Project Description

Interview With:

ZIGGY ALBERTS

Interviewer: Esther Triffit

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Ziggy Alberts, singer/songwriter, free-surfer & environmental enthusiast from the East Coast of Australia, has recently released his new single ‘Love Me Now’ off his highly anticipated fourth record. ‘Love Me Now’ is the second single off his upcoming album, following the great success of the first single ‘Heaven’ released in September 2017. ‘Love Me Now’ continues Ziggy’s custom of writing heartfelt stories of personal endeavours and experiences. Ziggy took some time to talk to Amnplify about the new single among other things.

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How do you think ‘Love Me Now’ will compare to your previous songs?

I think it stylistically sits on its own. It’s got an ever so slight country feel, and my song writing is maturing in how the song builds, and why. It’s an amazing challenge to try and give a 3-chord song your own unique identity, when so many exist.

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How important to you is telling a story within your songs? 

It’s everything. Every song on this upcoming album is part of a chronological story, that I hope people listen to, in order, to understand. It’s a lost consideration in our streaming culture that albums are often a story, not just a group of songs.

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What’s the story behind ‘Love Me Now’?

Love Me Now is a very simple song, instrumentally, which means you really have to write and deliver the lyrics with personality, otherwise it just sounds like every other three chord song.

The literal side of this song revolves around this really desperate night. I wouldn’t say desperation is beautiful, generally speaking, but when two people are desperate for each-other – its sadly romantic, and very open. The “steering wheel” reference is this moment when I pulled over the car over and we kissed – but it was with so much intention, I still remember it really clearly now. We had been very back in forth in our relationship and this was the last-ditch effort – It didn’t work out. But that gives both people real freedom to move on, because there aren’t any questions left to answer.

The metaphorical side of this song is about the relationship you maintain with yourself – and I felt a certain uneasiness when I started writing this song. I couldn’t explain it. But looking back I was starting to feel the pace at which my career and I were going. It’s as much about self-love as it is about love being reciprocated.

I recorded this song a year ago, the same time as I recorded Heaven (single #1 off the album). It was supposed to be the first single…. But I couldn’t quite get a feel for it. Garrett Kato, who co-produced and recorded this song with me, felt the same. That’s why we recorded Heaven.

Now I listen to it, and I love the way we recorded it. I’m a big Lumineers fan and I feel like it draws on that too. Hope you guys enjoy it and I can’t wait to release the upcoming album!

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Will the new single be a reflection of what is to come with more music?

Yes and no (haha!). Each song has its own unique production style, and I think this definitely lends to country – where some of the album is very folky, a little poppy, a little indie influence, ballads…it’s a reflection of musical and personal growth.

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How are you preparing for your upcoming tour next year?

It’s interesting – It’s a big deal and you have to prepare for it, then go out there and treat it like it’s an everyday thing you do. Because it is something, when on a world tour, that you will do be doing every day for about a year. I’m preparing mostly by being as healthy, physically and mentally, as I can be. It makes a massive difference to shows in my opinion.

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How was Bluesfest? How has it been doing bigger shows lately?

Bluesfest was amazing, it was the biggest show I’d ever played…The bigger shows have been an interesting transition, but, what’s more important is the consistency of shows. Playing shows – especially big ones – is a lot more fun when you are in the rhythm for it.

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Has your writing process changed at all upon the upcoming release of ‘Love Me Now’?

Not so much the process but I’ve really worked on changing up the percussive rhythm in this album, it’s not just foot to the floor fast folk songs (haha!)

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On a different note, where did the interest spark to create responsible merchandise such as keep cups?

I’m a big advocate for environmental responsibility, no matter who you are. Its everyone’s issue as we share the same planet and it’s under a lot of pressure right now. If I’m making merchandise, why not make it responsible? People feel good about buying a good quality product that’s less environmentally harmful. I’m in an incredibly influential position and I want to make use of that.

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Do you think the new single will have the same success as ‘Heaven’? After it reached number 1 in the charts so soon after its release.

I don’t have expectations with it, but so far, it’s been going crazy. Better than Heaven. But the success of a song isn’t in its first couple weeks – it’s the longevity of it – if it really sticks with people.

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What’s been your biggest source of inspiration while writing new music?

It might sound very cliché but so much of this album is about our relationship with the earth, relationships with an intimate other, and the relationship you maintain with yourself. A metaphorically and literal mix of both.

 

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Connect with ZIGGY ALBERTS!

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