Soulty

You describe your music as being created for “wild souls”. What does that phrase mean to you, and how does it connect with your songwriting?

For me, “wild souls” are people who are open-hearted, open-minded and curious about life. They think deeply, feel deeply and aren’t afraid to question things.

That’s the kind of person I am, and those are the people I write for. My songs explore real experiences and emotions, and I think they connect with people who are willing to look a little deeper.

You grew up in a musical family with classical musician parents and six siblings. How did that environment shape the artist you became?

Mum and Dad treated music as a passion, and that became part of our family culture. We sang, played instruments and made music together.

I learned to harmonise, play guitar and piano, and work with other musicians. Growing up around my parents also gave me a strong understanding of music and how different musical styles work.

They also gave me plenty of freedom to find my own sound. I spent hours hammering away on the piano trying to write songs, and they were incredibly patient with me. They never tried to tell me what my music should sound like.

Your music draws from folk, pop, blues, soul, gospel, country and rock. How do you bring those influences together while keeping your own sound?

All of those genres have influenced me, but I’m not deliberately trying to combine them when I write. They’re simply part of my musical background.

I’ll hear something that sparks an idea, and that becomes the starting point for a song. When I write, my own style comes through naturally. It tends to have that soulful, folk-pop quality, with strong melodies and honest lyrics.

All Black brings together the voices of more than 20 women from Hamilton and surrounding communities. How did the idea come about, and what did the experience mean to you?

After recording the demo for All Black, I knew the song needed something bigger. The message was about getting through difficult times and knowing that you’re not alone, and I wanted a group of voices to bring that message to life.

I put the call out on social media and more than 20 women got involved. I used grant funding from Southern Grampians Shire to help fund the recording.

It was a great experience. What started as my song became a project that involved a whole group of women from our local community. That made the song even more meaningful.

Belonging is a recurring theme in your music, particularly through your experience of living between cultures and places. How has that shaped the stories you tell?

My own life naturally finds its way into my songwriting.

I moved to Australia from Germany 12 years ago, and living between two countries has been challenging at times. There have been periods where I’ve really missed my family and my home and had to work out where I fit and who I am in this new life.

I think those questions about identity and belonging are something many people experience, even if they haven’t moved countries. We all go through different seasons of life where we have to work out who we are and where we belong.

That’s what I write about. My story is specific to me, but the