We love it when we see local musos kicking goals! One such very talented artist is the Gold Coast’s own, LAVELIN. LAVELIN just recently performed at her first ever professionally booked show ‘Femme Fatale’ at O’Skulligans in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley to a sold-out venue! We sat down to chat to her all about her music and what’s next. Check it out!
Tell us a little about you?
I am an independent pop songwriter and performer. I’ve always really loved creating stories and singing. As a child I grew up playing classical piano each day, performing in the Australian Youth Choir, and spending my free time creating dance routines, playing dress ups, and singing karaoke. I’ve always been an avid lover of music, as were my parents. In my teenage years I moved out of home and began playing keyboard and guitar for the first time; my first song spilled out the moment I touched that keyboard. I haven’t stopped being able to play without writing since.
Where did the name LAVELIN come from?
LAVELIN, pronounced ‘javelin’ but with an L – is a name I created while growing my first lavender plant in the garden. To me, LAVELIN means to be honest, unfiltered, and express my truth with integrity; it means to be free from self-doubt and constraint.
Who influences your sound?
My main influences include: Madonna for her unshakable determination; Nick Cave for his honed craft of writing with utter integrity; Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham for their commitment to their life calling through the most heart wrenching of situations; Karl S. Williams, for his humbling showcasing of a career committed to pure musicianship; Julia Jacklin for her surrendering to write with true vulnerability in the face of humility; Alicia Keys for having the courage to title her debut album the most simplest of keys against musical stigma; and Aldous Harding for having the courage to showcase her true self unshaken by theatres of unfamiliar eyes.
How long have you been writing and performing?
I have been performing classical music since I was around 6 years old and writing since I was about 18. I began performing original music only in recent years. November 2021 will mark one year of LAVELIN.
What is your favourite song you’ve written and why?
My favourite song I have written is ‘Forget About Us’. It is my favourite song because it helped me walk away from a relationship that wasn’t serving me. I have worked hard to write it in a way that I hope will help inspire others to do the same.
What do you want your fans to feel?
My mission behind LAVELIN is to selflessly express the feelings that we, as humans, so often repress. I hope that through doing this I will connect listeners and they will gain a sense of community and oneness.
What instruments do you play?
My piano is my greatest accomplice. I’ve been playing her and singing since I was 6, however, I’ve received little vocal training and sing mostly intuitively. Some friends along the way have taught me a little guitar and I play that from time to time too!
What inspires you to write?
I sit down and write every day. I’ve always done this in diaries since I first learned to write. Now, I mainly write with my instruments and my voice. I don’t know if I’d call it ‘inspiration’, it’s just how I’ve always lived my life. I’ll go out into the world, see, and experience things; or I’ll go into introverted thought and explore my feelings and observations through writing. I find writing and singing a lot easier than talking and expressing how I feel in conversation; its’ always been the most comfortable form of communication for me.
Are you working on anything new or exciting?
I just finished writing my debut demo album and I am looking forward to getting it recorded and produced soon.
You read all about LAVELIN on her website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram to keep in touch and be the first to know when her debut demo album launches! LAVELIN also has a FREE ENTRY show coming up on Saturday 20 November at Hotel Carrington in Fortitude Valley so make sure to get out there and support this fabulous local artist!
Bravo Gold Coast 