Project Description

‘Amnplify Snapshot’:

THANDO

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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?

Tumultuous at times. I spent the first 3 years navigating my path and working out what genre I fit into, if my music was palatable and if it was radio friendly. Recently I decided my live shows are the thing that we do best so I stopped trying to fit into a particular mould and decided to create my own path. I just want to make music for everyone. I want people to come to my gigs and be able to twerk, stank face, cry and head bang to. Sounds confusing but that’s literally what kind of music my band and I play.

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

I knew I wanted to perform when I watched a VHS of QUEEN at Wembley. My dad put a video camera in front of my big sisters and I and we were a little girl group, and it kinda went from there. My mum got me into piano and singing lessons and from there I started writing songs and performing them for my family. My parent’s humoured me but they didn’t think I was serious about making music a career until I finished year 12 and moved to Melbourne. And this is where it all started.

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

When I was younger, I was really into Destiny’s Child, and a huge part of it was seeing people who looked like me on TV and topping the charts. It meant my dreams weren’t so far out of reach. In my formative years I listened to a lot of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and developed a love for harmony and how to manipulate the human voice to sound like an acoustic instrument.

Then Jill Scott came into my life; the embodiment of sex and grace all at once.

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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?

I’ve recently toured with Sampa the Great and the conversations we’ve had opened my eyes to the kind of impact music can make. She taught me that our words have power and it’s up to us to use that power responsibly; to send a message. Now I think about what kind of message I send in my music and it’s important to me to be able to change minds and enlighten people about things they generally wouldn’t think about.

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

We’ve gone from pop rock, to soul, to whatever we want now. I found it extremely restricting to put myself in a box because of what people expected from me. We have metal breakdowns in our live show, just because we can.

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What are your goals for 2018 after you complete your Aussie tour dates?

I want to go back into the studio and record all the new songs we’ve written. And also working on a concept album with some dope artists for later in the year, but I can’t say too much right now. But in all honesty, I’ll need to find a job so I can get myself out of the massive debt I’ll end up in :P

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You’ve played at some pretty massive events the last year, what performance was the most surreal for you and why?

WOODFORD!! Our first show of the week was magic, and each day that wet by the crowds kept growing. Every volunteer that looked after us was genuinely nice too so it made for an incredible festival experience.

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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?

I’d be raising a child. Not sure that else I’d be doing, it’s only ever been those two options for me.

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

I’m a massive fan of The Foo Fighters and The Getaway Plan. Just to keep things interesting :P

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If you could choose only one muso, artist or band to collaborate with the rest of your career who would it be?

I’m dying to do a song with Sampa the Great. Let’s see where this year takes us.

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And, if you had to listen to one song on repeat the rest of your life what song and why?

Bohemian Rhapsody, because come on!

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Follow THANDO
Website          Facebook          Twitter          Youtube          Instagram

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AMNPLIFY – KH

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