A Quick Chat with Eat The Angel

Your new project, Eat The Angel, marks a shift from your punk roots with Lunchtime to a more indie pop direction. What inspired this transition in your musical style?

I was always a pop slut at heart! I started learning piano when I was younger because of pop music and then ended up in a punk band when I was a teenager, I was very much influenced by the music my friends and sister were listening to and just wanted to hear everything I could get my hands on. Coming back to pop and indie feels like a return to my true and most honest self.

'Friends Forever' features Carwyn Gregory. Can you tell us about how this collaboration came to be and what it was like working together on this track?

Carwyn and I were in Lunchtime together for a few years, this single means a lot to us as we started writing it together in the last months of the band. It was very surreal reuniting again, falling back into old writing habits together. It was a very proud moment being able to record this track as I genuinely thought it would never see the light of day.

You've supported well-known acts like Sly Withers, These New South Whales, RAAVE Tapes, and Legs Electric. How have these experiences influenced your music and performance style?

Supporting some of my idols has driven me to improve, you get an opportunity like that and make sure you don't fuck up. I definitely take note of things that I like in terms of music and performance style, and how I could incorporate that feeling into my own craft. Everything can be inspiration. One of the band members complimented my voice back in the days I thought of myself primarily a pianist and a vocalist second, and this really gave me confidence to come out of my shell.

With over 150 shows under your belt, playing at iconic venues like The Zoo, The Foundry, Crowbar Brisbane, and The Factory Theatre, how has your live performance evolved over the years?

It was definitely a learning curve! I started playing live gigs in the Valley when I was underage and very timid, eventually evolving into a yelling, fly-kicking, candy-throwing menace. I think the best part about live performance - especially high energy sets in a punk band - is feeding off the excitement of the crowd.

Moving from being a frontwoman in a punk band to a solo indie pop artist, what are some of the biggest challenges and rewards you've encountered on this journey?

The biggest challenge was definitely going from a unit of 5 to suddenly being alone. Being the Fast & Furious fan that I am, it was pretty tough without my band family. After quitting I seriously doubted whether I would play music again. That in itself is the biggest reward, being able to come back and continue to make art. The rewards are obviously scheduling and having no one disagree with me.

What are the key themes and messages you aim to convey through Eat The Angel, and how do they differ from your previous work with Lunchtime?

Most of my music and art in Eat The Angel draws inspiration from living with chronic mental illness and disorder. I'm hoping to clear some of the stigma around Tourette Syndrome especially and hopefully contribute in my own way to changing perceptions. Lunchtime's catalogue covered some heavy topics, interspersed with your usual punk nonsense and I hope to carry this on with a more experienced perspective.