This is a really interesting question. I started performing so young. My older sister went to a music school and I do remember playing in a couple of her school live band concerts when I was 14 and 15 years old. I had always been around music as both my parents were musically and creatively inclined. So it was never a question of ‘when’ music became my focus. I have memories sitting around the piano singing show tunes with my dad as a kid…and also my mum taking my sister and I to see musicals like Hair and 42nd Street, along with sharing video concerts of Isle of Wight and Woodstock. Music became my focus ‘when’ I was born haha.

As a professional, I started to earn money playing acoustic cafes and clubs when I was 16. I was still in High School and was experiencing smoky clubs as a minor. It was a very defined clash of worlds. I remembered feeling very isolated as a teenager as I couldn’t relate to people my own age as well as adults. In my mind I was already out of school and working as an adult. I feel like I had a long apprenticeship as a teenager that just evolved into where I am now. That was my training. I can’t read or write music, but I have near perfect pitch and my ear for keys, inversions and timing were learnt over many years of live gigs. I learned songs by Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis, the Beatles, Dusty Springfield etc… So my knowledge of songwriting was learnt from this type of practice. I played acoustic (self taught) and graduated into cover bands, corporate bands and so forth. I could NEVER have predicted I would end up where I am now, but if I had started later in life, or trained as a musician I honestly don’t think I would have landed here.

I have extremely humble beginnings and I am so grateful for all experiences I have had.

As I spent my early years playing in clubs and pubs, I also started writing songs. The more songs I learned from other artists, the more theory and melodic understanding I gained. Playing other people’s music taught me about the type of songwriter I wanted to be. I am a recording artist because I am a songwriter with something to say. That’s my drive. Music for most people is an escape from reality or a tool of empathy. It’s extremely powerful. And songwriters like McCartney and Carole King showed me that the song comes first. Other people can cover a song and bring a whole new meaning to it with a unique performance like Aretha with “Natural Woman” (written by Carole King), or Joe Cocker singing “With a little help from my friends” (written by Lennon/McCartney). a great vocal interpretation can be such a powerful thing. But it starts with the song.

Many people know my origin story. But I started writing songs for myself, Australian Idol stars and dance and pop artists in Europe. My passion was always with great organic songs. Sheryl Crow was a big early inspiration for me as she sang, wrote, played instruments…and I thought that’s how I want to be. So I grew up listening to Janis, Jimi and Stevie Wonder, but I saw a clearer path when artists like Sheryl and Tori Amos came along. I started reading liner notes. “Why do I love this music and these songs?” …”why do I love the way this record sounds over that one?”. Then I stumbled across some producers that kept popping up. This is where my current producer comes into the picture. Howard Willing was and engineer on “The Globe Sessions” for Sheryl. “August and everything after” for Counting Crows, “On How Life Is” by Macy Gray. He had a through line with all of these eclectic artists. So I listed his name along with a couple of others on my website. And there was only 2 degrees of separation as he reached out to me via email about coming to Los Angeles to record.

Skip all the red tape and planning parts….I went and recorded twice and knew I had to move there. Soon after moving Howard had me in the studio recording and touring with Glen Campbell. I was playing live shows, opened up for America the band and then my debut EP “Lost Inside a moment” received national radio play on BBC Radio 2 in the UK. Huge for an indie artist. Like… it never happens. Smashing Pumpkins came into the picture soon after that. Howard had a decades long relationship with the band and Billy Corgan asked me to open up a show for him. Everything shifted gears after that.

Right now, I have a new single out oct 14 called “one more time”.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EJNvxvp4Qbk

One words sums this up… pandemic. Live touring came to screeching halt. I had moved to Nashville end of 2015 and was performing live. I toured with the Smashing Pumpkins in 2015 and 2016 then an arena tour in 2018. In 2019 Smashing Pumpkins played a European tour and there was also a solo Billy Corgan tour where I opened up those shows. Then came back to North America to do a tour with Noel Gallagher. We covered 19 countries that year. I had released an EP in 2018 and was really seeing career momentum. I sort of live this double career life where I am a songwriter/artist and also a touring musician with one of the most iconic rock bands in the world. I have fans on both sides of the fence. It’s really a unique spot to be in.

That said, at the start 2020 Pumpkins were working a new album “Cyr”. I was asked to do the background vocal arrangements and also sing on the album too. It was 20 songs. Yup that big. So we tracked all those background with myself and additional vocalist Sierra Swan. A stadium tour was just announced with Smashing Pumpkins and Guns N Roses for july….. OMG.

Then that 3 syllable word happened….pandemic.

Everything shut down so quickly in Feb, and by March I played my last show on the 13th and everything else was canceled or postponed – including this stadium tour. I sat back and watched all my musician friends scramble to make sense of their careers and many were quick to go live on Facebook or Instagram to re-engage audiences and share music. I was unimpressed with the randomness I saw and I am a stickler for good sound when watching or performing a live show. So I poked around the internet til I found a site called Stage It So I started playing concerts every month I themed them. So one show might be Motown, 60’s, movie songs, 70’s, ladies of song, halloween..you get it. People made requests, used the chat room function during performances. You can tip the performer. It felt like a concert. And provided an experience for those who desperately missed good quality live music. I have continued those concerts up to date. Playing them less frequently… but I made a real connection with many fans during the first year of the pandemic through live-streaming!!

I also launched a successful kickstarter in 2021 as if I couldn’t tour, I could sure write songs and record them. That EP is due out 2023. And all crowdfunding is with much gratitude to fans and friends. I couldn’t make this music without you xox

I think you have to be authentic. First and foremost. You, the creator are responsible for what you write and also responsible for who you are publicly. There can be a difference between the artist (public) and the person (private), but social media is your opportunity to draw the line of what you want to share. What happens behind the scenes? What does recording look like? What is touring like? I like to share a lot about my music experiences. Where I am when touring and what I see. Landmarks. Backstage. I think of it like I’m showing a friend how I live in that world. And it’s very different to my regular non-touring life. There are tour buses, fancy hotels, hours of rehearsals, broken sleep, late nights, early mornings. I try to share the best of those experiences. As I think it’s nice to see what the “dream” looks like. I choose to share some personal things when it’s appropriate, but still I am a private person.