Where are you currently based?
I am currently based in Sydney, Australia.
How did you first start playing music?
Music has always been a big part of my life from playing the recorder in my childhood years and then moving on to playing clarinet, guitar and the drums. My upbringing with also living in remote places such as Arnhem Land and Papua New Guinea has definitely had a positive influence on me as a person and into my song writing.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
The year 2020 has been a year of growth and re-connection to my inner self. I have been going for walks in nature with my Staffy Flo, meditating and enjoying practising the Wim Hoff method. During COVID lockdown, I found myself picking up the guitar a lot more and revisiting my song writing. You could say that ‘Endure’ was born in a year of great worldly change.
Your new single ‘Endure’ is out soon, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I am very excited to have released my new single ‘Endure’. My influence for this song comes from a belief that we are living in world increasingly challenged by lack of social connection and isolation from nature. Endure is about the endless importance of harmony with the natural world, and a gentle reminder of what has and always will be important.
How did you go about writing Endure?
Firstly, by playing around with chords and sythn progressions in the studio and I then came up with the lyric ideas to lay over the top, and it all unfolded from there. Originally the instrumentation had a strong electronic influence, but I decided to strip it back quite a bit. Overall, I wanted to go for a simple vibe to drive a clear message – that was really what I was looking for in this song.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
All done in the home studio, with the help of my multi-talented muso husband.
How did you approach the recording process and what did you most enjoy?
Just knocked back a few shots and off we went. Not really, it was all quite focused. Once I had a clear vision of what I wanted, it was just a matter of having several studio sessions to get it all down. I loved the process of laying down the vocals in my own personalised green coloured vocal booth with an ornamental frog light-catcher. Just bringing in the rainforest vibes!
What programs/instruments were used?
Logic, with programmed synths and drums. Plus added live guitars and bass.
How did the concept for the music video come about?
My vison for the Endure music clip was to simply be walking along a forest trail and absorbing the energy of nature. I wanted to show the beauty, nature and love. And yes, there is a tree hug in there! The video is a powerful reminder that the simple things in life have never been more important and reflects on lost memories and intimate connections.
Where and when did you film and who did you work with?
It was filmed in the The Cumberland State Forest, which was perfect for the forest trail walk, and to our surprise also the ideal spot for the filming of the drone shots. The way I connected with the Videographer John Mamutil was via Instagram, which was amazing, as we found out later that we actually already knew each other outside of Instagram. To work together on the Endure clip was the perfect collaboration for both of us.
What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the music video?
I really enjoyed the editing side of things, and I loved the creative process of putting all of the footage together. To see the storyline come to life is very rewarding. But the challenging thing for me would be the grading part of it – though I got through it and am pretty happy with the whole outcome.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
So many different things – new and old. I made up my own Spotify playlist called ‘Random Friends and Finds’- which pretty much sums up who I love to listen to.
What do you like to do away from music?
I love to Roller skate! That is my new thing to do either at the skate park or at the roller rink. I am a visual artist and have a fashion label called Luvlok too. I have shown my art in solo and group exhibitions in Sydney and the ACT, and my paintings were recently featured on the ABC TV series Black Comedy. My fashion label Luvlok, is very Artisan style having a focus on one-of-a-kind garments made with natural hand painted fabrics. I have been blessed to have had these featured in US fashion magazines, Elegant Magazine, SALYSE, and Prolific.
Any gigs coming up?
Not at the moment, but in 2021 – I hope so…. readers – feel free to follow my Instagram account to keep yourself in the loop.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
It’s almost Christmas Partae peeps, so celebrating is on the cards. And for 2021 – Recover, continue writing and reconnect with family after this crazy year that we all have had. And I have a whole library of songs that are just bursting to be released into the world. So, keep tuned.
Favourite food and place to hang out?
Formaggi Ocello in Surry Hills, Sydney – that would be my fav. You really need to experience their ‘Cheese and Wine’ nights. In summer, my perfect hang would be somewhere with a pool, palm trees, and a cocktail bar…. either by the beach or nestled somewhere in the Aussie bushland.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
Spotify: https://bit.ly/MiaLovelock
