A Quick Chat with Imogen Clark

Photo: Michelle Grace Hunder

Imogen Clark has been making waves with her latest album, The Art of Getting Through, and its newly expanded edition featuring her standout cover of Neil Finn’s "She Will Have Her Way." With an exciting tour schedule that includes stops in the UK and Australia, and a performance lined up for CMC Rocks QLD in 2025, Imogen’s journey from Western Sydney bars to global stages has been nothing short of inspiring.

We sat down with Imogen to talk about her experiences living in some of the world’s most iconic music cities—Sydney, Nashville, and London—and to dive deeper into her process of making music, touring, and collaborating with some of the industry’s most respected names.

Sydney:

What’s your favourite venue to play in Sydney and why?

I love playing Low 302 in Surry Hills because it’s so intimate and has such a cool atmosphere. I’ve spent so many fun nights there drinking cocktails so getting up on the stage with that super old grand piano always feels like a raucous night is ahead! Sydney is also my hometown so I’m very excited to play a sold out show at Low 302 on Nov 14!

Where’s your go-to restaurant or café when you’re back home?

When I lived in Sydney, I was right around the corner from John Montagu cafe in Woolloomooloo. Every morning, I’d walk there to grab a coffee and the staff were always so sweet and the coffee was excellent. It became a tradition for me and I miss it now! 

What makes Sydney feel like home, even after travelling the world?

Even though I live in Nashville now, Sydney (and specifically Western Sydney) will always be my first home. I grew up in the Hawkesbury area and my parents still live in the house where I grew up. Sydney weather has always been one of my favourite things about the city, and growing up outside of town where people say hi in the street and we all know each other’s dog’s names is something I love and miss! 

Nashville:

What’s your favourite part about living in Nashville?

My favourite part about living in Nashville is being constantly immersed in music. There’s not a day where I’m not singing or playing an instrument for some reason - whether it’s a writing session, a gig or recording - so I feel like I’m honing my craft more and more every day. I can notice the growth in myself as a musician and a songwriter already and I’ve only lived here for 6 months! That’s the beauty of this town.

Can you tell us about your most memorable gig there?
When I released my new album The Art of Getting Through, my band and I played at The Basement here in Nashville and it was one of the best nights of my life. Not only did I have incredible amounts of fun on stage, the band absolutely killed it and the room was packed out with the most supportive crowd. We had one cover on the set list - a very raucous version of Sheryl Crow’s Every Day is a Winding Road - and just as we were about to start our set, Jeff Trott walks in, the man who co-wrote and produced that song, as well as so many other big hits from Sheryl Crow’s catalogue! It was a complete coincidence and I got to meet and thank Jeff for the excellent songs. Since then, Jeff and I have collaborated a few times ourselves! That’s Nashville for you.

Which local spot do you always recommend to friends visiting Nashville?
There’s a great cafe called Hearts in East Nashville which has some of the best coffee in town, and for cocktails, you gotta try The Fox! 

London:

You’ve spent some time recording in London—what’s your favourite venue or studio to work in?
I feel so honoured that I got to record a song for my album at Abbey Road Studios in London, the most iconic recording studio in the world. The history in those walls is phenomenal. I felt like I was checking off a bucket list item recording my music on the same piano that Paul McCartney played on Lady Madonna and Penny Lane! As far as venues, I’ve played Green Note in Camden a few times as an opening act and this Summer just gone, I sold out my first ever headline show in London there at Green Note! It was such a beautiful evening so I have a very special place in my heart for that venue. I’m actually heading back there next June!

Where do you love to unwind when you’re in the city?
I really enjoy the Shoreditch and Hackney areas, and I love to sit in a beer garden on a Summer’s day in London, or in a cafe with my laptop. The UK in Summer can just be so glorious.

How does the vibe in London influence your music compared to Sydney or Nashville?
I have a special connection to the UK as my Dad was born in England, so I am a dual citizen of Australia and the UK. I had this funny feeling the first time I ever visited London and the UK in general that I had been there before, even though I hadn’t, and I think part of that is my family history there, which goes back generations. I think there’s such an affinity between Australians and Brits too, so I tend to feel quite at home there!


Touring & Collaborations:

You’ve toured with some incredible artists—what’s been your favourite moment on the road?
I’m honoured to have opened for some amazing artists in my time, and back in 2019 I opened for the incredible Clare Bowen on her U.S. tour, which was my first time touring the U.S. Clare and her husband and now duo partner Brandon Robert Young have always been unbelievably kind and supportive of me, and this tour really grew our friendship to another level. I remember the Nashville show at City Winery where Clare’s fans were so kind as to give me a standing ovation for an opening set, which I’d never experienced before! That was one of my favourite moments I’ve ever had on the road and I remember tearing up on stage. That whole tour was a beautiful experience and I’ll never stop being grateful for the ongoing support from Clare and her fans.

Who’s an artist you’d love to collaborate with next?
I’d love to open for and/or write a song with Paul Kelly, one of my all time Australian heroes!

Do you have any pre-show rituals that help you get in the zone before hitting the stage?
I really like a bit of peace before going on stage. I’m an anxious person and can get quite flustered which isn’t the best energy to bring on stage as a starting point, so I like to not talk too much but just sit with my thoughts for a while, picturing what I want the show to be like and how I want people to feel when they leave. I try to give myself some positive affirmations to boost my confidence. Of course, I also do the normal stuff like drink lots of water (electrolytes are great!), warm up my voice and jump up and down several times… 

Making Music:

Can you tell us about the process of creating The Art of Getting Through and how it shaped your sound?
Creating The Art of Getting Through was one of the most wonderful, challenging and invigorating experiences of my life, from writing the songs right through to the final sign off on the masters. I put everything into this album and wrote over 100 songs for it - we chose the best 13. I was invested in these songs being the strongest and rawest I’d ever written and I’m so proud of every one of them. The record is proudly genre agnostic - it has elements of pop, rock, singer songwriter, Americana and indie music - and it really allowed me to stretch out and explore lots of different sides of myself as an artist, which I think has properly set me on that path as a genre versatile artist. 

What made you want to record the Neil Finn cover?
In my opinion, Neil Finn is one of the best songwriters of our time and I’ve grown up listening to and playing his songs. His melodies are absolutely unparalleled and when we decided to put a cover song on this extended version of The Art of Getting Through, I wanted to choose one of his songs that I haven’t heard covered as frequently but is one of my absolute favourites. We recorded it with Mike Bloom in LA, who produced a majority of The Art of Getting Through, and he was able to help us achieve the perfect balance of being true to the original song’s feel and arrangement, while still bringing my own flavour to the production.

What do you want listeners to take away from your music?
I want my music to help give people strength and courage in times of adversity. I write music as therapy and to encourage myself through challenging times, and I always hope it can have the same effect on others - to bring them joy in good times and support them through the bad. It’s important to me to be warts-and-all as a songwriter, to write close to the nerve and get as honest with myself as possible, so my songs can hopefully resonate with others in a sincere way.

Make sure to check out The Art of Getting Through (Deluxe Edition), available now. You can listen to it here.

Don’t miss Imogen Clark live on her upcoming Australian shows this November:

Australian Shows

With special guest JEANE

Thursday 14 November - Low 302, Sydney NSW [SOLD OUT] 

Saturday 16 November - Wesley Anne, Melbourne VIC

Tickets and details available here

Catch her at CMC Rocks QLD in March 2025, too!