1.Growing Up
I’m the youngest of seven and we’ve all played something. My dad is a saxophonist; I grew up playing trumpet with him, mostly jazz standards. He pretty much taught me everything I knew about music theory, improv and feel, et cetera, until I studied music formally. I’ve been singing as long as I remember; my musical experience growing up was such a melting pot of what my siblings were listening to, my parents’ records, Top 40, school productions, jazz standards… which is why I have a really broad spectrum of influences today.
2.Inspirations
My favourite artists are always changing. Right now I’m loving Hozier, Jane Tyrrell, Sevdaliza and Blood Orange. Some long-standing favourites are Kimbra, Lana Del Rey, Jessie Ware and Missy Higgins. I heard Missy’s first EP when I just started high school – she saw me through my high school years and beyond!
3.Your Band
In my band I have Nathan Woodward on the drums, he was actually in my brother’s year a few years above me at school. Nath’s been working with me from day one in terms of anything Anna O, and until very recently the third member of my band was a friend of mine, Simeon Nelson, but he just got a kick-arse job as a musical director so I’m the middle of a transition with my band.
4.The Music You Make
My first EP When The Winter Came is a collection of electronic indie-pop tunes, and my upcoming release follows in the same vein but with a slightly more downtempo electronic vibe – like James Blake and Jessie Ware had a musical baby. We stick close to the recorded sound for the live show with electronic beat samples, synth sounds and having all my vocal layers on a track. People comment that the live sound is bigger than my recordings, especially vocally.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
I live in WA, so the only shows I’ve played in Sydney were at the Oxford Art Factory and the Beresford, and they were both ace. I get inspired by the artists I tour with; last year I supported Bonjah, Thief, Bec Laughton and Thelma Plum – humble, easy to work with and a lot of fun to be around, not to mention insanely talented!
Catch her at the Jam Gallery onFriday January 30.
