INTERVIEW: CHARLIE HANRHAN IS GOING IN ‘CIRCLES’

We caught up with Melbourne based artist ‘Charlie Hanrhan’ about his new single ‘CIRCLES’, Blending Genres and Emotions

At just 23 years old, Charlie Hanrhan from the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne is making waves in the music industry with his unique sound and introspective lyrics. The self-produced multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter is gearing up for the release of his latest single, 'Circles,' debuted on Feb 10. With influences ranging from Little Simz to David Bowie, Hanrhan's music combines modern trap electronic production with elements of hip-hop, soul, and rock n' roll, creating a captivating sonic experience for listeners.

Hanrhan's musical journey is deeply rooted in his love for various genres, including soul, funk, hip-hop, and rock n' roll. His upcoming album, slated for release in 2024, promises to showcase his versatility and creative vision. Despite drawing comparisons to established artists like Rahgd and Kendrick Lamar, Hanrhan maintains a distinctive style that sets him apart in the industry.

In a recent statement, Hanrhan expressed his passion for music, describing it as his escape and the love of his life. He spends countless hours in his home studio crafting intricate beats, meaningful lyrics, and immersive melodies that resonate with listeners on an emotional level. His dedication to his craft is evident in the depth and sincerity of his musical compositions.

One of Hanrhan's previous successes, 'I'm Good, I'm Rich,' garnered attention from various platforms, solidifying his presence in the music scene. He has been featured on radio shows like RppFM's Sunday Sessions and gained recognition from publications such as Happy Mag and Aus Music Scene. Hanrhan's upcoming album is highly anticipated, with fans eagerly awaiting his next musical chapter.

Despite his busy schedule as a full-time Support Worker, Hanrhan devotes over 30 hours a week to creating music, showcasing his relentless work ethic and commitment to his artistry. He describes his sound as challenging to categorize but believes that the right audience will connect with his expressive techniques over time.

'Circles,' Hanrhan's latest single, delves into themes of self-awareness, personal growth, and mental health. The track reflects on mundane yet profound moments in life, urging listeners to stay positive and true to themselves. Accompanied by meticulously crafted music videos, the single promises an immersive experience that captures the essence of Hanrhan's artistic evolution.

As Charlie Hanrhan continues to evolve and push boundaries in the music industry, 'Circles' serves as a testament to his talent and dedication. With a message that resonates with audiences worldwide, Hanrhan invites listeners to join him on a sonic exploration of life's highs and lows, promising an unforgettable musical journey.

For more information and to connect with Charlie Hanrhan, visit his social media links here.

For More Info, and social media links:
https://msha.ke/charliehanrahan 

---

INTERVIEW 

Can you tell our readers about your new single 'Circles', and a little bit about who you are?

Hello readers, my name is Charlie. Hop you’re doing well and cheers for reading this. You know what would be cool. If we broke the fourth wall right now ahah. Hit me up on insta or wherever tf and tell me how you are lol (@charliehanrahan__)…. Shameless promo x. I’m a 23 yo dude from the Mornington Peninsula, Vic. This song is basically about breaking free and reflection of being trapped in somewhat toxic lifestyles surrounding drugs, alcohol, and partying etc. I find myself easily manipulated into environments that I really don’t feel apart of. 

Who did you work with for this single, and what does the name of the track mean?

So basically everything bar those angelic backing vocals you hear towards the end was produced by myself. The title of the track represents the patterns of them unhealthy lifestyle habits I speak about. You know, work for the weekend, party for days straight. Allll of that shit.  

How do you put music together, or do you work with a Producer, if so who?

No producer. I’ve tried working with various producers in the past but I just have such a specific sound in mind when creating and I know that if it’s not exactly how I like it, it just won’t work out. So generally I work alone. I get that that might be seen as boxing myself in but it works for me, that’s how I like to do things. So it’s just hours and hours in my home studio. A. Song will come together over time though. Often I will completely finish a song and if it doesn’t quite hit, I’ll strip down that entire song and start from square one. 

What are some of your go-to records to listen to, when you're either chilling or working on new music?

It really does vary so much, I created this particular record so long ago I’d have no idea what I was listening to at that time. At the moment I’ve been enjoying Sampha’s new album a lot. I’ve also been going through a Yatchy phase and Scaring The Hoes is on repeat. 
Anything exciting coming up over the next few months?

