Project Description
Interview with
BEC STEVENS
.
.
From humble beginnings in her hometown in Tasmania, the decision to dwell in Adelaide in 2013 left Bec Stevens feeling determined to make her mark. It didn’t take long for Bec’s powerful, celestial voice to find a home in the arms of the country music community.
Her heartfelt debut album ‘More Scared Than Me’ was released in 2016. This landed her nominations for ‘Best Female Artist’, ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Punk Artist’ at the SA Music Awards; with her single, ‘Time It Takes’ receiving extensive accolades on Triple J Unearthed, and a spin on Triple J Radio.
What followed was an array of packed shows, including support for artists like Missy Higgins and Tim Rogers, establishing her place as a hard-working and inspiring young artist. The tracks that followed, including ‘Maggie Lanes’ were an impassioned, organic and insightful look into Bec Stevens, and paved the way for her highly-anticipated 2018 release.
.
“Songwriting here outstandingly bold, honest and brilliantly intelligent but the music crafted around it is big, bustling and beautiful. ” Triple J unearthed
.
.
Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did that become a serious concern for you?
haha I love that it says “concern” because that is definitely what I should have been feeling when I decided I wanted to be a musician, it’s definitely not the most smart career choice I’ve ever made, mainly for financial and mental health reasons.
Back to the actual question,… I’ve always loved music and singing. My big brother started playing guitar when he was about 6 and I always wanted to be just like him. It wasn’t until I started high school that I actually started learning guitar properly and performing. When I was little I wanted to be a ‘Singing Hairdresser’ I was sure I could make that a thing, still might try..
But yeah, High School was definitely when it became clear how important music was to me. It was literally all I cared about. I started busking when I was 16, that helped a lot with my confidence and learning to project my voice. Now I cant sing softly…
What kind of music did you grow up on? What artists inspired you and which do you still look to now for ideas?
This question has so many answers haha, I had so much different music coming from lots of different directions growing up. My mum listens to everything from Classical, old RNB, lots of folk artists, she played a lot of Gospel music too. Oh and System Of A Down. My mum loves System Of A Down.
Me and my best friend Teagan used to dance around her kitchen table to a bunch of 70’s and 80’s compilation CD’s her mum had when we were about 8 or so. We would also religiously watch Pricilla Queen of the Desert and Rocky Horror Picture Show, like multiple times a week. We knew every song word for word. At that age I was set on being a Drag Queen, I used to perform the entire Pricilla soundtrack in my lounge room and make my parents and their friends watch, while I mimed every song perfectly. They’d always ask why I don’t actually sing and I’d be like “ummm… because thats not what they DO?! DUH!”. I’ve had a strong appreciation for drag from a very, very young age.
Artists I’ve continued to look up to since I was young are probably Jeff Buckley, India Arie, Joan Armatrading, Queen, lots of musicals and any 60’s, 70’s and 80’s pop/rock bangers. Oh and more specifically, the album Let Go by Avril Lavigne, that’s a no brainer.
You are set to release your new single “10 Minute Drive” on Friday, 18th January via Hobbledehoy Records. What inspired you to write this song?
This song was the first song I wrote after coming out of my last big break up a couple of years back. I had been so attached to one person for the past 3+ years, it was like learning how to be a human again. We tried really hard to still be in each others lives and support one another, especially because we shared a dog together and moved in a lot of the same circles. Plus we loved each other and just wanted the best for one another. But as you can imagine it also made it really hard to move forward and let go due to lack of space.
.
.
You have recently collaborated with coffee company Monastery Coffee to create your own signature coffee blend. How did such a unique collaboration come about? Can you describe the Bec Stevens blend??
This came about because of my perfect label, Hobbledehoy Records.
They did something similar with Monastery about 4 years back for a show they put on for Kevin Devine (incredible artist) when he was was touring Aus. I remember hearing about that show and the coffee collab and thinking it was such a great idea, then when Tom raised the possibility of us doing it too I was so excited! We reached out to Adam from Monastery and he was onboard immediately.
The Bec (Bean) Stevens blend is off the hooook, depending on your pallet you can expect to taste: plum, nougat, Turkish delight, milk chocolate and raspberry jam! (insert drooling emoji).
If someone had never listened to Bec Stevens before, what song of yours would you recommend if they could only listen to one?
Ooh that’s hard. I’m not good at questions like this. I’d normally just say not to do it. But I’m trying out this new thing where I try not to be self-loathing all the time. Sooo, really I guess I’d say my latest single, 10 Minute Drive. It’s not too heavy, but not too soft, bit of both. Think it sums my work up a little maybe? Maybe I’m wrong. It’s about a dog. That sums me up.
What can fans expect from your single launch at HD Eatery on January 29th in Adelaide? Will there be coffee to taste?
Ya’ll can expect a chilled atmosphere in and absolutely gorgeous space (dog bless HD Eatery for having us) with really beautiful music starting the afternoon from the incredibly talented Jess Johns (of Dead Roo) and me frantically zooming about the place being weird because I’ve likely drunk waaayyy too much of said coffee, I might sing some songs too haha.
And of COURSE theres gunna be coffee! There will be FREE batch brew (filtered coffee) available on the day so everyone can try it! We will also have a cold brew available, just incase Adelaide keeps this heat up on the day.
.
? by Rachael Barrett
.
You have already supported some huge artists. Can you share one such experience that has been particularly memorable for you?
