one of the most intriguing Australian musicians, so it makes sense that her second album is titled Curiouser.

It’s an eclectic collection of songs, from the sunny pop opener “The One Thing I Know” to the moving ballad “The Last Day on Earth.” The tunes might sound markedly different, but they’re unified by Kate’s clever lyrics and sense of fun.

This is a more commercial affair than Kate’s debut Little Eve, and initially that may disappoint some fans. Her operatic trills are scaled back, and songs like the single “Can’t Shake It” will sound right at home on sandwiched between Britney and Beyonce on the radio. But Kate cleverly stays just left of the mainstream, no matter how close to it she veers. These songs are more accessible to the masses, but they’re still highly original.

The tunes all clock in at around three minutes, helping the disc move at a frantic pace. I needed to play it through three times just to absorb it all, particularly those cheeky lyrics. I think every girl will relate to the sentiments in “God’s Gift to Women” and “I Like You Better When You’re Not Around”!

Kate Miller-Heidke has gone from strength to strength with Curiouser, a complex album that gets richer with every listen. I always knew she was brilliant, but this might just be the CD that convinces the rest of Australia. Take a look at this video for a taste of the album!

New Song Obsession: "Can’t Shake It" by Kate Miller-Heidke

Kate Miller-Heidke has dabbled in dance pop for her comeback single “Can’t Shake It,” and the result is irresistible. As someone whose dance style hasn’t evolved since the 1980s, I could really relate to the song’s sentiment! Just because it’s got a mainstream vibe though, don’t think Kate’s lost any of the quirkiness we fell in love with. The lyrics are playfully naughty and her ethereal voice sounds brilliant.

Kate might not be able to shake it, but you probably will listening to this pop gem! “Can’t Shake It” is the first single from Kate’s new album Curiouser, which hits stores on October 18.

Kate Miller-Heidke Bursts Onto The Charts

Quirky songbird Kate Miller-Heidke has become the surprise success story of the year. Her first album, Little Eve, has just hit the ARIA charts with an impressive number 11 debut.

The album’s achievements have surprised Kate most of all. The classically-trained singer once described herself as “Alice in Wonderland who has drunk a little too much of the wrong potion.” Interesting, but not a typical recipe for commercial success.

To celebrate her newfound popularity, Kate is hitting the road. She’ll kick off her national tour on June 30 in Brisbane. Once she finishes her solo stint, Kate Miller-Heidke will join fellow indie “it” girl Missy Higgins on her regional Victorian dates. See Kate’s website for a complete list of tour dates.

Image source: Josh V-R @ Flickr.com