Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

I feel like my sound is still evolving and that maybe it’ll never stop evolving…and maybe I don’t want it to, either. It’s important to me to seek out something innovative, while still embracing the conventions of modern pop music, because pop music is my one true love!! I think I make Pop music, but Pop music that’s been like... plucked off the rings of Saturn, or dredged up from the bottom of the ocean. There’s something alien and spooky about it that I can’t stop chasing. 

What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

Deeply human feelings and behaviour is the thing that truly inspires me to create, I think. I also love when those perfect poetic moments occur in real life - those things you could never dream of writing, but somehow the universe gifts them to you and it’s impossible not to frame them in a song. Like last year I was in America and I’d just said goodbye to someone I loved very much, and sitting in the back of an Uber, crying as though I was in a music video, Kissing Families by Silversun Pickups came on and it was just…perfect. It was so human and so miserable and I couldn’t believe my luck (lol).

What can punters expect from an EILISH GILLIGAN live show?

I think I put on a good show. It’s important to me to produce a true *performance* in every sense of the word. I love the drama involved in being onstage. I think if I’d had any tangible talent in the area I’d probably have gravitated towards acting. If I hadn’t been a musician. I’m really inspired by tearjerker films and also by the drag community. I think Lady Gaga said once “those women taught me how to serve,” which is the truest goddamn thing on this planet. 

What's the best advice you've been given and who was it from?

There have been two instances where some extraordinarily pertinent advice has been given to me at exactly the right time. The first was from my wonderfully honest friend who, after patiently witnessing me bawl my eyes out on her hotel bed in Austin because I didn’t have the slightest idea where my sorry life was headed, said “You gotta do your own thing.” And I did. And she was right. The second bit of advice was from my Dad, who recently looked me straight in the eye and said “You must stop worrying. It’s going to kill you if you don’t,” and that scared me so much I must say I have really cut down on the worrying…

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

'Say Yes To Life' by Gang of Youths. This has worked for me approximately one trillion times. Also 'Better' by Mallrat. 

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

OK, this is definitely my forte. I think right now it’s a tie between 'Turning To White' by New Gods and 'Idiot Oracle' by Paul Dempsey. Both lyrically unbelievable and so so so miserable. Both superb!!

You're the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

'Get Me A Drink' by Alice Ivy, E^ST, Charlie Threads. Have you ever heard anything as unhingedly glorious as this song?!

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

The last one I can really remember was the Ceres Christmas show in December. It was my first time seeing Ceres live and it changed everything. I couldn’t believe the songs I had held so close to me so privately for so long meant so much to so many people in the same room!!

Tell us about the bands or people in the music community that inspire you.

I’m really inspired by kindness, honesty and work ethic in this industry. I really look up to people like HTMLflowers, Gordi and Mallrat. They all exude a wonderful sense of pride in their work and a generous, positive attitude towards friends and colleagues and I just think they’re great. 

What are your plans for 2018?

Write heaps, hopefully play many shows, and embrace whatever it means to be completely vulnerably human as much and as often as possible.