Interviews

Interview: Lee Hartney of The Smith Street Band talks new album, tour and podcasts

Beloved Melbourne rock quintet The Smith Street Band have a knack for crafting equally personal and uniting music. After Don’t Waste Your Anger debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album Chart in 2020, their sixth studio album Life After Football is out 25 November via their own label Pool House Records. We caught up with…

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Interview: Adam Melchor on slam poetry, squids and Here Goes Nothing!

New Jersey-born, Los Angeles-based Adam Melchor likens his music to the TikTok sounds asking ‘What’s the worst pain you’ve ever felt that’s not physical?’ – he’s on the feelings frontline with his diaristic ballads from his sophomore album Here Goes Nothing! “Now I really feel like I know who I am, who I identify with and…

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Interview: Izzy Heltai talks Austin City Limits, expectations, and his influences

Izzy Heltai is the kind of person you just want to give a hug and if you spend more than 30 seconds with him, it seems like you most likely are going to get one. It took one listen of “Day Plan” from his EP Day Plan (5 Songs Written 4 the End of the…

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Interview: Jack Ryan of We Burn Bridges talks new single, video and launch show

Darwin metalcore quintet We Burn Bridges have recently shared their latest single “Death Curse” featuring rapper and ex-member BxK, along with awesomely graphic visuals. The band will be celebrating the release with a single launch at The Railway Club in Darwin on 3 December, supported by DRAFTDAY, Ask the Axis and Whisper. We had a…

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Interview: Darren Hayes chats about the making of his latest album Homosexual

Iconic pop artist and award-winning songwriter Darren Hayes has just released his first new album in a decade: Homosexual. It’s a celebration of the love and music that has influenced his career. In this interview with The AU Review, Hayes discusses the trauma of growing up gay and the acceptance and joy that he has…

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Interview: Henry Cox of Boston Manor talks new album, tours and catharsis

English emo punks Boston Manor have been super busy this year. On top of headline tours and support slots, the five-piece are also about to drop their fourth studio album Datura, out this Friday via SharpTone Records. We had a chat with vocalist Henry Cox about the new album and upcoming tours just ahead of…

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Interview: Jono and Sam of Sly Withers talk new album, tour and time

Perth alt-rock quartet Sly Withers have become a local favourite since their widely successful sophomore record Gardens in 2021. Just a year on, the band returns with their third album Overgrown on 28 October via Dew Process/UMA. We caught up with vocalists/guitarists Jono Mata and Sam Blitvich to talk about the new album and tour….

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Mimi Webb

Interview: Mimi Webb on Australia, fish and chips, love languages and “Ghost Of You”

Pop protégé Mimi Webb has released her latest anthemic single “Ghost Of You” – a sonically bright and bubbly track that contrasts with lyrics of a lingering past love. Having finally been able to bring her tour Down Under after gaining notability over the pandemic, we caught up to discuss the single. “It was like…

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Dayglow

Interview: Dayglow on liberation, Australian culture and People In Motion

Sloan Struble is the musical mastermind behind the indie-pop heavy hitter Dayglow – a project conceptualised, written, played, and produced by Sloan. Since emerging onto the music scene with 2018’s ‘Can I Call You Tonight?’ at just age 19, Dayglow has grown to become one of the blueprints in intricate pop production with lush synth-driven…

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Jelly Oshen

BIGSOUND Interview: Jelly Oshen on becoming a multi-instumentalist and favourite part of the creative process

Jelly Oshen is a twenty-one-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Cairns, QLD. We first came across Jelly last year when we premiered the video for his song “All Alone”, and I was excited to see that he would be performing at BIGSOUND this year. I caught up with Jelly to talk about his musical journey, and why and…

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Interview: Isabella Manfredi talks about her debut album izzi and the joy of recording as a solo artist

Isabella Manfredi recently released her debut album izzi. Isabella (Izzi), was of course the lead singer of the Australian band The Preatures, before it was disbanded. It’s a beautiful album, ingrained with love, hope and optimism, yet doesn’t shy away from some of her darker moments. It was a cathartic album for the singer/songwriter, who…

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Banjo Lucia

BIGSOUND Interview: Banjo Lucia on her songwriting process, being fearless and love of musicals

Banjo Lucia is a singer/songwriter from Fremantle in Western Australia who is very much starting to make waves. She’s had a stellar 2022, releasing her debut EP, Peccadilloes to broad acclaim. As well as her own headline shows, Banjo has racked up some pretty great support slots, including Stella Donnelly on her national tour, San Cisco…

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Hayley Marsten

Interview: Hayley Marsten on her songwriting influences and process behind new single “Bittersweet At Best”

Central Queensland’s indie-country singer/songwriter Hayley Marsten is very much an artist on the rise. She burst out of the blocks in 2019 with her debut album, Spectacular Heartbreak, and since then has been winning over audiences with her poignant songs showcasing heartache, growth and discovery. Earlier this year she released “I’m Fine, Thanks”, a stunning riposte…

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In Hearts Wake

Interview: Jake Taylor of In Hearts Wake chats about the doco Green is the New Black

In the middle of their first Australian tour in several years, we sat down with In Hearts Wake frontman Jake Taylor to chat about the band’s new feature-length documentary Green Is The New Black. It holds a mirror up to the music industry and its relationship to the environment. The movie chronicles the making of…

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The Driver Era

Interview: The Driver Era’s Rocky & Ross Lynch on foot massages, tattoos, their Aussie tour and Summer Mixtape

The Driver Era are your latest sun-drenched Los Angelean obsession, un-polishing the pop shine with their own candid sound despite their glossy history. Rocky and Ross Lynch could easily be thought as pop machine products; Ross coming from his well-documented Disney training ground and Rocky joining him alongside their other siblings in their past project…

