A QUICK CHAT WITH SHELLEY SEGAL

Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration for your single ‘Mother’?
The inspiration for my song ‘Mother’ is my mum, Jenny. As I get older I’m starting to realize all the ways in which I’m like her and can appreciate more deeply how lucky I am to be her daughter. I came up with the idea for the song after seeing my reflection in the mirror. For a brief moment I thought that it was my mum. I’m not sure what it’s like for everybody else, but for me - some days I see myself and my body and I feel great, other days I may have negative thoughts or focus on things that I don’t like rather than see the whole image. When I thought for a microsecond that it was my mum who I was seeing, I realised how differently I viewed the image and how external some of those negative thoughts must be because when the same image is projected in my mind as her, I saw and experienced something completely different.

What are your influences and how do they affect your songwriting? 

I grew up in the 90’s listening to Mariah, Whitney, Celine. Massive pop voices. When I was 9 I heard Jagged Little Pill for the first time and it totally blew my mind. She wasn’t the perfect singer I had been obsessed with  up to that point but she was gritty and sang about themes and experiences that really spoke to me. It was the first time I realised you could really make a social statement with music. After that I was drawn to a lot of folk music, music that was very lyric focused. My favourites were Ani Difranco and Ben Harper. I grew up singing in my dad’s wedding band so I had this great foundation in pop and rock music - the songs that would get everyone up to dance and then I moved to that world of political music, protest music. It changed the way that I thought and the way that I saw the world. It became what I wanted to do with my song writing. Not just to express the way I saw things but to be that link in the chain of musicians that help to change the way we think about things.

What’s the creative process like for you?

It’s really different every time. I write in so many capacities. I create for myself as an artist, I write for and with other artists. I create music for film and TV,  for musicals and then just for fun with friends! The process varies depending on the project. For my own songs I like to wait until things have built up internally and I know exactly what I want to say. Sometimes it will still come out randomly though. In sessions where I’m working from a track we’ll often take turns laying down takes and choosing the parts we like best and building off of that. Other times it’s slowly chipping away. What helps regardless of the approach is knowing that no matter what, at the end of the session you will end up with a completed work.

If you could change something about the Australian music industry what would it be? 

I think there is so much that is great about the music industry in Australia, it’s an amazing scene, filled with creativity and talent that is world class and is supported with audiences that love live music, arts grants, industry bodies and export opportunities. I think the industry could be more diverse, more female-friendly and accessible for all different types of artists. I think there is an effort to bring that about and I look forward to seeing that changes from those efforts. 

 What do you think life would be like for you if you didn’t have music as an outlet? 

I think life without music would be much poorer. I’m struggling even now without performing as much as I did pre-pandemic. I’ve performed live several times a week since I was a teenager so it’s very hard to be without that. To be honest I feel like a smaller version of myself without  that outlet, without that medium of telling me stories. I feel less like myself than I ever have. I’m grateful to still have writing and recording as a part of my everyday life, I can’t imagine life without it.  I’m looking forward to getting back out on the road. 

Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?  Why?

I would love to be able to collaborate with one of my favourite folk artists, Mark Kozelek or Ani Difranco. They have influenced me so much with their writing and it would be incredible to see their process firsthand (and be a part of it)

What’s your advice to young people who want to make a career for themselves in the industry? 

My advice would be to do it because you love it. Find a part of it that is sacred to you, that is just for you and not for anyone else and keep that close to your heart. There are so many ‘no’s’ on this journey. So many compromises, sacrifices and heartbreaks for a life in music. It is a long hard slog and so you better be doing it coz you love it and even then some days that can wear thin or not be enough to get you through. If you have that sacred part of it, that’s just for you, that is your ‘why,’ then you can keep coming back to that, no matter what. I think that can keep the magic alive through all of the struggles. Work hard and learn to trust yourself and your instincts!!!

Who’s the most interesting person you’ve worked with/met? 

I wrote and recorded a collaborative album with Adam Levy (Norah Jones / Tracy Chapman / Ani Difranco) called ‘Little March. That was one of the greatest honours of my life. We had Kaveh Rastegar joining us on bass. It was produced by S Husky Hoskulds. I was so lucky to work with these incredible world class talents. 

I’m also beyond grateful to have worked with Australia’s greatest vocalist Vanessa Amorosi. I work with Ness at her indie label, Scream Louder Records and I’ve gotten to go on tour with her doing backing vocals. I had to work hard to keep myself going on stage and not just get lost in awe watching her sing, she is truly otherworldly

Any plans for a tour on the cards?
In September I’ll be coming home for some shows. I can’t wait to share all the new songs and stories with my home town. In October I’ll be doing a US West Coast tour run. I’m beyond excited to be back out on the road with my music. In 2024 I’ll be releasing and touring my project, ‘The Watershed’ - a a musical collaboration with science educator Dan Lombardo, bringing the songs and stories of the animals that live in the Puget, their triumphs and the threats that they face to the pacific coastal communities who live there. The program is designed to connect people from impacted communities with local organisations and inspire them to take tangible action in the environmental fight.