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 in Victoria and others.
I caught up with Banjo the day after her first showcase at BIGSOUND 2022. It was a polished performance, where the audience was quiet and totally focused on her songs. Banjo writes from the heart, singing about relationships, challenging bad behaviour and her broad observations as she finds her way in the world.
Hi Banjo. I saw your set last night, congratulations – I enjoyed it very much. You said you were a bit nervous…
Yeah – I’ve been gigging heaps, but I get nervous before every show. I think it’s a good sign. If I’m not nervous, they’re the worst shows. You need a bit of tension for it to go well.
It went over well. People were quiet and all listened.
It was fun. The audience was incredible – it was really nice.
It’s one of the things I’ve noticed at BIGSOUND, so often there are people talking, and it drives you mental
Music people know what music people want. They are more respectful.
Especially for your songs, that are so lyric-based
Yeah – vocal driven …They are not very dancy songs (laughs). No one’s getting moshpit-y or anything.
Have you been seeing much here?
As much as I can – but it’s been pretty schedule jam-packed. I saw Siobhan Cotchin and Jacotene, who played before me. Noah Dylan is amazing. Trying to see as much as I can.
You grew up in a musical household. What were some of the music that really resonated?
A huge variation of music was played. Old country stuff like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. And heaps of soul. Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding. Old jazz like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. And hip hop. Dad loves Missy Elliot and N.W.A. And heaps of folk obviously. Mum’s pretty folk-driven, so Laura Marling, Gillian Welch. A big mix. Also Jeff Buckley, Bjork.
It gave you plenty to work with
I love it all.
Your songs are personal and written from the heart. You sang your song “Plastic Seats” last night, a song about the patriarchy. How did that go down with the local boys in your local town?
I remember the first time I performed that was at the local pub in my hometown. Before I went on I said “you know, I was really nervous about playing the song here tonight because I was worried that maybe someone would take it personally. I’m singing about misogyny in a small town in a pub, and here we are in a small town in a pub. And then I realised that if you take this song personally, then you are so meant to take this song personally. That is the whole point of the song. So if you are feeling a little bit attacked by the song, then it’s because I’m attacking you. Go home and do a bit of research, give your mum a hug, talk it out.”
I just addressed it. I thought if it feels personal, then maybe it is personal. Do some self-reflection and move on. I couldn’t stand there and say I don’t mean what I’m saying in the song. Sorry if it hurts your feelings. Cause I do mean it. It is harmful.
As a songwriter, you’re pretty fearless…
Well…. Socially I feel I’m pretty conflict-averse, pretty much a people-pleaser. But music is an amazing place where I get to say whatever I want and stick up for myself. I’ve fostered a much better sense of self-respect through songwriting. Sticking up for myself through music., There’s something that’s been really healing about getting up on a stage and singing with a bit more sass and self-respect, and proving that to myself.
It’s not that I’m a fearless person, but I feel my songwriting, because it’s so honest, it forces me to fearless when I perform it, if that makes sense.
Yes – that shines through. You certainly seemed confident performing those songs.
Oh, that’s fantastic to hear. It’s good.
What part of the process are you enjoying the most? The songwriting, creating the music, performing?
There’s an amazing part when you are in the middle of writing a song, or just finishing a song, when I just don’t want to stop playing it. I’ll voice memo it, and listen to it, over and over again. Then I’ll get home and think, ‘maybe I can put that word there’. I get quite obsessive and it’s a good feeling. It sounds good and I’m excited about what I’m creating. For 48 hours all I can think about is going home and playing the song, singing the song. Yeah – it’s one of my favourite parts of the process.
And I love when the song is fully formed, and I get to perform it in front of people, and it breathes new life into it. I play old songs when rehearsing, and I can be so sick of them, and then I get on stage and they have all of the energy of when I was writing them for the first time. I think that’s when performance really comes into being part of the process.
That’s my top two parts of the song process.
Do you know when you’ve finished the song? Are you a tweaker?
I’m a tweaker. Especially vocally. When I first write the songs, I’m pretty safe vocally, in a small range. It’s only after playing them and singing them, many many times, that I think maybe I can add a run there, or go high there. I think of songs as being living organisms. When you record a song you are taking a photo of it. That song will live a life and change and fluctuate and have relationships with heaps of people and grow.
I don’t look at a photo of myself and think that’s me, that represents everything of me and everything I’ll ever be. It’s just me at a time frozen. So when I started looking at songs as being an organism and recordings as photos, it made it so much easier to let go. I don’t need to capture everything about what this song is and will be. I just need to capture what it is now, and that is what I can give to people.
Then they can come back to see it live and see it at a more mature stage of its life.
If you want to tweak it later on you can!
You can! And it doesn’t have to be as uptight and perfect. It has to be honest and authentic for me – but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Paul Kelly tweaked the lyrics for “How To Make Gravy”
Did he? – I love it!
He changed the line “Just a little too much cologne” to “he never did get Nina Simone”
I love that. You’ve got to let the song goes where it needs to go.
I think he made a good change there. Not getting Nina Simone is unforgivable!
It’s a red flag for sure. When I first met my partner she just said “I just love this Nina Simone” song at the moment, I just thought, yes, you are the one, that’s it. Green flag!
You’ve expressed a love for musicals. Is that a love that still persists?
Absolutely, 100%. Love it all. Loved Grease. That was really big for me. Looking back on it now, it’s not the most ethical movie. But great outfits, great songs, great dancing.
Loved Mary Poppins. Loved Annie sick! “It’s The Hard Knock Life” is probably one of the biggest bangers of all time. That song slaps. I love it.
Chicago. I love it. I did drama all through high school. I love that you are taking a realistic plot line, and then lifting it with the magic of music.
Imagine if there was a world where music, dance and art played a more integral role – what would that look like? That’s kind of what a musical is. I think that’s amazing.
I LOVE THEM!
Any current ones?
Well, listen, I am the kind of person who really loves rewatching shit. And I get really attached to the movies I like. It takes a lot for me to step out of that place, and look for something else, so I don’t know if there are many current musicals for me. I don’t watch them. I just watch my comfort movies.
So, if they ask you to star in a remake of one of these classics ..
I’d be there in a heartbeat – I’d do it, I’d pay to do it! $1 an hour. I’m in. Fuck yeah! I love it!
What’s coming up for you?
I’ve got Wave Rock coming up. A festival in rural WA.
And I’m opening up Sharon Van Etten in early December. That’s huge! It’s at Freo Arts Centre. That’s so exciting. I don’t actually believe it yet. I’m playing at Queenscliff Music Festival as well.
Then I’ll release another single, and EP and keep that tap flowing!
Thanks Banjo. Enjoy the rest of BIGSOUND
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All photos – Bruce Baker