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How Brisbane’s LÂLKA proved the hometown hero of BIGSOUND ‘22

When I meet multi-hyphenate creative LÂLKA in Fortitude Valley’s Bakery Lane, the first thing I notice is her outfit. More specifically, I notice the handmade jacket with huge safety pins on either side of the collar and a linen panel neatly hand-stitched to the back — the panel features an illustration of LÂLKA in the…

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Interview: Dominic Harper from The Comfort talks new album, tour and Coldplay

Brisbane’s heavy scene is flourishing right now and one of the most exciting acts is emo punk quartet The Comfort. The lads are back with their first new music in three years in the form of their sophomore record, Experience Everything. Live and Die., out 11 November via Greyscale Records. We caught up with vocalist…

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Hussy Hicks

Interview: Hussy Hicks on “Capitulation” and on creating their own mobile gaming app

Hussy Hicks are one of the hardest working bands going around. And one of the most entertaining. With incredible guitar work from Julz Parker and the dynamic Leesa Gentz on lead vocals, their indie root n blues act is always a standout. It’s fair to say that 2022 has been a tough year for them….

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Interview: Caitlin Henry of Eat Your Heart Out talks new album, creative control and tour

The emo punk scene in Australia is flourishing right now and there are few bands who do it as good as Newcastle quartet Eat Your Heart Out. After a turbulent past few years, the local legends are set to release their second album, Can’t Stay Forever, on 9 September via Fearless Records. We caught up…

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Interview: Monica Strut of The Last Martyr talks new single, vulnerability and BIGSOUND

Melbourne alt-metal band The Last Martyr have been making waves over the last year and you’d better hold on tight if you’re down for the ride. Wild new single “Sugar” – released just two weeks ago – has already amassed over 10k streams, got triple j airplay and featured on Channel 7’s Friday Night Football…

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Interview: Clint Boge of The Butterfly Effect talks new album, tour and letting go

The pandemic has seen some brilliant comebacks in the global music scene and Brisbane hard rock legends The Butterfly Effect are down for the ride. After releasing the latest single “Visiting Hours” from their fourth album IV (out 2 September), the band’s first album in 14 years is shaping up to be worth the wait….

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Interview: bbno$ on ‘sophisticated’, Listen Out and eating steaks with Diplo

bbno$ (“Baby No Money”) is the Canadian rapper behind huge tracks like the TikTok viral ‘edamame’ with Rich Brian and ‘Lalala’ with Y2K, as well as his early collaboration EP with Yung Gravy called Baby Gravy.  Last year, he dropped his third LP, Eat Ya Veggies, revered for its playful word-smithing that sent him into…

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Interview: Dylan Davidson of Deadlights and Patty Goodman of Mirrors talk tour

Local heavy fans are still buzzing from the announcement of a national co-headline tour with Brisbane hardcore outfit Deadlights and Gippsland metalcore act Mirrors earlier this month. The Ego’s Valley tour will stop at six cities this November, supported by Sydney’s Inertia, for a triumphant return to the stage after first performing together on Thornhill’s…

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Interview: Jazz by the Beach founder Catherine Summers praises local talent and talks about creating a festival that appeals to all

When you first hear the idea, it seems unusual – a beachside music festival in winter? But imagine you’re at a packed New Orleans-style bar, warming wintery cocktail or red wine in hand, listening to Frank Sinatra classics – suddenly it makes sense. Pair that with stunning views across the ocean and you’ve got the…

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Interview: Mikaila Delgado of Yours Truly talks new EP, tours and meeting heroes

Sydney pop punk favourites Yours Truly have never been shy to looking inward and evolving with each release. After their most recent EP is this what i look like?, three of the four members embarked on an acoustic tour up the East Coast to celebrate the release in a new light. Originally intended as a…

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Interview: Grizzlyshark talk new EP, bad parents and video games

Brisbane easycore quartet Grizzlyshark have been bubbling away at the surface these past few years, but today they boil over with their sizzling debut EP MOSAIC. Featuring the singles “TMS”, “What’s the Plan Gogglehead?” and “There’s No ‘I’ in Quaranteam”, the five-track project is a platter of fervent emo with pop punk hooks to satiate…

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Interview: Citadel talk new single, influences and holy metal

Brisbane melodic metalcore band Citadel are one of the country’s most promising heavy acts to emerge in recent times. With their latest single “Parasyte” out in the world, we caught up with them to chat all things about the track and what else they have in store. “Parasyte” touches on some deeply personal topics and…

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Interview: David Rodriguez chats about Godtet performing for Illuminate Adelaide

In a special co-curated program with Light Adelaide, light and sound will converge at The Lab over four electric weekends with some of the most cutting-edge new music locally and nationally. We spoke with David Rogriguez of Godriguez about his upcoming performance with his band Godtet. Hope you haven’t had too many floods or anything…

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Interview: Mura Masa on Guernsey, Splendour In The Grass and starting out

Self-taught Grammy Award-winning producer Mura Masa is set to arrive on Aussie shores next week for the return of Splendour In The Grass, alongside his own sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. The Guernsey-native has had a whirlwind of a career. From relocating to Brighton at 18, being nominated for the prestigious Grammy Awards and moving…

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Interview: Foals’ Jimmy Smith on Life Is Yours, Glastonbury and the silver-lining of lockdown

The UK’s alt-rock favourites Foals are back with their seventh studio album Life Is Yours, but their first as a three-piece outfit. Created through London lockdowns, Yannis Philippakis, Jack Bevan and Jimmy Smith transported themselves and now listeners to a utopian place for escapism. “Personally speaking, I was stuck in London for a year away from…

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