Her second album, Blastoma, is a direct reference to her experience with cancer and it’s released through her own label. She’s recently been awarded an APRA professional development grant – and we’ve loved her ever since she burst onto the Australian Idol screen. Now the PNG-born Ngaiire is coming back to her childhood home in the Northern Rivers, and is set to wow us at Splendour in the Grass, writes Heidi Flumm.
The ominously titled album ‘Blastoma’ delves through a multitude of experiences in a way that is both hauntingly delicate and defiant. Ngaiire talked with Verandah Magazine about making the new album, what this area means to her and what drives her forward in her music.
Coming to Splendour is a bit of a homecoming for you isn’t it Ngaiire? I know you spent some time living and schooling in Lismore. Did you feel artistically influenced by your time here at all?
Yes definitely. It’s a really creative area and it had a huge influence on me. I went to Kadina high school for a couple of years and it was a pivotal time for me with my music. I had a great teacher – Mrs Johnston – who really encouraged me and my horizons were massively broadened. I had been quite isolated from the wider music scene up until that point, having just moved from PNG, and all of a sudden I was being exposed to these amazing new sounds that helped me to express myself and grow musically. Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Tool, Aretha Franklin…it was a great time for me.
Your new album has just been released and it’s a beautiful exploration of your diverse musicality. Can you tell us a bit more about how you’ve come to this album in the two years since your debut album?
Well, it’s been a collaboration between me, Jack Grace and Paul Mac. We wanted to create a new sound and a trio album, which ended up being recorded in New York, London and New Zealand. It was supposed to come out a year ago, but after a wave of personal stuff I was just too exhausted to cope with the creative process, which was the first time that’s really happened to me. My long-term relationship came to an end and it just put everything on hold.
Did that influence the course of the album?
There’s a couple of break up songs on there – House on a Rock – that alludes to that time, but we really wanted to steer away from it being a break up album. It’s not what the album was meant to be about.
It’s safe to say you’re no stranger to adversity, and your albums title directly refer to your childhood experiences with cancer. You tackle some confronting issues in your music, but it looks like you’re having fun at the same time. Is it important for you to send a particular message out to your audience?
Yes, I think that every artist has a responsibility to say something with their music. Otherwise it just becomes something completely self-serving. You’re talking about yourself all of the time – like now. I don’t feel like it’s worth me doing it if I’m not able to give something back and I feel quite strongly that its my personal responsibility to use what I have as my voice to say something worthwhile and affecting.
Ngaiire – expect some great costumes at this year’s Splendour in the Grass.
If you’re tackling some fairly poignant personal issues, is it difficult to t look at them objectively when you’re considering turning the work into something for a wider market?
I don’t really think about what I put out there in that way. I’m quite honest and luckily so far, so good. It seems to have translated ok! I’ve gained a lot of confidence as an artist and I find it really enjoyable. I was so self-conscious about working with Paul Mac. It made me question where we stood in our relationship and the process of sharing. It wasn’t fun or cathartic making this record, but then growing is never an easy thing to do.
You’ve been described as the new frontier in Future Soul. How does it feel to wear a title like that?
To be honest I don’t really even know what future soul is! I’ve spent the last ten years trying to make music that you can’t put into a box, but still it’s a positive thing and I’m happy to have it. It’s exciting times and things are starting to pick up speed.
It’s clear that your artistic expression moves beyond just your music. Your videos are theatrical and you’ve been quoted as saying that you would have loved to have worked with an artist like Andy Warhol. How do you see yourself as a performer/ musician/ artist?
I’m always wanting to create and I’ve always been that way – whether it’s music, painting, fashion. I grew up in a place where people didn’t believe in child psychology, so there wasn’t the time or space to work through or discuss the things that were going on inside of you. There were aunties and uncles to talk to about the practicalities of childhood, but not so much opportunity to express. I would lock myself in my room, listening to Maria Carey. I took refuge in short stories, music and writing and it was a natural thing for me to want to create. I’m actually an introvert so I found artistic expression an opportunity to say things that I couldn’t put into words. I think that everyone is creative. It’s just something that some people choose to do more than others.
You’ve got your own independent label Maximilian Brown, is this a reaction to maintaining your own voice? Do you find the process of production compromising or are you happy to let the reins go?
No, I started Maximilian Brown because I’m not going to be writing all of the time and it was more about creating a platform of opportunity for others. It’s based in PNG. There’s so much talent there, but being a third world country, there’s very little opportunity for kids to have a voice, especially on the contemporary stage. I wanted to create something that looked at the bigger picture and gives the opportunity of professional development to those kids.
So it was more of a move to encouraging something creative then a business decision?
Yes exactly. It’s there to try and encourage an avenue of expression for those kids.
You’ve worked with some great people over the last few years but if you could collaborate with anyone at all, who would be on your dream list?
I’d love to work with Annie Clark (St Vincent). She’s a key creative and really intelligent musician. She’s the epitome of someone I’d love to work with!
Who are you looking forward to sharing the bill with at Splendour? Any standouts?
I’m really looking forward to seeing James Blake. I saw him at Glastonbury last year and he was incredible.
You’d be a bit of a festival pro by now, with festivals like Glastonbury, Culture collide LA, CMJ in New York under your belt, as well as a host of Australian dates. What’s been your favourite? Do you find a big difference in audience reactions around the world?
Glastonbury is amazing – it’s unlike any other festival out there. You just never know what to expect with it and there’s so much going. The crowd is engaged with the music and it was exciting to bring the music to a new audience. They were really receptive and open to it, which was great. Glastonbury’s definitely wild!
So what can we expect from your live performance at Splendour? Any great plans?
Some fun costumes! It’s going to be good!
Ngaiire plays Splendour in the grass on Saturday 23rd July. Time and stage TBC.
