Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Win a Recording Session at Sing Sing East Studio

Every musician knows recording time is expensive. So what if you didn’t have to pay to lay your latest tunes down? Box Hill Institute and Sing Sing East Studio are giving you the opportunity to enjoy free studio time with their latest competition.

Sing Sing East is a world-class studio which has hosted musical royalty. Just imagine recording in the same space as Paul Kelly, Nick Cave and the Badseeds, INXS, Missy Higgins, Temper Trap, Crowded House, Powderfinger, Lady Gaga, and Kiss, to name but a few! If you’re one of the lucky winners, you’ll get a two-day recording package in the studio, including the use of an engineer to make your tunes sound their best. The package is worth $2,400, so it’s nothing to sneeze at!

Visit the Box Hill Institute’s website or Facebook page to submit your entry by 11:59 pm on September 19 and you could be a winner. There’ll then be a People’s Vote, based on the highest number of YouTube views, and a Judges’ Award, selected by a panel of industry experts. Winners will be announced on Monday October 21.

Image used with permission from This Much Talent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Essie Holt Releases Brand New Bop, “Last One”

Melbourne songstress Essie Holt has unveiling her sparkling new indie-pop single “Last One.” The personal track will win you over with its powerful lyrics and danceable melody. While it’s got a great upbeat pop feel, Essie says the writing process was her way of exorcising demons about a difficult time in her life.

“’Last One’ was written recently about a pretty dark place I got myself into a couple of years ago,” she explained. “I was partying hard and living this fantasy life. I couldn’t see that I was sacrificing a lot of people who were close to me. It’s about realising who is important. The writing process was really organic. We sat down at the piano in the studio and the song came out quite fast. It’s taken me a while to find a place where I feel like I’m being genuine and real in my writing, and these new songs are completely me. They’re bold and quirky and take the approach of what feels good, not necessarily what’s technically correct.”

Essie is set to wow crowds at some summer festivals before the end of the year. Catch her at Newcastle’s This That on November 9 or Perth’s Ice Cream Factory Festival on December 28.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Company

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

BOI Releases Empowering New Track, “Sick of Loving You”

Newcastle artist BOI speaks for all those women scorned with her new girl power anthem “Sick of Loving You.” This super-catchy track is the perfect song to blast when you’re ready to move on from a relationship that’s just not right.

BOI knows a thing or two about moving on and taking charge. Growing up she was told to act more like a girl. Her moniker is her effort to reclaim those insults and embrace her identity.

BOI has appeared at Splendour in the Grass, featured on an LDRU track, and worked with heavy-hitters like Alex Lahey, The Chainsmokers, and Godlands. If she keeps producing music that’s this irresistible, no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of her.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Asha Jefferies Shows New Grown-Up Sound With “Bad Kisser”

“Bad Kisser” is a coming-of-age charmer from Brisbane’s own Asha Jefferies. It’s what I imagine a good teen movie might sound like, a John Hughes flick set to music if you will. There’s angst and pain, but also an optimism that this will get better.

“I wrote it about an extremely euphoric and tragic moment involving a festival; lust, longing, intoxication & one ultra-big insult,” Asha reflected. “It takes a bit of growing up to realise not every interaction you have with a stranger you like and meet will be romantic.”
The introspective track is a bit of a new sound from Asha, but one that shows incredible growth from her debut EP.

“After the satisfaction of releasing my first debut EP and first headline tour, I took an enduring time and effort away to re-discover myself – grow up as a person, not just developing as an artist,” she explained. “I’ve created a new sound and direction, in ode to the many things I did experience in the months I had off and in the movement of growing up.”

Get to know the new and improved Asha when she plays shows in the East Coast capitals in the coming months.
21 September 2019 – Low 302, Sydney
28 September 2019 – Brisbane Festival @ Riverstage, Brisbane (supporting City & Colour)
4 October 2019 – Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne
26 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Habit Music Company

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bec Sandridge Strikes Gold Again With “Stranger”

As if the release of her last stellar single “Eyes Wide Shut” wasn’t enough to convince you to buy tickets for her upcoming shows, Wollongong’s own Bec Sandridge has sweetened the deal with a brand new banger, “Stranger.”

It’s got such an approachable pop sound, but some really deep themes bubbling just beneath the surface. It asks the big questions about whether we can ever really know someone, and even if we can ever really know ourselves.

“’Stranger’ is the proudest I’ve been of any song to date. It’s the most honest I’ve been with myself and others,” Bec said. “At the time I was struggling with image dysmorphia and unable to manage the anxiety that came along with that. I was lucky enough to marry the track with the visuals of diva/director/drag king Tanzer which helped me make sense of a lot of things. I felt it was the first time someone has been able to capture who I am holistically – the ugly, the unhinged, the raucous. I was forced to be comfortable in vulnerability – having a leaf blower on my face certainly helped!”

I really feel like Bec is making some of the best music of her career right now, so I can’t wait to hear her debut album Try + Save Me, which gets released on October 4. Remember, Bec is playing shows all over the country in October. Catch her at the following venues.

