Project Description

‘Amnplify Snapshot’:

NEON QUEEN

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Neon Queen are a soul & rock’n’roll band hailing from Melbourne. Fusing together smooth RnB elements with a raw rock twist, these fellas are advancing their sound up from the underground. Ones to watch.

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How would you describe your journey in the music industry so far, and where do you want to go from here with your music?

Our music journey so far in the industry has been pretty wild. We’ve been lucky enough to experience little tastes of everything from low key starting gigs to high profile gigs on large stages. We’re always learning new things and how stuff works regarding the more “business” side of things which is kinda shitty because we’re musicians not businessman but that’s todays current state, you gotta be switched on with every aspect.

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When did you know you wanted to make music and perform as your career?

We know we wanted to play music after seeing old live recordings of Prince and Lenny Kravitz on VHS that our dad recorded. Seeing the crowd reaction, musicianship and showmanship was intoxicating as a kid. That kind of entertainment literally made life exciting.

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How would you describe your single ‘Still’ in your own words?

“Free My Mind” is a song with one foot in the past and one in the present. It’s a song about escaping to that special paradise in your mind when your really need to turn off from the daily grind or life’s shitty problems. Musically it was written to have an old school feel while keeping some modern day contemporary vibes. It’s Heavily influenced by 70s soul and R&B with smooth vocals but also dips into the world of hip hop with some more modern flow. It’s a cool little hybrid and meeting of eras.

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Who have been your musical influences or artists you have admired growing up?

We’ve grown up listening to heaps of different stuff due to our upbringing. We come from a diverse background with our dad being from Samoa and our mum from Macedonia so there’s always been a cool mixture of Black and White music with heaps of Prince, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Madonna and the La Bamba film soundtrack lying around the house.

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Are there any artists or musicians that you have been so impacted by that it changed your view on life or mentality toward music?

The most pivotal figure for us musically has been Prince. He was the reason for us picking up instruments and making music. He is a massive inspiration because of the black sheep that he was in the music industry. He literally did what he wanted and simultaneously had the respect of every genre’s crowd. His fusion of rock, funk and pop and cultural significance made us not feel the fear of experiment in the pop realm and genre smashing. Most importantly he wasn’t Disney like his contemporary MJ who we also adore but he had that darker sexier side which we’re all about.

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 How do you feel your sound has developed over your time releasing music?

Our sound has definitely evolved over time. We’ve managed to put out a few songs, which capture completely different areas of themes, feelings and styles yet have our signature DNA in them. Musically we’ve always mixed organic sounds and electronic sounds from the start, but recently we’re having much more appreciation and attention to production and style. We’re kinda lucky because no matter what direction we take a song in sonically, the vocals is what ties the sound of Neon Queen together. It’s that glue that holds everything together so there’s heaps of freedom to explore different musical directions.

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What performance in your career so far has been the most memorable, or surreal and why?

The most surreal moment has definitely been playing one of our biggest shows at Festival Hall with our Sydney mates, Sticky Fingers. Playing one of Melbourne’s most iconic venues in front of your home crowd with most not knowing who the hell you are and still saying shit like “stick around there’s heaps more bands and awesome acts to come” as if we we’re playing the local pub. That was pretty surreal shit. Definitely most memorable because that was our first taste of playing huge shows in front of thousands instead of hundreds, and we killed it.

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If you weren’t working in the music industry, what else do you think you would be doing with your life right now?

For real, no joke… Film directors or Chefs. Love Marvel films, love Gordon Ramsay.

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What’s one song fans might be surprised you really like?

That’s a tricky to answer because everyone listens to “everything” these days… but we are massive Deftones fans so that might catch some people of guard.

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If you could choose only one muso, artist or band to collaborate with who is no longer alive who would you choose?

Would have been really cool to work with David Bowie. Collaborating with a chameleon of pop music in white and black music would be a dream, especially “Let’s Dance” era Bowie with Nile Rogers.

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 If you had to listen to one song on repeat the rest of your life what song and why?
Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk”. It’s the perfect soundtrack to kickin’ it on that eternal beach paradise with a never ending sunset into infinity.

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“FREE MY MIND TOUR” 2018

DATES

April 7th – Exeter Hotel, ADL

April 21st – The Evelyn Hotel, MEL

April 27th – Botany View Hotel, SYD

April 29th – North Gong, WOLLONGONG 

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