It's been a long time coming, about a year and 4 months long, but I
think it's about time I put fingers to keys and write this post. It was
in November 2015 that I begrudgingly returned home to England after two
adventure filled years in Australia. Going to Australia was probably the
best thing I've ever done, and I would recommend anyone under the age
of 30 to go grab the Working Holiday visa and fly out there asap.
Settling back hasn't been easy, mostly on the work front, but I always
love reminiscing over the many brilliant memories I made there and do hope to return at some point in the future.
You may struggle to think of some big current international music stars from Down Under past the likes of Kylie Minogue, AC/DC, Flume and chart hit maker Sia, but there is actually 'heaps' of musical talent to be found on the streets, in the live music venues and on stage at the music festivals. Getting to know who was who on the Australian music scene was something I enjoyed on a daily basis and I am very pleased to have formed an interest in a whole host of Australian artists. I even got to meet some as an Artist Liaison at Groovin The Moo in 2015 which was an amazing experience.
When it comes to musicians on the street, many you have probably passed without much care and quickly placed them into the 'just another singer/songwriter with a guitar' category. But every now and then a certain unique sound will instantly catch your attention. The performance they give enthrals you and you are enticed to hear all they have to offer.
This post is part one of three, showcasing such artists I was lucky to see busking on the streets in Australia and where their careers have taken them since.
Tash Sultana
www.tashsultana.com
As they say though, true talent will always rise to the top. I think it's important to add that it's the true talent that works the hardest that will rise to the top, and I think it's fair to say that the countless hours Tash Sultana spends crafting her skill has lead to the mass of sold out international shows she's able to achieve today.
It was at just three years old when Tash was given her first guitar from her grandfather but instead of joining the music classes in school she chose to do things her own way and went on to self teach herself several different instruments. Now at the age of 21 she is adept in over ten of them with an exciting live set that can feature anything from intense guitar solos, harmonica, trumpet, panpipes, beatboxing and hynotic looped beats throughout. Word really started spreading about Tash in the spring last year after she uploaded to YouTube and Facebook a series of home videos of her performing her own material. One such video of her performing 'Jungle' was shared by a page called 'Young Black n Deadly' and quickly went viral racking up 7.2 million views.
I first came across Tash performing on Bourke Street, located in the heart of Melbourne city, in 2015 and would regularly see an impressive crowd of people listening intently to her unique sound. To me she really is a unique artist. I mean I've seen elements of what she can do before but I've never seen someone put it all together and pull it off with such effortless style.
She describes her sound as 'alternative roots reggae folk' and it's understandable how her greatest musical inspiration is the experimental Erykah Badu. Her guitar play is breathtakingly good, she has a knack for extraordinary rhythmic percussion and the soothing wails in her vocals raise you up to an other-worldly place of serenity. Like all the best musicians they have a story to tell and you can tell she is someone that has lived through a lot things both good and bad. Everything about her music screams an expression of cathartic release. As I'm sure any fan will agree, you can feel all the emotion she conveys through her music and it hits you full force, as you are flooded with intrically crafted sounds of all proportions. Tash is also someone who strongly stands up for what she believes in and I find that inspiring. The music industry is incredibly hard and after 7 years I'm still trying to crack it but with honest words like this you can completely relate. Never stop believing in your dreams and keep working hard.
2016 was definitely a year that Tash will never forget. Her first EP 'Notion' topped the iTunes chart in Australia, went to #8 on the ARIA album chart and won her a Triple J award for 'Unearthed Artist of the Year'. That then bring us up to date in 2017 when the Tash Sultana viral buzz shows no sign of stopping. She found herself performing on the Laneway Festival lineup across her home country at the start of the year, 'Jungle' placed at number 3 on Triple J's fan voted 'Hot 100 for 2016', and live shows continue to sell out all over the world.
I mean, this was the same stage I saw Vance Joy, followed by Chvrches, followed by Haim, followed by Lorde in 2014.
It's a big deal!
You may struggle to think of some big current international music stars from Down Under past the likes of Kylie Minogue, AC/DC, Flume and chart hit maker Sia, but there is actually 'heaps' of musical talent to be found on the streets, in the live music venues and on stage at the music festivals. Getting to know who was who on the Australian music scene was something I enjoyed on a daily basis and I am very pleased to have formed an interest in a whole host of Australian artists. I even got to meet some as an Artist Liaison at Groovin The Moo in 2015 which was an amazing experience.
When it comes to musicians on the street, many you have probably passed without much care and quickly placed them into the 'just another singer/songwriter with a guitar' category. But every now and then a certain unique sound will instantly catch your attention. The performance they give enthrals you and you are enticed to hear all they have to offer.
This post is part one of three, showcasing such artists I was lucky to see busking on the streets in Australia and where their careers have taken them since.
Tash Sultana
www.tashsultana.com
This corner of Bourke Street will always belong to Tash Sultana in my eyes.
It's crazy to think how far a musician can go in just a couple of years.
As they say though, true talent will always rise to the top. I think it's important to add that it's the true talent that works the hardest that will rise to the top, and I think it's fair to say that the countless hours Tash Sultana spends crafting her skill has lead to the mass of sold out international shows she's able to achieve today.
It was at just three years old when Tash was given her first guitar from her grandfather but instead of joining the music classes in school she chose to do things her own way and went on to self teach herself several different instruments. Now at the age of 21 she is adept in over ten of them with an exciting live set that can feature anything from intense guitar solos, harmonica, trumpet, panpipes, beatboxing and hynotic looped beats throughout. Word really started spreading about Tash in the spring last year after she uploaded to YouTube and Facebook a series of home videos of her performing her own material. One such video of her performing 'Jungle' was shared by a page called 'Young Black n Deadly' and quickly went viral racking up 7.2 million views.
I first came across Tash performing on Bourke Street, located in the heart of Melbourne city, in 2015 and would regularly see an impressive crowd of people listening intently to her unique sound. To me she really is a unique artist. I mean I've seen elements of what she can do before but I've never seen someone put it all together and pull it off with such effortless style.
She describes her sound as 'alternative roots reggae folk' and it's understandable how her greatest musical inspiration is the experimental Erykah Badu. Her guitar play is breathtakingly good, she has a knack for extraordinary rhythmic percussion and the soothing wails in her vocals raise you up to an other-worldly place of serenity. Like all the best musicians they have a story to tell and you can tell she is someone that has lived through a lot things both good and bad. Everything about her music screams an expression of cathartic release. As I'm sure any fan will agree, you can feel all the emotion she conveys through her music and it hits you full force, as you are flooded with intrically crafted sounds of all proportions. Tash is also someone who strongly stands up for what she believes in and I find that inspiring. The music industry is incredibly hard and after 7 years I'm still trying to crack it but with honest words like this you can completely relate. Never stop believing in your dreams and keep working hard.
2016 was definitely a year that Tash will never forget. Her first EP 'Notion' topped the iTunes chart in Australia, went to #8 on the ARIA album chart and won her a Triple J award for 'Unearthed Artist of the Year'. That then bring us up to date in 2017 when the Tash Sultana viral buzz shows no sign of stopping. She found herself performing on the Laneway Festival lineup across her home country at the start of the year, 'Jungle' placed at number 3 on Triple J's fan voted 'Hot 100 for 2016', and live shows continue to sell out all over the world.
Catch her as soon as you can, this girl is really going places, fast! I for one will be front row for her show at The Opera House in Toronto in September. See you there.
I mean, this was the same stage I saw Vance Joy, followed by Chvrches, followed by Haim, followed by Lorde in 2014.
It's a big deal!
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