A Star in the Skye
Empire Touring and TEG LIVE have announced their new event series for 2022, Wildflower, a music festival that will bring together some of Australia’s most prized female singer songwriters at some of the country’s most exquisite locations In a celebration of women in music. Wildflower will feature the talents of Missy Higgins, Kate Miller-Heidke, Kasey Chambers, Sarah Blasko, ThornBird (Vikki Thorn of The Waifs), Deborah Conway and Alice Skye in the ultimate show of girl power. We spoke to the winner of the ‘First Peoples Emerging Artist’ award, Alice Skye about being a part of Wildflower and performing with her idols, Equal Opportunity in Music and what she really thinks about managers.
You have been announced as one of the Wildflower Women, one of Australia’s talented ladies heading up the very first Wildflower Festival, are you excited to be a part of this celebration of women in music?
Absolutely. Each of the artists on this lineup were huge inspirations to me (and by this I mean I had their lyrics printed out and stuck on my bedroom walls)
Empire Touring’s General Manager, Isobel Lanesman has said “many festival lineups have an underrepresentation of women. It is a time to celebrate women in Australian music “. Do you believe there is equal opportunity within the industry?
Honestly I struggle with this question because I don’t think it ends at equal opportunity. I think more of once we are there, what is the experience. What’s opportunity ? if our experiences are not the same, and too often, not safe.
“What’s opportunity ? if our experiences are not the same, and too often, not safe. ”
How do you prepare yourself for an event like Wildflower?
After nearly 2 years of very few shows it almost doesn’t feel real. And it has been many months since I was in a rehearsal room with my band! Mentally/emotionally I will not be prepared until I am there watching it happen I imagine. But in the meantime - rehearse rehearse rehearse
What can we expect from your upcoming performance at the celebration of women?
I released an album in July this year just before Melbourne headed back into lockdown so I’m looking forward to playing these songs live - I think they take on different lives and meanings on stage. I miss that part a lot
Apart from your own, which set are you most looking forward to at Wildflower?
Honestly all of them! Missy Higgins was one of my idols growing up and I saw her live about 10 years ago when I was in high school, so I’m so excited to watch from backstage.
If you could collaborate with any artist from the Wildflower line-up, who would it be and why?
Genuinely impossible to pick just one but…..Kasey and Missy as a country trio
The festival will tour the East Coast, hitting the three capitals, including your new hometown of Melbourne, are you excited to be hitting the road with the girls?
VERY excited
What’s the one essential you HAVE to take on the tour?
Face mist
For those that haven’t heard your music before, how do you describe your sound?
I don’t know how!
What do your songs mean to you? Are there any particularly close to your heart?
Their meanings change over time and every song is different. Sometimes I don’t remember exactly what I wrote about and I relate to it how I am now. All of them are personal stories but Hot Car is especially close to my heart, in a way that I don’t think the story is for sharing but I’m glad that the song can be. All of my songs are written for some kind of release
How did you get your start in music?
We had a beautiful piano in our house that my older sister would play so I started getting lessons around 5. Missy Higgins definitely was a huge inspiration to me, being piano led and writing so emotionally. The same sister when I was about 19 sent me a call out for CAAMA’s Alukura Songwriting Competition which then flew me to Alice Springs to record my first single and eventually my first album ‘Friends with Feelings’. I guess I just haven’t stopped since then
How involved are you in the making of your music? Do you play a part in the production side, or do you just write and perform the lyrics and music?
I mostly focus on writing lyrics and music. The production side to me really feels like a combination of people and ideas and magic and that’s such an exciting part of it
“It’s hard to celebrate yourself and stop to take note of your achievements”
You have won a string of awards in your musical career so far, is there one that is particularly important or you're especially proud of?
Not particularly. It’s hard to celebrate yourself and stop to take note of your achievements so I appreciate them all for helping me do that.
Who do you credit as your musical influences?
As I have said…. Missy Higgins, The Cranberries and more recently Mitski
Where was your first gig? Was it a success or flop?
I think it was at A Whole Lotta Love in Brunswick. We made 10 bucks between the three of us and spent it immediately
What’s been the highlight in your career so far personally? And why?
During the lockdowns I’ve been thinking a lot about performing and travelling with Midnight Oil at the beginning of 2021. Amazing that they were able to safely pull that off. I think I get through big gigs like that by tapping into some level of dissociation *laughs* so it can take a while for the experience to really sink in. Now I look back and know I’ll never forget how it felt to be on stage with them singing ‘Beds are Burning’ and watching their fans scream the lyrics back.
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 manager Carolyn Logan. We met when I first started playing shows in Melbourne and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I learn so much from her and our time working together. I think managers in general are amazing and so hardworking in ways that I just don’t have the brain for. So shout out to all managers looking after their artists
As well as Wildflower, what can we expect from you with 2022 approaching?
Lots of shows that will hopefully go ahead!!! Including our belated album tour for ‘I Feel Better but I Don’t Feel Good’.
Interview by Michelle Symes
December 2021