Tell us about your new single/ album/ tour?
I just released a new single Mary-Anne. The song is about how you don’t always know where the road is leading and sometimes things happen that are totally out of your control but you just keep going. I wrote it to turn a feeling of struggle into a feeling of revelling in the fight. The song was produced by my very talented friend Joshua Barber (Gotye, Archie Roach). Jonathan Dreyfus arranged the strings, Nicholas Lam and Josh mixed and Lachlan Carrick Mastered the track. My friend Tim Kling suggested we go on a road trip to Lake Pedder in Tasmania’s South West and this inspired us to make the film clip.
What’s your favourite work at this point in time?
For me saying that one song is more of a favourite is like saying that my best friend is my favourite over my lover or my brother. I have different relationships to all the songs and I love them all. I absolutely adore Mary-Anne and Bike, the two songs I’ve released so far, and I have a bunch of others that I’m excited to release soon.
How would you describe your sound in food form and why?
My sound is like a lush garden in summer and you’re walking through and discovering fresh, crisp greens and the sweetest berries and fruits.
Tell us a quick, on the road or studio, anecdote.
I grew a lot over the process of recording with Josh. I have always had lot of confidence in my song writing but I’ve only just started feeling solid in my voice (these single launch shows I just played are the first shows where I didn’t feel nervous about singing). When I flew over to Melbourne to record the vocals I was feeling terrified and after the first day in the studio I was such a mess I sent Josh a text message at midnight saying that I was going to book a flight home. He messaged right back something like, “No worries, but just come into the studio tomorrow and let’s make a plan and then book your flight”. I went in the next day and he tricked me into getting into the vocal booth and we were all sweet after that. When I look back, it’s so ridiculous.
What, or who, inspires you?
I live in Launceston and just down the road from my house is a place called the Gorge. It’s a sunken volcano with forested mountains all around and a fresh water river flows through. When I’m home I go walking there almost every day and while I walk I reflect and listen to music and get really excited about ideas for new songs. In summer we all swim there and get under the waterfalls.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Joshua Barber’s Chimes. It’s genius: https://soundcloud.com/joshbarber-1
What’s next for you?
I just finished a 5 single launch shows with Ben Salter in my home state of Tasmania and I have two shows coming up on the mainland. This is my first East Coast tour and we’ll be playing at Open Studio in Melbourne on November 30th with Daniel Trakell and Tash Parker and at Gasoline Pony in Sydney on December 7th with James Kenyon.
What’s your scene?
My scene right now is pretty well summed up by my new single Mary-Anne and in my first track Bike. I hope you enjoy the music!
Emma Anglesey’s second single Mary-Anne was officially released Friday November 11th. “Pulsing strings and light syncopation open “Mary-Anne”, a song that flourishes in its delicacy but is punctured with grit” (Rolling Stone Australia). On the writing of the song itself Emma said, “It’s an emotional pain killer and I wrote it to turn a feeling of struggle into a feeling of revelling in the fight”. To accompany the track, Emma in collaboration with Tim Kling (Sarah Blasko, Chase City), produced a stunning clip that embraces the wildness of the Tasmanian landscape.
Mary-Anne was produced by Joshua Barber (Goyte, Archie Roach). Of working with Emma, Joshua said “I met Emma at a small folk festival in Tasmania and she was one of the stand-out writers I heard there so I told her I’d love to work with her. Emma’s songs are thematically articulate, with visual and almost tactile lyrics that I really enjoyed working to and selecting sounds that build towards these emotional environments.” Award winning composer Jonathan Dreyfus arranged strings for the track Mary-Anne and it was mastered by Lachlan Carrick (Goyte, Lior).
2016 has seen Emma as a festival favourite in Tasmania and she’s played at A festival called Panama, a featured show at Festival of Voices and at DARK MOFO.