You know I’ve always got projects on the go behind the scenes without a plan on when to release them. So, I might have an album out next week or in 6 months time. I act irrationally with these things. People say that’s a bad way to do it but my audience will find it eventually lol. I’m sort of beyond the point of really giving a f*ck about what people say because at the end of the day I do this for myself. Also I’m moving to London to try make something out of myself. It doesn’t seem to be working for me in Aus. So imma hit the road. Right in the deep end you know.

What other artists and or creatives are from your community, and who should our readers get across?

A couple names come to mind straight away. I’ve been gracious enough to play along side Squid the Kid and his crew over the past few months. Squid had me play some bass with his band at some shows that was just so much fun ! I’ve also been gracious enough to play bass with Seaweed on Sticks. Som e more legends who’ve had me on board. Getting to know both of these artists and work along side them has been such a great joy. They’re both insanely talented crews and even better people. 

What do you like to do, outside of writing, recording and playing music?

Ahahah not much lol. Music consumes me. I like to swim. Always get some laps in at my local pool. Shoutout to YAWA down in Rosebud. They’ve also got a dope ass sauna in there. I also love food and with that, a healthy lifestyle. 

Do you have any shows coming up? Any last words?

No shows. I’m leaving for London as I said.  Booking a show would just be too stressful for me at this point. Uhhhhhh I’ll sign off by saying thank you and I love you. 

INTERVIEW SERIES: AND WE ARE LIVE!

We all know that Covid has well and truly messed with the music scene this year. X Promotions have taken matters into their own hands to promote some of the best local indie pop/rock, soul and hip-hop acts from the Frankston/Peninsula area. This 60 minute event will be live streamed into your lounge room from the Frankston Arts Centre via their Facebook and YouTube pages:
FACEBOOK

YOUTUBE

Tickets are priced at whatever you can afford and 100% of ticket sales will go to the artists and guest hosts on the night. Support the artists via the ‘Donate Now’ button HERE

 Check out the Facebook event page HERE

Ryan McGeary and Andrew Gorman from X Promotions sat down and had a chat with me about what they are doing and why.

---

Well to start with I guess you better tell me about X Productions and what you guys are about.

Ryan: It’s a pretty new venture into the live-streaming stuff. Andrew and I stumbled upon one another with an interest in putting on live shows. Back in the day it was me with my band. We were looking to get some shows. Andrew had an interest in fostering some live shows. We met while doing separate shows and then came together to do some. This is just our next step in the Covid friendly world.

There isn’t anything friendly about Covid!!

Andrew: Ultimately, as much as we love to see the crowds and bands having a great time, we can only do half of that at the moment. With this event, we saw the Frankston Art Centre putting on live-stream events for the traditional theatre type crowds. We though hey there is no reason why some of the younger music acts couldn’t get in on that as well. Thankfully the theatre have jumped on board and the council has backed it as well. There are a few more big announcements to make in the coming weeks, there are a lot of things going our way. Thankfully everyone is loving it.

That’s a really good thing to hear. Good for the bands and for the fans. So there are just the four bands on this bill

Ryan: Yes we are seeing some really talented bands. We are trying to keep it local, there are some really awesome acts down this way that we thought needed the spotlight shone on them a little bit more. Especially during this lockdown. So we have subcult. Velvet Bloom who are.. how would you describe them Andrew?

Andrew: They are a very grass roots soul act. It’s a really cool sound. It’s not a sound that you expect. Maddy the singer has the smoothest voice.

Ryan: Maddy has that voice that as soon as she starts to sing you just lean in a little more than what you were.

And then we have Teenage Dads who have an indie pop sound.  They are just an awesome bundle of joy on a stage. And then we have Boler Mani who is in the hip hop/rap game. Again he is high energy, really good stuff that is well produced. As soon as I saw him I was like cool. It’s tough when there is one person on stage, tough to get that energy across and he’s got it

Teenage Dads

Boler Mani

Andrew: He was also lined up 3 or 4 festivals this year, so this was going to be his break through year.  Teenage Dads have some festival experience. Velvet Bloom has been around on the peninsula for a while. She has broken into Melbourne in a big way, she has a big fan base. subcult have a new single out and are releasing their second single on the night of this show. They have all had stuff put on hold.

Subcult

Velvet Bloom

It’s a good time to be interacting with fans on social media and getting your music out there. Building that fan base so that when gigs return you already have a following.

