“I was born in Sydney and grew up on the beaches around Dee Why. My parents broke up early and I lived with mum in housing commission around that area. I loved school. School was my saviour. I went to Cromer High and I guess music saved me from the fighting that my parents were going through.
Music was my escape and I very quickly latched onto any instrument I could. There was this day in Year 3 where we had to pick an instrument and I wanted to play the flute. By the time it was my turn there were no flutes left, only a trumpet. I started to play the trumpet and I seemed to do it well even though it drove my parents crazy. I was in every choir, musicals, singing, everything musical. I just loved it.
When I left school I got a job as an usher in a theatre because I thought I wanted to be an actor. I did study it for a while and then I realised acting wasn’t what I wanted. I then worked in the snow for a year and met some old school friends who were going overseas. They were going to Spain and Rome and asked me to go too. I started saving my money, waitressing. I didn’t really play the piano at that stage, I would play the trumpet and sing with friends.
I went overseas and discovered the piano in the restaurant where I worked as a singing waitress. I spent all my time in between shifts on the piano and taught myself. People would come along who wanted to teach me including a girl I lived with who was an amazing singer. She taught me a bit of piano and she also had a piano I could play. I moved in with the other guy who was singing in the restaurant and he was an amazing piano player so he gave me lessons.
I started writing poetry and I have a million books full of poetry I’ve written. I started putting music to my words and it just hasn’t stopped. So far I’ve written about 200 songs. I feel like I need to do it. It’s therapy.
I work part time at RED INC where I do music class then I go busking with them in the afternoon. I also teach piano and singing up at The Channon School 3 afternoons a week. I do gigs and right now I am recording an album. I put it off for so long that now I’m putting down as many songs as I can. Last weekend I put down 20 songs at SAE. Next week I’ll be recording at Old Dog Studios in Corndale. I think it might be 2 albums.
My father past away last year and my whole life changed. It was hard but I feel like I’ve moved into my strengths, making decisions for myself and speaking up a lot more. I’m not afraid anymore. There used to be all these fears around my music. Is it good enough? Am I good enough? It doesn’t matter what others think I just stay positive. I love it!”