VASSY is TUFF stuff
The Multi-platinum Australian singer-songwriter VASSY is well known for her global hits: ‘Bad’ & ‘Secrets,’ with Dance Music icons, David Guetta & Tiësto. With the singles earning her multiple number #1s in over 30 countries, 17 platinum certifications and over 2 billion streams, the Darwin Native can expect those statistics to soar with the release of her new hit TUFF and fistful of remixes on the 29th of April. We had a chat to VASSY about being home, TUFF and her festival future.
For those that haven’t heard your music before , how would you describe the VASSY sound to people?
Soulful and emotive yet bright :-) Heartfelt lyrics with an uplifting nature and authentic
Your new track 'TUFF' is out on the 29th of April, What can fans expect from the new release?
Dope Mixes from some of the best Aussie dance acts like, Random Soul, Rubber People, Kondo and Mind Electric....there is a mix in there that appeals to all tastes and will definitely get you up and dancing!!
“That Rejections are simply just Re-directions”
What does the song mean to you?
TUFF - It’s about persevering when things get hard, not giving up and sticking it out till the end... That Rejections are simply just Re-directions and if you just hang in there sometimes when you get to the other end of the struggle you can be rewarded.
TUFF has four remixes already in the bank. Will they be released at the same time as the original?
Yes it's an all in one EP, a one stop if you like :) AN eclectic mix of cool vibes that will make you want to dance, motivate you to go to the gym or inspire you to sit back and chill.
How do you decide which remixes are going to make it to be released, and which ones will be shelved?
Ahh that's a hard one, I love them all and want them all LOL Sometimes other people make that decision for me LOL. When they don't pick them to be part of the release and campaign and then I have to go back and deliver the bad news which sux but most people understand and you keep it moving and work on new things.
Can we expect an album out soon, or will you be sticking to single releases for the time being?
An Album would be nice at the right time, I will do one...I think nowadays it's really about the song and all these different collaborations especially in the dance genre that's why singles tend to be a popular way of releasing...
How do you find recording overseas? Is there much difference to how things are done, compared to here in Australia?
Yes, a little bit, people in America are definitely much more aggressive. Australians are way more laid-back I noticed that. But I also like a lot about the Australian vibe, everyone is a straight shooter here, it's fun!!
You have come home to Australia for six months, was this for professional reasons, personal or both?
Yes, a little bit of both. I've been away for a long time, and my career has been based in America. I want to start opening up new opportunities, and nurturing new relationships locally in Australia. Releasing this EP is the beginning of many new projects I will be doing in Australia, with an all Aussie line up and Aussie team.. It's about re-introducing myself back home. Working with local artists to give it a local narrative. Australia is its own territory, very different to what's happening in America. The music scene here is fresh and I'm really excited about this new chapter.
Plus I'm booked to do some shows next month, and on top of that I decided to get married here in Australia :-). I would eventually like to move back here. I think Australia is a fantastic country good quality of life and there's lots of amazing talent and great things happening in the Music Industry. It’s been great reconnecting with the Music community again. I'm at a place in my career where I can do this, so I will be going back and forth between Los Angeles and Australia with the Internet now you can do anything!!
“When we did Tomorrowland Belgium in front of 400,000 people ...it was crazy every single person was singing along to our song”
VASSY, you have been included on the lineups of festivals Tomorrowland, Electric Zoo and OZ's own Stereosonic. Do you enjoy playing festivals and being a part of that scene and atmosphere?
Yes I love doing festivals, they are so much fun. The energy is incredible. You literally have a couple hundred thousand people all in one place coming from all over the world celebrating as one through Music. Connecting all under the one umbrella, Music being the universal language. The energy is insane, people are just wanting to have a good time and they literally Live for the music. I had the opportunity to perform at the biggest music festivals around the world with Tiësto. When we did Tomorrowland Belgium in front of 400,000 people ...it was crazy every single person was singing along to our song. It was wild and sensorial. When I performed my double platinum record BAD at Ultra Music Festival in Miami it was the most euphoric moment, simply because the crowd just takes over and they sing the song for you lol. To think I wrote this and now the world is singing along to it, enjoying and celebrating life together as one because of my song.... It puts a smile on my face.
