BIGSOUND 2019 Artist Focus: Butternut Sweetheart

Answered by: Luke Moseley

Give us a short description of your music: Underwater, post-apocalyptic indie. Dreamy, melodic pop with a twist. Evocative music that is hard to define but great to listen to. Somewhere between the worlds of Radiohead and James Blake. 

Which acts are on your must-see list at BIGSOUND? Obscura Hail, darvid thor, Ainsley Farrell. I've seen them all before and have loved their shows.

Why should people come and see you among the many amazing bands at BIGSOUND? A Butternut Sweetheart live performance takes the ambitious production goals of the electronic music world and delivers them in a live music context. Expect vocal effects, vocoder, drums and mesmerising synth sounds.

What music trends do you think are dominating right now, and do you have any predictions for the coming year? Butternut Sweetheart is navigating the dialogue between electronic and acoustic music like no other. Merging the sounds and technology of the modern world with the musicianship and songwriting of the performance world, Butternut Sweetheart will draw you in with the songs and mesmerise you with production.

In your career to date, what have been the key watershed moments? Loving something that I have made was huge. Working in the studio with Sam Cromack (Ball Park Music) and going on to support Ball Park Music on a 20-date national tour was amazing. Getting into BIGSOUND is exciting.

What industry lessons would you like to take away from the BIGSOUND conference? I want to learn how to sustainably be able to release music regularly. I'll be looking to learn how to have enough time to consistently create and how to go about expanding my touring career.

What do you identify as the most pressing issue impacting the Australian music industry at present? I live in Sydney, and one problem that has plagued this city for the last few years is the difficulty for music venues to stay open. It is so expensive to have licenses and property that often venues have to look elsewhere for revenue. Small venues mean more music.

What is the best bit of advice you've been given to prepare for your time at BIGSOUND? To be myself. I think it's tempting to put on another persona when talking to industry people, but I'm a terrible actor.

When and where is your BIGSOUND showcase? 3 Sep, Woolly Mammoth Alehouse Stage, 8.10pm; 4 Sep, The Elephant Hotel, 8.50pm.