For Darcie Haven, music has always been about finding connection in places where it is not always easy to find. Growing up in Esperance, Western Australia, there was not exactly a thriving live music scene on her doorstep. Now, just a few years into her career, Haven has built a dedicated fanbase of listeners, shared stages with massive names and sold out her own headline shows.
Haven released her debut single in 2022 at just 19 years old, and while her career is still relatively young, she’s come a long way. Her latest single, “Wishbone”, marks another huge step forward, bringing a new collaborator into the fold and hinting at where Haven’s music is heading next.
I caught up with Haven a few days before she was due to play at Church, Geelong’s new 150-capacity venue housed inside an old church building. For an artist whose music thrives in intimate spaces, it feels like a very fitting place to be.
“Wishbone” is Haven’s first song made with Australian producer Lucy Blomkamp, known for her work in the hyperpop space. “It was really fun to kind of bridge the gap between her taste and my taste, which is a little bit more indie. You can hear the song drop into the indie band section at the end which marries the two worlds.” Haven explains.
This willingness to venture outside of her comfort zone is carrying through into Haven’s next chapter. Currently, she’s putting the finishing touches on her third EP, which she hopes will be her last before she can finally move towards a debut album.
There is already plenty of experimentation happening across the new material, with Haven pushing herself to explore parts of her songwriting and production that she hasn’t previously touched. “I want to try new things, go deeper into what I think maybe makes my songwriting unique, get more specific, more gritty.” Haven says, “I’m trying songs with strings, I’m trying songs with synth sounds that I’ve never used before, trying some really interesting vocal layering and really experimenting in production sessions, which has been so much fun.”
This is a natural progression for an artist in the early stages of their career, but the way that Haven approaches this willingness to explore is a testament to her drive and her desire to constantly get better- it’s what has propelled her to this level in such a short amount of time.
One of the biggest driving forces for Haven is her fans. They’re dedicated, the type to line up early with homemade merch, and they’re incredibly supportive. “The fans I have are just along for anywhere that I take them, which is really nice as an artist. I feel like I can take risks with this kind of fanbase and really show every side of myself without fear that it might not be received well,” Haven says, beaming as she talks about her loyal supporters.
This relationship between Haven and her listeners has been built largely through her live performances. She only played live for the very first time around three years ago, and for the first few years she did it alone, armed with nothing more than her guitar. She recalls that experience as being daunting without a band to fall back on, but that period ended up giving Haven something that has stayed with her as her career has grown. She learnt how to capture and command a room on her own and, more importantly, how to have confidence in herself rather than hiding behind the comfort of a full band.
She’s now graced some pretty big stages, including opening for artists like Daya, DMA’S and Vance Joy, but her biggest career highlight remains much closer to home- her very first headline tour. “It was the first time that I got to experience what it feels like to have an audience, really. To know that they were sold out months before I went on the tour was just crazy.” Haven recalls, “That’s even though they were smaller rooms to what I’ve now done on support shows, but there’s nothing like a room full of your own listeners.”
That connection is particularly important to Haven, which made her performance at Geelong’s Church venue feel like a fitting stop for her. For a city with a growing music scene, having a venue like Church provides a much-needed space for artists and audiences to fully connect in an intimate setting; a massive opportunity for live music fans in Geelong without having to trek into the city.
“I think the old church atmosphere really suits my music and lends itself to what I make and write,” Haven says. “I also feel really passionately about not just playing major city shows… I grew up in a small town called Esperance, which is eight hours out of Perth, and nobody ever came to us except Justice Crew once, I think.”
It is something that has clearly stayed with her over the years. For all the major artists Haven has opened for and the bigger stages she’s played, the feeling of walking into a small room and knowing the people there have come specifically to hear her songs is not lost on her.
From Esperance to sold-out headline shows, Haven is still only at the beginning of what is looking like a pretty exciting career so far. With her third EP almost finished and a debut album potentially on the horizon, there is plenty more to come.
For now, “Wishbone” offers a glimpse at where Haven is heading next.
You can keep up to date with Darcie Haven via Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Spotify and Apple Music
Head to the official website for Geelong’s Church HERE to see what’s on.