I’ve played a lot of really special shows over the years. One of the most Memorable would probably have to be supporting Julien Baker at the end of 2016. It was such a beautiful night and Julien is one of the kindest, gentlest and funniest people I’ve ever met. It was just a little acoustic show in the Cranka band room, but it was full to the brim and was probably one of the best crowds I’ve ever played too. They were so respectful and didn’t make a sound the entire time we played. Everyone listened so intently. Plus I’ll never get over that the first time I got to see one of my favourite artists in the world play was also by playing alongside them. Felt very lucky to be a part of that night.
If you could perform onstage with any artist (Alive or Dead), who would they be and why?
I think I would have to say Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit. His music has had a profound impact on my life since the moment I started listened when I was about 21. I realise he is a stranger but losing him to suicide last year absolutely ruined me. I’m very aware I’m not the only one, but I connected to his music so much and found it so painfully relatable. I felt like he saved me on multiple occasions.
The song ‘Floating in the Forth’ is so important to me, obviously even more so now that he’s passed, considering what the song is about. He made me feel less alone when I felt so isolated to the rest of the world. I’ve struggled with depression and battled with thoughts/plans of killing myself since I was 19. That song along with all his others is so dark but laced with hope. I would just always think to myself “If Scott can keep fighting then so can I, I’m not alone”. So when he finally chose to go, I understood and I was proud of him for being so strong for so long. But it was a real shake up.
I saw FR play two nights in a row last time they were in AUS. My friends pointed out that Me and Scott had locked eyes a handful of times and I thought I was going to pass away haha.
He was a truely real and honest artist, to have played alongside him would have probably been a beautiful and hilarious experience. I’m so grateful the world was gifted with that human, even if only for a short time.
Can you share the origins of your beautiful song ‘Maggie Lanes’?
Oh dog, I wrote Maggies when I was I think 20? (i turn 25 next week). I wrote it about 6 months after moving to Adelaide, I was living with my partner who I had moved here for and things were a bit rough. I was 19, moved to a state where I knew no-one but my partners friends and we went from living 1,500 kms apart to sharing a room in the space of about 4-5 months. Recipe for disaster. A lot of pressure on both parties. We broke up and got back together lot, at that time I think we were off, but we still lived together for a very long time while not technically being together, so that was a whole thing in itself as you can imagine. We were gluttons for punishment throughout most of our relationship. This song is basically just about struggling with all that. How small I would make myself, how little I stood up for myself, How masochistic I was. But thats love isn’t it? Especially when you’re young.
Maggies Lane itself is the name of the lane down the side of my local pub back home in Tassie (best pub in the world) – the Brisbane Hotel. I realised it probably seems contradictory to say “best pub in the world” when in the song I’m rejoicing at the fact that I am not there hahaha. I am more so referring to the headspace I had been in the year before moving to ADL (not a good one) and that despite how shit I felt now, its better than being drunk and alone crying at 4 am outside the Bris wanting to die!
.
.
What are your plans for the coming year? Will you be touring?
Got lots of cool fun plans and LOTS of writing.
We are touring the new record in April so I’m super excited for that, it will be my first proper headline tour with my band so I’m very nervous, but I’ve already got so many bands/friends I love on nearly all of the shows, I can’t wait to announce. It’s going to be really special. Really excited to play back home in Tas for the first time in over TWO YEARS! Hopefully it’s not just my mum at the shows.. just kidding, my mum rules.
Do you have any longer term goals or aspirations?
hmmmm. Honestly, apart from like, playing my music overseas, writing an album by the end of the year, Studying something I’m passionate about (like dogs or plants or burritos) and reading more books, My long term goals are really all just internal ones. I want to be braver, I want to let myself be proud of myself, I want to learn to always speak my truth, and not be scared to ask questions. I want to push myself to achieve more in and out of music, and to not give up because I’m scared of failure or what other people think. Although at the same time, because I have a love hate relationship with being a musician, I want to have the courage and strength to stop if its no longer making me happy and not keep playing because I feel like I have to.
Finally, this is a paragraph dedicated to some quick discovery. Really corny, but for the fans, can you tell me your favorite album, artist, movie, place, drink, meal and person (living or dead) and some brief reasons why? Answer some or all please?
Heck. like, I have heavy commitment issues, so to pick one answer for these questions is a HEFTY challenge for me. I have so many answers for all of these. Here are the main special ones though..
Album: The Midnight Organ Fight – Frightened Rabbit – It changed my life.
Artist: Fleetwood Mac – does that really need a reason? No.
Movie: Um I have too many, but ill go with Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert. Because its a great piece of Australian film that covers a lot of important topics and moulded me into the kooky music loving queer I am today.
Place: My Brothers house down near the Huon Valley in Tasmania. His beautiful little family and Him live in a self-sustainable home that he built himself. A lot of people see it on the internet and don’t believe its real. It’s my favourite little hide away and I’m so proud of him and Jess for working so hard to make such an amazing little home for them and my perfect twin baby nephews, Freddie and Clyde and all the dog siblings.
Meal: every meal.
Person Alive: My Mum. There is a million incredible supportive humans in my life but there is not enough words in the human language to explain how grateful I am for that woman and everything she has done for me in my life. I regularly get cross at her for making me, coz sometimes I think that if I had a choice, I wouldn’t choose to be here. But when its not the worst, life is actually pretty great if I think about it.
And for her, I’m gunna give it my best shot.
Person Dead: Heath Ledger. Aka, the love of my life.
.
.
Follow BEC STEVENS
Facebook | Unearthed | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
.
.
.
