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Interview with
NEISH

(10th October 2025)

Interview by Dave Bruce

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Have you always wanted to be an artist? When did you get the song writing bug?
I started writing songs around the age of 13, I got really into music around that age and was really inspired by artists like Daughter and Matt Corby and their ability to make people feel their music and be moved by their lyrics. I didn’t want to become an artist initially, I just always felt like I had to write songs and sing to get my emotions out. Songwriting is my therapy in a way.

Briefly describe your journey to date.
I’ve been singing for fun all my life, I grew up in a household that loved to sing and play music, and I started writing songs around the age of 13. I then moved schools to Music Industry College where the staff there made me believe I could try and turn my passion for music into a profession. Once I graduated, I began busking and playing cafes and open mics to let my voice be heard and from this gained some huge spontaneous support opportunities. I’ve been playing consistently around QLD for three years now and have had incredible experiences getting to open for artists I love such as Dodie, Budjerah, Montaigne and Aleksiah. I also was awarded the Billy Thorpe Scholarship at the Queensland Music Awards in 2023 which helped fund the release of my single ‘Bury Me’ which received praise from Rolling Stone AU in their article ‘Songs You Need To Know’. The grant also allowed me to produce my debut EP titled ‘white walls’ which is set for release in late November of this year!

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think fans resonate with your music?
I would describe my sound as melancholic and emotional, my genre being folk-infused alternative indie rock. I think my fans resonate with my songwriting as I aim to be vulnerable and authentic and tell my story through my music and voice. I connect to music on such a deep level and I aim to resonate with my listeners and share my experiences in hopes that they see themselves in my lyrics and feel my music as deeply as I do.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
The band Daughter were a huge inspiration to why I began songwriting when I was younger and their music still inspires me to this day. I listen to a variety of artists and genres, and become the most inspired when I listen to alternative folk rock, midwest emo, and sad pop. I’m also incredibly inspired by so many Australian and local musicians such as Aleksiah, Asha Jefferies and Platonic Sex to name a few!

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Your latest single ‘19’ has just been released! What’s it all about? Describe its origin and evolution.
My song ‘19’ came to life on the night of my 19th birthday amidst a breakdown I was having about the fear of turning 20 the following year and realizing my teen years were wasted dealing with mental illness. The idea of not being considered a teenager anymore was terrifying at the time as I felt so much pressure to achieve something great at a young age. Birthdays were always really difficult for me as they felt more like a reminder that I was losing youth and living a life I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep living. I developed issues with mental illness at a young age and felt like I was robbed of my exciting teen years because of it. I hated birthdays as they felt more painful than joyful. 19 is a deeply personal and vulnerable song for me that I wrote for anyone who has felt the same fear and grief of losing time.

Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
Yes! And it’s coming out a lot sooner than you think.. My debut EP has been in the works for almost three years now, most of the songs I wrote in high school. I can’t wait for it to finally be out in the world!

What tours and events are coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
I’m hoping to put together a little EP launch show so keep your eyes peeled for that, but hopefully more and more exciting things will come next year following the release of the EP!

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
My end goal musically is to share the stage with Daughter as they’ve been such a huge part of what inspired my music since I was young. However, I was also a massive BTS fan around the age of 14 so I would absolutely lose my mind if the chance to perform with them came!

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them?
My long term aspiration is to have a life centred around music. It’s what makes me the happiest in the world and the possibility of getting to a stage where I can continue to create and perform music without the stress of anything else would be incredible. I’m continuing to write and record music and perform as much as I can!

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Photo credit: Cael Johnston

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What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
I love performing because it allows me to directly connect with my audience in person and see people’s reactions towards my music. A lot of the time, especially at my more intimate acoustic shows, I make a variety of people cry, a lot of them being older men who have come up to me after my shows and expressed how moved they were by my voice and songs. The best live gig I’ve played so far was opening for Dodie in 2023, the audience was beautiful and receptive and Dodie really inspires me as an artist so it was such an incredible experience!

Now for some quickfire questions to get a little personal:
1. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done? This is tricky cause I’m not really the type of person to do crazy stuff, I enjoy staying at home playing video games, but I would say even choosing to pursue music feels like the craziest thing ever. I was such a shy awkward anxious kid so having to step out of my comfort zone and begin performing and creating vulnerable music felt pretty crazy!
2. What is the one topic you can talk about for hours? It’s kind of embarrassing but I’ve always been a massive nerd and growing up I became obsessed with things like Anime, Kpop and Gaming, all topics I feel like I could talk about for hours and hours!
3. What is the thing you like most about yourself? This is a really hard question for me to answer but I would have to say my selflessness? I grew up with the mindset of putting others before myself and staying humble, really trying to empathize and see the best in people in every situation.

Finally, let’s find out what your current (or all time) favorites are –
Album – Muslings – Little Image
Artist – Daughter
Movie – It’s between Napoleon Dynamite or Over The Hedge
Place to visit – Japan
Venue to play – The Triffid
Food – Anything Chocolate
Drink – Specifically a Mocha Fusion from Zaraffas!
Person in History – My mum
Tattoo – The grave on my left arm that says ‘there better be dogs’ that I got in memory of my dog ‘Tiny’ that passed away in 2019

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Follow NEISH
Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Press Release 4th October 2025 (below) HERE

NEISH
unveils ultimate new single
’19’

– A raw reflection on
youth, pressure and vulnerability

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AMNPLIFY – DB