A QUICK CHAT WITH HARPER BLOOM
Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration for your single ‘Red Rocket’
’Red Rocket’ was written after suffering the loss of a family member and seeing the grief of his wife. I couldn’t stop thinking about how difficult it would be to cope when someone so close to you passes away so suddenly. Then I started noticing that you can still enjoy life once they are gone, and maybe you take less for granted - and that doesn’t mean you don’t miss them. A Red Rocket is a symbol of something you keep around from your loved one for comfort, it could be a little picture or an old sweater. It keeps them close, even when they are gone.
What are your influences and how do they affect your songwriting?
My influences are story-tellers. Anyone that can immerse you into a narrative while they are singing a song, I think thats an incredible talent. Paul Kelly, Bob Dylan, Courtney Barnett, Boy and Bear, The Pierce Brothers. These artists (and many more) make me want to bring the listener on a journey, not only lyrically but also musically. It's still something I’m working on - they make it look easy but it's not haha!
What’s the creative process like for you?
A lot of the time now, I find it difficult to write when I sit down to write. It’s almost like I overthink things. What I've been doing recently is going on walks or sitting at a pub and just humming melodies into my voice memos. Then I will go home and work on them lyrically and figure out the actual guitar parts. I’ll think about something that has struck a nerve with me and run with that- there are everyday moments which can be turned into meaningful songs and stories.
If you could change something about the Australian music industry what would it be?
I think what I would do is make sure any line-up has a miinimum of 50 % female or non-binary acts. I think that would really give a leg-up to many female and non-binary acts and help them move to the next level.
What do you think life would be like for you if you didn’t have music as an outlet?
Ooo, interesting question. Maybe I would just write instead, but I would definitely be a washing machine of emotions and probably not have much control over myself. Music helps me process the world around me. Otherwise I would probably just explode haha. It's meditative for me.
Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with? Why?
There are many, many musicians I’d like to collaborate with and I have started writing for other artists and it's a super fun process. It’s so interesting, scraping out stories and emotions in other people that otherwise might be left dormant. You learn you're not the only one with certain funny thoughts haha. I think a really cool experience would be collaborating with Tash Sultana. They are just an incredible talent, a wizard on so many different instruments. I would love to work with them on a song and see what we could come up with,
What’s your advice to young people who want to make a career for themselves in the industry?
I am still trying to navigate this industry myself - but what I would say is, hustle, hustle hard. Don’t be afraid of being told “no”, it will happen, but in the end you’ve got to be persistent and just not be afraid to knock on doors.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve worked with/met?
Franc Tetaz - he mixed my last single, “Sydney Road”. He is such an incredible guy, and really down to earth and lovely. He just seemed like a mastermind when it comes to unique sound and production - he wrote a lot of the music on the Wolf Creek soundtrack and also co-produced Gotye’s , “Somebody That I Used To Know”.
Any plans for a tour on the cards?
There is a little regional tour in current planning, but nothing set in stone just yet! Hopefully I will have a bit more information on this confirmed in the next month :) Otherwise I am supporting a couple of really cool artists in April so make sure to check out my socials or sign up to my mailing list at Contact — Harper Bloom for updates