Project Description
Interview with
RIVER LANE
Interviewer – Dave Bruce
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Hailing from the regional South Australian town of Mannum, River Lane isn’t your run of the mill musician. River started working life on the tools as a tradie. Not the typical space for a woman that’s for sure. River’s also a champion water skier. You can sometimes see her carving up the Murray River! Tradie – skier – muso! You’ve got to admire a person that doesn’t do things by numbers!
In 2017 River released the debut ‘EP ‘Time’ which picked up airplay via the ABC and Community radio. Subsequent singles ‘Head High’ and ‘Stronger’ scored spins on triple j and Double J. Plus some of the most credible show’s on Community radio such as 2 ser’s ‘Dirt Music’.
This brings us to the new track ‘Ghost Of A Girl’. The haunting Alt Country qualities of ‘Ghost Of A Girl’ has the capacity to linger long after the song is done. It’s almost like it was written for that certain scene in a movie.
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For any new fans, how did it all begin? Where did you develop your interest in performing music to an audience?
I was a very shy kid growing up so anything I did musically was behind closed doors. I wish I had the confidence to have started earlier but everything happens the way it’s supposed to. One day I just grew tired of dreaming about it so I just went for it. Music is my main form of communication.
What kind of music did you grow up on? Which artists inspired you?
I grew up on rock and roll through my Dad’s collection. I loved it. I guess my softer side came as an early age when Delta Goodrem had become popular. I just wanted to sing like her. My taste has changed a lot during different phases of my life but I’ve always enjoyed the mix of genres.
What is unique about what you do? Why would fans be attracted to your sound?
If you listen to all my music you’ll notice I don’t stick to a particular sound. I write and create whatever I feel at the time. It’s hard to put me in a category and that’s what makes me different.
I believe you are or were a competitive water skier. Competition drives people. Did that experience aid your desire to succeed, or is your music life more about being more relaxed and “feeling”?
I’ve always been quite competitive with the things I do. I never competed professionally in water skiing but there was always fun competition in the family. I was always trying to achieve something on the water before my brother did. He should be competing in kneeboarding, he’s bloody good. Music is the only thing I have that no one else in my family has. We’re still not sure where it came from! Because of that I found I was competing against myself which can be good and bad.
You were the first busker in Mannum they tell me. That must have been exciting and daunting in the same moment. How did that experience inform you as a performer?
I felt quite comfortable busking in Mannum as I know or am related to most of the people there haha. It was pretty early in my career so it taught me a lot about performing and my own sound and the way people reacted to it.
You have just released new single “Ghost of a Girl”. Can you describe its origin and evolution?
Ghost of a Girl is one of those songs that just writes itself. We had just sold the family home and a lot had changed for me at that time. I loved that house but I have a lot of bad memories there. It was all perfect timing, like I was leaving it all behind, literally and metaphorically. I will still always hold the good parts close to me. We kept the song simple, not much has changed from start to finish. It’s raw.
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It is taken from your upcoming 2ndEP. Can you tell us something about that project too? How many tracks, and which is/are your favorite/s?
My second EP ‘Older’ has six tracks including both singles ‘Stronger’ and ‘Ghost of a Girl’. They’re all placed in order of how it was written. Each song is about something I was feeling at that exact time. Besides ‘Ghost of a Girl,’ ‘Let Me In’ is a track I seem to favour. It’s the only song I wrote that wasn’t about something that happened. It was just a conversation I was having with myself. It’s quite haunting.
Is there an album on the drawing board too?
An album is on the cards for the future but it’s awhile away yet. I want to experiment some more and hopefully expand my fanbase so I can have a bigger platform to tell my stories on.
Does song writing come easily to you or is it a “right place, right time” process?
I sometimes struggle to find words to explain myself so when that happens the song is usually put in the trash. It’s the lyrics that flow and come to me at random times that seem to make it. So many songs are written while I’m half asleep.
What shows/tours do you have coming up?
I’m having a single launch at my favourite venue, The Elephant British Pub in Adelaide CBD to celebrate the release of ‘Ghost of a Girl’ into the world. After that I’m spending some time working on my new live show. When that’s ready I’ll hopefully be taking it on tour!
If you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick and why? (Dead or Alive)
I would love Elton John and Amy Shark to come on tour with me. They both have made an impact on the music world but at different times. I could learn a lot from both. Elton can definitely put on a show and Amy understands this generation. Plus the after party would be amazing haha.
What are your major goals or milestones for the future?
I think my goals for my music career are pretty similar to most artists. To be able to live off of playing music and to hear a sea of people singing your words back to you, it’s what we dream of! I’ll take it as far as I can and know I’ll be happy and proud because I know I put my all into it.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVORITE:
Album – Lynyrd Skynyrd (Pronounced ‘Leh-‘nerd ‘Skin-‘nerd)
Artist – Too many to name so I’ll say song – Thirteen by Big Star
Movie – Too many to name so I’ll say tv series – ‘The 100’
Place to visit – Gold Coast (I love theme parks)
Venue to play – The Elephant British Pub
Food = Burrito
Drink – alcoholic – Canadian Club, non-alchoholic – Lemon Lime Bitters
Person in History – Steven Spielberg
Tattoo – (if you don’t have one, one you would get?) – I have a few but my favourite would be the treblecleff/anchor tattoo on my left wrist.
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Connect online with RIVER LANE
Facebook Bandcamp
Instagram Website Spotify
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