Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest album, and what themes or
stories you aimed to convey through your music?

Yes, the inspiration behind my last album Body Parts, was very physical, it was a real life tour of my body and the sound was very raucous, outgoing and fun. This time I wanted to take a deep dive inward and share some of my deeper, softer thoughts. Dave Graney had an album called the Soft’n’Sexy Sound and this album could almost be called the Soft’n’Synthy Sound. I wanted it to have more of a chillwave kind of vibe, like some songs that you can relax to in your car, bedroom or lounge room.

Music often has the power to transport people to different places and times. Can you
describe a moment in your life when a particular song or album had a profound impact
on you?

I remember being in Belgium – where I lived and studied for six months – bouncing around bars late at night looking for trouble -and I heard the Melissa Etheridge song, Like the way I do. The song stopped me in my tracks and the lyrical and rhythmic intensity. Little did I know that not only is this a great song but it was also a precursor to me discovering my identity as a woman and lesbian. Totally transformative!

Many artists have rituals or routines they follow before performing or recording. Do you
have any unique or quirky pre-show or pre-recording rituals that you find help you get in
the zone?

Not really. I’m not a creature of habit. Every day is different. The important things are to tune my guitar, type up my setlist and make sure I have all the gear that I need. I work hard to engage with my fan base to get people to come to my gigs. I also like to take time to prepare my outfits and makeup. As a performer, one must look the part!

Your lyrics often tell a story or convey a message. Can you share the story behind one
of your songs and the inspiration that led to its creation?

Yes, the song Dressing Room was based on one my performances at the Sydney Queer Performance event Trans Glamore. We had to go up the stairs to a dressing room with a secret code, not everyone is allowed in. The idea of meeting someone and taking them back to my Dressing Room is a fantasy. I played it one night at the Sydney performance venue, the Gasoline Pony and people tuned into it. I shared this with my singing teacher and she said, “I know why because that’s what everyone assumes goes on in the Dressing Room.” I should be so lucky!

If you could curate a music festival with a lineup of your dream artists, who would be the
headliners, and what would the theme of the festival be?

Prince, Dave Graney, Melissa Etheridge, LP, Amber Lawrence, McAlister Kemp. The festival would be to Countrify, Rock and Xpress Yourself. The festival would have self-driving cars and robots serving water. People would sleep in tree houses and catch zip lines to get around the festival. And the social barriers that normally divide us would be gone. People would be immersed in a magical musical utopia where the height of achievable imagination would only be limited by their belief in one another.

Music can be a powerful tool for advocacy and change. Are there any social or political
causes that you’re passionate about, and how does your music play a role in promoting these issues?

Yes, the song Just For Being Who We Are is the most political song that I’ve ever written. In our last Federal election there were newspaper headlines and a fear campaign about so-called men invading women’s sport. As a trans woman, I play basketball in a women’s competition and enjoy the opportunity to showcase my athletic and basketball skills honed over many years in my gender which I’m comfortable. Have you ever played basketball against men? They are really sweaty. It’s disgusting. People should be free to express themselves and I am in favour of trans people being allowed to live their lives without barriers to participation.

The music industry has evolved significantly with technology. How do you see artificial
intelligence and emerging technologies impacting the creation and distribution of music
in the future?

In some ways its very exciting. Perhaps I’m wrong to think like this, but I think that AI could probably compose a string melody far better than I could. The problem though is that because it’s so easy to do, are we at risk of being swamped with soulless music? Music is visceral and emotional. If a person has carved out a melody from their life experience then isn’t that likely to resonate more authentically with an audience? Musicians take years to hone their musical skills- that is special and needs to be protected and enjoyed, in my opinion.

Many recording artists evolve over time. How do you see your musical journey changing
and growing in the next decade?

Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed watching an artist showcase a diversity of styles and material throughout their career. I want it all, baby! Beats, orchestras, pianos, deliciously feminine vocals! Different genres of music are just like colors of the rainbow! Why would you have a rainbow that’s one color? I would never want my music to be like that and it never will! It will always have different shades and colorful things popping out of it. Just check out what I’ve done so far and you’ll see that!