4 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane
5 October 2019 – The Northern, Byron Bay (FREE ENTRY)
12 October 2019 – Hobart Brewing Company, Hobart
18 October 2019 – Cats @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide
19 October 2019 – Howler, Melbourne
25 October 2019 – Lansdowne, Sydney
26 October 2019 – UC Hub, Canberra
8 November 2019 – UniBar, Wollongong

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

River Lane Impresses With “Ghost of a Girl”

River Lane has come a long way since becoming the first busker in the history of Mannum, in regional South Australia. A former tradie and competitive water skier, River has just released her new single “Ghost of a Girl.”

It’s a gorgeous song that’s already earned airplay on Double J and Triple J. I love the haunting tone of River’s voice and the subtle dramatic world she creates. It’s one of those songs that makes you stop for a moment and just soak it all in.

“’Ghost of a Girl’ to me is about growing up and leaving my innocence behind,” River explained. “It’s about accepting who I am now and the decisions I have made whether right or wrong but never forgetting where I’ve come from.”

“Ghost of a Girl” comes from River’s forthcoming sophomore EP.

Image used with permission from The Right Profile

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Telescreen Release New Indie-Pop Banger, “Growing Pains”

Start your week right with “Growing Pains,” an indie pop pleaser from Melbourne band Telescreen. The track reminds us of the importance of letting life take its course.

“Sometimes you can find yourself in this kind of neutral zone where you’re letting life direct you where to go. You feel like you’re having no influence on the next phase of your existence, like you’re mindlessly living day to day,” explained Telescreen front man Nic. “’Growing Pains expresses how it’s okay to take a hands-off approach and allow things to come to you – you can’t always be reaching out for the next big step.”

“Growing Pains” comes from Telescreen’s forthcoming debut EP, which drops on September 26. Victorians can hear tracks from this EP first at the following shows. Hopefully it won’t be too long before they announce some shows outside their home state.

28 August 2019 – The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood (with ZUMA)
13 September 2019 – Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne (with Chela)

Image used with permission from Habit Music Company

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sannia Delivers With Double A-Side Single

What’s better than one incredible new song by Melbourne singer-songwriter Sannia? Two incredible new songs! That’s just what she serves up with her new double A-side single “Daylight + Better.”

I’ve had these songs on high rotation and I honestly can’t split them. Both showcase Sannia’s powerhouse vocals and equally affecting lyrics.

Sannia wrote “Daylight” on the way home from a big night with friends.

“I sort of had this weird semi-inebriated epiphany that I was head over heels for someone close to me, and in that same moment I realised he absolutely didn’t feel the same at all,” she recalled. “Like two ships passing in the night, or maybe a ship and a rowboat in my case.”

“Better” picks up after the dust settles, with Sannia determined to rebuild and move forward.

“I decided to release these two together because I feel like they’re one and the same, not just in terms of their production or both videos being centred around dance and movement, but the two songs were really two different responses to the same situation,” Sannia explained. “’Daylight’ was the initial, really vulnerable call out and ‘Better’ was the more defiant and explosive response.”

Sannia will play two shows to launch the single next month. Catch her at the following venues.

12 September 2019 – Workers Club, Fitzroy (18+)
14 September – Golden Age Cinema, Newtown (ALL AGES FREE)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

KG Gets it Right With “Doin’ Me”

Canberra-based rapper KG waxes lyrical about the importance of self-acceptance and following your own path in his latest single “Doin’ Me.” The track makes a powerful statement with a healthy dose of humour. It also sees KG teaming up with Melbourne’s Françoistunes, who adds an extra layer to this stellar release, and his long-time collaborator and producer Taka Perry.

“‘Doin’ Me’ is a venture into a new sound and style of hip-hop. Working in the studio for a year with Taka Perry has been an amazing time and I developed so much as an artist, finding my unique sound. We really tried to find the right mix of lyricism and music. One day we just hopped into the studio and discussed some concepts then was like, ‘You know what? Who cares, let’s just do us and do what we do best.’ – ‘Doin’ Me’ was born.” KG

With a new EP in the works, it’s the perfect time for KG to get out amongst the people and bring them some new tunes. You can catch KG all over the country from October to December.

11 October 2019 – Happy Yess, Darwin
25 October 2019 – The Lair, Sydney
8 November 2019 – The Jack (Boiler Room), Cairns
15 November 2019 – Studio 188, Ipswich
16 November 2019 – The Milk Factory, Brisbane
29 November 2019 – The Aardvark, Fremantle
30 November 2019 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River (FREE)
1 December 2019 – Indi Bar, Perth
14 December 2019 – Workers Club, Melbourne

Image used with Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sally Sa Shines On “Hourglass”

Sassy Sally Sa’s latest single “Hourglass” is an exciting blend of jazz, ska, and soul. I can definitely hear the influence of some of Sally’s musical heroes, including Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse, in this unique tune. The vocals are on point and the groove is the perfect thing to take you into your weekend.

“This track is about becoming everything we want to be, which seems to be a theme amongst songs of mine at the moment,” Sally explained. “The world has a funny way of putting us in the boxes that suits others perspective of us! Even down to how this song came about. It makes sense that I sing jazz right and this song was originally written to a Swing beat, but as we played with it (especially live) it developed into this beautiful reflection of SKA, which clearly has a big piece of my soul.”

Sally has spent the last 15 years playing shows around the country, including events for non-profit groups. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see this local talent back in front of audiences.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music