Do you find that festivals present your music to new fans, including people who haven’t heard you before?
Yes 1000% because you have people from all over the world drawn to one place for the same purpose to have fun and listen to music. Everyone goes to the festivals for the music. So naturally you're being exposed to new fans. I love getting all the messages after the shows from random fans saying they saw me perform, and they have been a fan of my music for years and now finally got to see me perform live.
Are there any plans to return to the festival circuit anytime soon?
Yes I’m actually doing a couple next month :-) here in Australia .
“You see I wasn’t a follower, I was a leader so I couldn’t follow the choir and sing along. I had to create my own melodies”
You’re a Darwin girl, not exactly the first place you think of when you say music or glamour, so how did you get your start in music?
I always wanted to do music. I knew from a very young age. I was kicked out of school choir and told I don't have what it takes. And then many years later I have a number one song on national radio around the country in Australia, and then move to America and become a multi platinum award winning recording artist. It just goes to show you no matter where you're from, even if you're not raised in a big city or around Music, if it's your calling to be an artist and you work hard for it you can make it happen. You see Instinctively in that moment of being told I don’t belong in the school choir...I knew I was an artist.. It was the best rejection I could have had.
It redirected me to following my own path. You see I wasn't a follower, I was a leader so I couldn't follow the choir and sing along. I had to create my own melodies, create my own art hence become an Artist :-) Although growing up in Darwin did not make it easy as it's a small place and there was not much opportunity. But if there's one thing I've learned about the music business is you have to create your own opportunity it's up to you to manifest your dreams
What or who or where inspires you musically?
My inspiration comes from real life. Most of my songs are all written about things that I have experienced or want to experience. It can be about anything I'm going through in life, sometimes the darker times in life can be inspiration for my songs, and have been. And then the happy moments in life have inspired my songwriting.
Typically I have to be in the studio. I kind of have to be in a vibe, I'm not very disciplined to just do it around the house. I have to sort of lock myself up in a studio and say okay this is what we're doing now, and I become laser focused and only then do I deliver. Ha Ha I'm like that teenage kid that doesn't study before the test and does it all the night before.... It's about crunch time!!
You have worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including, David Guetta, Afrojack & Tiesto. Is there anyone else you still dream of working with, who would be your ultimate Collab Partner?
Umm yes Calvin Harris, Joel Corry...man there are sooooo many
Your music has been used in advertising campaigns by a range of high profile global brands , do you ever have to pinch yourself when you hear your masterpieces advertising such brands as Victoria's Secret, Nike & Pepsi?
Yeah sometimes I think the best one was when my song was used in the movie trailer for the Oscar winning Disney film ‘FROZEN’ I did not realise how huge that film was. I was literally getting texts from all over the world from friends saying they are at the movies watching the film and hearing my song or they saw the advertisement for it or the trailer for it . It was wild and then the film won an Oscar Award so technically I can say I'm an Oscar winning artist ???? Lol
What’s been the highlight in your career so far personally? And why?
Going multi - double platinum with two of my records; BAD with Guetta and SECRETS with Tiesto... this was a huge accomplishment for me as it's a very difficult thing to achieve because we went double platinum worldwide not in just one territory. I also officially joined the BILLIONS CLUB list... I was awarded by APRA last year and as an APRA ambassador it was an honour. It's a niche club to be part of, a very elite one because only a handful of people have had songs that have had over 1 billion streams and mine has had 2 billion streams for that one record BAD I wrote, and am the artist on with David Guetta. I also remember winning a couple of IDMA Awards at the Dance Music Awards in Miami and Ultra Music Festival that was really awesome. I also got flown to Mexico to accept an award for best vocalist in EDM and I was up against some pretty big names.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
My fans, they keep my world turning. They love me no matter what and always have my back. They let me be me and accept me for who I am . A big shout out to Bossome.
What's planned for the rest of 2022 for VASSY? What can we look forward to?
Lots of new music and shows...This year I will be doing lots of different music projects plus launching my new VASSY merchandise and my new digital collectible NFT
