Q&A with Ainslie Wills
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
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| Photo courtesy of Ainslie Wills |
Check out our interview with this talented girl,
1. Where are you from?
I am from a little
place called Albury in N.S.W, I grew up on a farm and once owned a horse called
'Frosty'. I lived in Ballarat for two years too, but Melbourne has been my home
for 9 years.
2. How did you first start writing music?
The desire to write songs was inspired by hearing Jeff Buckley's album
Grace that was handed to me by my older brother, It was like nothing I'd ever
heard before and prompted me to give songwriting a go.
3. Who’s your music inspiration?
Well aside from Jeffy as mentioned above, I have been heavily influenced
by Tori Amos, musicals, Chopin, Roy Orbison, David Bowie, Joan As Police Woman,
Grizzly Bear and more recently St Vincent (I don't know why I didn't discover
her before now, she is amazing!)
4. How do you describe your music?
Hmm, well, I would say its melodic Folk-Rock if I was to define it
with a genre. I'm really into interesting chord structures and letting the
combination of melody and harmony dictate the mood as opposed to just lyrics.
5. What do you do when you're stuck on
writing songs?
Usually, I'll have no problem starting the process but I do get
stuck in the middle and usually I just record what I have got up to that point
and rest my ears away from it, then come back at a later time hoping that I'll
have the ideas that will tie it all up into a song.
6. We love "Fighting Kind". Can
you tell us the story behind the song, just a little bit?
Oh great, thanks! Well this song is by no means a solo effort.
Fighting Kind was written in collaboration with my guitarist Lawrence Folvig
who came up with the structure of the song first, he demoed it and then handed
it to me to put my two cents in so to speak. It's a song about the dichotomy
that exists between who we are and who we want to be.
7. What kind of bands/musicians are you
into at the moment?
On a local level, Aluka, Texture Like Sun, Private Life, Gold
Bloom, Eliza Hull, Lisa Salvo, Canary, Axolotl, Ngaiire and The Rescue Ships. Otherwise,
St Vincent, Tuneyards, Midlake and Wildbirds and Peacedrums.
8. What are you working on at the moment?
I have just put out an official video for the single ‘Fighting Kind’
which was made by Jem Selig Freeman and Laura Woodward. Otherwise, I am working
on finishing my debut album 'You go your way, I’ll go mine' which will be
released in September this year.
9. If you could collaborate with any
musician, who would it be and why?
I would have to say Rufus Wainwright, he is so brave with his
songwriting and really draws the listener in with that voice first and foremost,
closely followed by extremely candid lyrics and beautiful melodies.
10. If you could play anywhere in the
world, where would it be?
I really want to play at The Olympia Theatre in France where so
many amazing artists have played, namely Jeff Buckley, Edith Piaf, Jimi Hendrix,
David Bowie and Katie Perry, ha! Yes I am kidding... She did play there though.
11. Tell us 5 random facts about you
1. I am a
sweetooth in a big way, chocolate-covered anything is fine by me.
2. I am distantly
related to Dame Nellie Melba the famous Australian Opera singer.
3. I am trying to
learn French.
4. My middle name
is Elizabeth.
5. I have an
electric piano from 1977 called Beverly.
12. Your debut album "You Go Your
Way, I'll Go Mine" is gonna be released later this year. How do you feel?
I feel really excited about getting it out there into the ears of
others, you have such a close relationship with the songs through so many
processes and levels that there comes a time when you need distance or the
'release' factor. It will mark the first collaboration I have done in the
songwriting process with my musical ally Lawrence Folvig and I am really happy
with what we have come up with.