Tradie - water skier, turned musician, South Australia's River Lane has released her new single 'Ghost Of A Girl'. Tomatrax caught up with River to ask a few questions.
What inspired you to become a musician?I started playing music very young, I don't really remember why I started but I obviously enjoyed it enough to keep going. I started with violin, then saxophone and then settled on guitar. I had always loved singing but was way too scared to show that to anyone just in case I wasn't very good at it. I was 21 years old when I made my stage debut. Music is a universal feeling, a song can be a time machine to a certain memory and I wanted to be a creator of that, not just a listener.
When did you write your first song?I wrote my first song in primary school. I think I wrote my first decent song at 21. I'm always learning and growing as a songwriter, I definitely haven't peaked yet.
You've just released your latest single 'Ghost of a girl', how does it feel to have it out?I had been playing 'Ghost of a Girl' live for a while now and the recording had been sitting in my Dropbox waiting to be released. It's hard to keep songs hidden when you're so eager to show the world what you've been working on. Now that it's out I feel calm because the anticipation is over but excited to see where it can take me.
Are there any plans for an LP or EP release?This will be my second EP released, it's titled 'Older'. 'Ghost of a Girl' is the second single to be released from it. The EP will be released this year.
You're also a champion water skier, do you do this competitively?I only water ski for fun. Some things are best enjoyed without competition and pressure.
You were also a Tradie, did you ever get any lyrical inspiration from this work?My job as a tradie was for my parents tiling business, I would silicone new Hickinbotham homes. It was a job I could do with my earphones in just listening to music. I never got any lyrical inspiration I don't think, the music was just in the background while I concentrated on what I was doing.
You were the first busker in your town, what inspired you to take this step?A friend of mine was working on the Mannum council at the time and had the idea of busking on weekends in the summer time when tourists were passing through. She asked if I would like to be the first to give it a crack and I without a doubt said yes.
How was it received when there was busking for the first time?The music scene in Mannum is what started my career. With the help of a local pub, I tried a local muso day on a Sunday and asked a couple friends who were musicians to come play. It was a massive turnout and so much fun. I really appreciated the support.
What's the music scene in Mannum like?From there I met other musicians in the town who I didn't know played and the rest is history.
When writing what comes first, the words or the music?I like to mix it up. Sometimes I write the lyrics first, sometimes I write the music first. It all depends on what mood I'm in and what kind of inspiration I've had. It is easier to write the music first so you know how each line of the lyrics will fit in.
Do you ever listen to your own music?When I'm recording music I listen to it on repeat cause it's just so exciting to me, especially as new parts come in and the song is forming. It took me a long time to be able to listen to my own vocals but I'm finally used to it. I do go through stages of skipping my own songs when it comes on my playlists as I can get pretty hard on myself and get into the headspace of thinking it's not good enough but that doesn't always last.
What other music do you listen to?I listen to a range of music. It depends on my mood. I love rock and roll from the 70s, for more modern music I'm a big fan of Alabama Shakes and Mumford and Sons. But then I'll listen to Dean Lewis, Lady Gaga and Regina Spektor. Anything but heavy metal/screamo.
Now that your latest single is out, what do you plan on doing next?I've learned a lot from this EP and have found new inspiration in myself and other musical influences. I'm currently recording a new song that's a bit different to what I've been doing. I will be just recording/releasing singles for a while instead of EPs so that's a new way of doing things for me but I'm enjoying it. I'm also working on more visual online content to show more of myself and what I'm trying to create in this world.
Check out River Lane's website to find out more!