discover new australian music

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I've realised my music comes from some kind of self-therapy. I tend not to open up that much and always wrestled with being a bit of an introverted-extrovert so writing became a way to clear out my head a little. Everything really sonically clicked after I met this guy Freddy in Sweden. We spent a winter in Stockholm writing, digging through sounds, making homemade wine in the studio and managed to find something. Somebody once said it sounds a little Ray LaMontagne with a synth or KOL on valium. I'd love to believe that but those shoes sound a bit too big to fill, so for now I'm just happy for people to hear it.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
People. I feel like I'm always flicking through a bit of a rolodex of memories and moments with people in my head and I lean on that all the time. I've written songs about an ex who wanted me to quit music, my mum telling me to chase music, about singing karaoke with Lindsay Lohan and drunk strangers at a bar in Brisbane to name a few. 

What can punters expect from a Hazlett live show?

I'm a really visual person so when I started this all I had a dream of the live show being a slow burn with three acts. Playing the first EP solo, the second as a duo with my drummer and the third with a full band. I want it to be a sort of time lapse of what I've gone through creatively. I'm currently in the duo phase so I'm dying to get the rest of this second & then the third EP out in the world.

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

Nobody really cares if you don't go to the party. Courtney Barnett. It seem a little tongue in cheek, but seriously people need to look after themselves out there and not feel the social pressure as much. If theres a dream you're chasing and you need to work on it on the weekend do that or if your batteries are drained there's nothing wrong with taking some alone time.

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

I'd lip-synch Affirmation by Savage Garden until you're overwhelmed by positivity or I'll do my best David Le'aupepe and dance to Let Me Down Easy by Gang of Youths until I get a laugh or you beg me to stop embarrassing myself.

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

I cry weekly listening to Odettes like a version of Magnolia. I made people listen to it on the tube at 2am once. Also Radio Silence by Gretta Ray, that song kills me.

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

Depends on the vibe of the room. I feel like the safe crowd pleaser would be Horses by Daryl Braithwaite. For a vibe generator About This Thing by Young Franco. But really I'd want to destroy a dance floor with The Door by Silverchair.

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

I'm back overseas at the moment so it's been a while but the last one I saw was the day before I left. It was a songwriting competition at Black Bear Lodge hosted by Listen Up Music, a charity for mental health and music. All these artists from all over Queensland got up to sing about mental health and in particular healing, it was so beautiful. There was an act called Collie that I think you should keep your eye out for.

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

Austen is a one woman powerhouse. Akurei is a dreamboat. Golden Vessel blows my mind with every new sound he finds. The guys from MTNS are doing a bunch of different side projects which are exciting. What Mallrat has been doing all over the world is insane. Trina Massey made the leap into politics which is a pretty inspiring and selfless move to be a voice for alot of us. To surmise, so many people beautiful people doing so many great things.

What are your plans for 2019?

My oldest and one of my most favourite songs comes out next month which is causing a lot of sleepless nights at the moment. Hopefully folks enjoy it along with the rest of the EP and I can come back home for the summer to play more shows. I'm a little homesick at the moment.

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

I like to think my music is different and that I don’t follow trends. My current sound comes from a fusion of the music I listen to and my feelings in the moment of writing my songs. My sound is constantly evolving, as the more I live and experience, the more music I create, the more new layers will be added to my songs. 

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

Healing is definitely my greatest inspiration. Music has helped me express emotions in a way that no other form of expression could do. 

What can punters expect from an A.GIRL live show?

LIVE SHOWS FOR ME ARE LIFE. I like making people feel connected and especially making them dance, I even like it when they do the stank face lol. Seeing someone feel the same way I feel from a lyric or even from a bass line is something really special. The same vibe my audience can feel during my show, is the same one I have on the stage with my band. We’re very tight, basically family. My younger sister does the BVs, my guitarist has been my friend since year 5 (we met at our High School’s Open Day) and we all went to High School together. We love sharing this experience. 

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

‘Be good or be good at it' - it’s my mum’s life motto. She always says that no matter what you do, good or bad, or even something risky, go all in. It’s the only way you won’t have regrets.

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

‘Elastic Heart’ from Sia ft. The Weeknd. This song will put a smile on anyone’s face! 

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

‘Uppers & Downers’ from Isaac Puerile. This song can make anyone cry or is it just me?

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

Ridin’ Manu Crooks’ mood forever.

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

The Area movement: This event was amazing! I often go to live music events and gigs to support artists, which usually means that I have to travel from South Granville into the city centre. The Area Movement took place in Parramatta, which meant that it was five minutes up the road from my house! WE NEED MORE OF THESE EVENTS IN WEST SYDNEY.

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

The current Sydney female music scene is very inspiring to me #YTG (yeah the girls!): Milan Ring, Bea Moon, Temgazi, Lara Andallo to name a few. I can’t leave out the boys Cult Shotta, Free Souls and Manu Crooks, who are putting Sydney on the map. There are many more Sydney artists who inspire my music, but there’s no room to name them all!

What are your plans for the rest of 2019?

At the moment I’m focusing on writing catchy vibes with a few producers and other artists, but I also want to do more live performances, because my band is currently on fire! My plans also include looking after my physical, mental and spiritual health and cross off my list some of my 2019-2020 goals: Reaching 100K streams on Spotify, do triple j’s ‘Like A Version’…  ‘wink wink’, get more international things popping for 2020 and overall be a good human being.

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

I think something that is unique to me is that I don’t just have ONE sound. Each track comes out depending on how I’m feeling at the time or where I’m ´at´. For instance ´Smoke Machine´came across because I know I needed to make a BANGER for the clubs. It´s exactly that, a club track. Ksmail tho was written from my Airbnb in Albania, right on the water. I could literally see 180´of ocean while writing the track, and you can hear that in record. 

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

Listening to loads and loads of of different genres from classical to trance, to pop, disco and taking elements from each of those and injecting it into my own music. Also, as above, location is also very inspiring to me. 

What can punters expect from a Dave Winnel live show?

A lot of thow backs, a lot of party shirts, a lot of good vibes, a lot of fist pumps. 

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

My Mum. She tells me this all the time. ¨life is short, do what makes you happy and never do anything you down want to do¨. 

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

Powderfinger with 'My Happiness'.

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

The Temper Trap with 'Sweet Disposition'.

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

'Horses'? by Daryl Braithwaite. NO!! I don’t actually have that on my USB. Empire Of The Sun with 'Walking On A Dream'.

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

Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform at the Opera house. They played the soundtrack of Star Wars - The Force Awakens while the movie was shown. Absolutely incredible experience. Sooo much talent in one room, and John Williams score is a masterpiece. 

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

Three guys I’ve always looked up to in the Australian scene are, James Frew, Bass Kleph & Tommy Trash. Then always encouraged me to push harder and go beyond. Mad respect for them!  

What are your plans for 2019?

Apart from the usual club gigs around Aus for the summer and making a shit tone of music… I plan to go to the beach more because I’m disappointed in my beach efforts last year.