Ryan: It’s a really good time to ‘gather your supplies’ is what I have been telling people. Strengthen your foundations and get all your processes in place so that when you do get released into the world it goes gangbusters. The really good thing about the acts that we have got at the moment is they were all on the verge of something really great this year. They still are, don’t get me wrong, but using subcult as an example they did shows with Ruby Fields and names like that and it was looking to be a huge year for them. This has delayed them a little bit, but it gives them an opportunity to get more songs under their belt.

Andrew: Support local doesn’t have to be just for your shops. Support your local bands. We aren’t going to see any international acts in Melbourne for at least the next 6-12 months. So we all need to get behind not only Aussie music but the local bands that are in your back yard. All the big bands started out small so let’s help these smaller bands get there quicker.

That’s why I started writing for myself. I want to help promote the smaller grassroot bands that we have in Australia. There is so much talent here. And I’ve been lucky and had so much support from the scene.

Andrew: It’s huge. When Ryan and I were sitting working out how to spread this as far as we can, you don’t discount anyone who has even 50 followers. Speak to whoever you can because it’s not only about getting to 5 big 10,000 follower groups, but also about getting to as many small pages and groups as well. The love comes back and forth amongst these people.

Tell me about And We Are LIVE

Ryan: We have four acts that we have mentioned, so Boler Mani, subcult, Velvet Bloom and Teenage Dads. It will be hosted by the awesome Ali Barter and Oscar Dawson (Holy, Holy) we were stoked when we got the call from them saying they wanted to be involved. It’s hosted at the Frankston Art Centre, for us it’s one of those venues in Frankston that everyone has an experience with. Whether its as a kid in your school play, or as an adult in a lot of theatre based things. They haven’t really dabbled in this scene as much so in our conversations with them they were really excited to be expanding their horizons to a new audience.

Once Covid blows over you have yourselves another venue.

Ryan: I’m going to be there as often as possible. There are some awesome spaces within that venue. There’s something like 3-4 performance spaces, each with their own little quirks. Fortunately we get to cover off a few of them in this live stream, so we are doing it in different ‘studio’ spaces which helps with the changeovers and all that. It also showcases what they have to offer as well.

Andrew: The main theatre is 800 seats, so it’s a huge theatre. The Cube theatrette is 200 seats.

Ryan: The Cube 37 is an amazing space. Its an art gallery mixed with a performance space. When it is set up for a live show it is such an awesome spot.

Andrew: It’s not your traditional pub venue. It’s a world class venue that these acts don’t have access too. This event is not for profit, we are doing this for love as well.

It would be a perfect place for AA shows!

Ryan: I was going to mention that. The world is hanging out for AA shows. If you ask people what their favourite show was there is a 90% chance that the answer is we had this all ages show at this hall. It was an awesome atmosphere. It’s almost like you take the alcohol away and everyone is more invested in the music. It’s something that I hope we can foster. 

We then moved on to genres!!

Andrew: Don’t read a book by its cover!! Ryan gets as dark as any.

Ryan: (laughs) This is my formal attire.

I listen to anything from Country to Black Metal!

Ryan: Good. That’s the way to be though. It’s a thing I have always found with people who are so genre bound with their tastes. When you’re not feeling angry and angsty or if you’re not feeling lovey dovey what are you listening too?? You have to embrace it all and each genre has their own advantage. And bringing it back to the event I think we capitalize on the moment by having four acts that arguably you wouldn’t see on a bill together unless it was a festival setting.

There’s been a lot of talk about bringing back the mixed bill line-ups.

 Ryan: I think the only prerequisite should be that they are good.

100% correct

Ryan: I used to be in bands that sort of did the heavier thing and now I’m dabbling in weird electronic stuff. I would love to be able to still play with those bands, I’d love for their to be a scene that ‘Is it good? Yes. Cool let’s do something together’

Andrew: You have to look at the broad brush. If you have a fine artistic brush and you are just appealing to that one corner you might get your 50-100 people along. Where if you have that bill where you can get the boyfriend bringing the girlfriend and her mate because they all love something different that is on the bill it makes for a great night. And you fill the room. And as Ryan said if it’s good you will.

The diversity was key in this line-up. Funnily enough all four acts were the first four acts that we approached. We thought that we could do it with three acts not expecting them all to jump on board. Being a live stream we didn’t want to have them playing 30-40 minute sets so they each have 15 minute sets so if you’re not loving this genre wait 10 minutes and the next act will be on.

After having a listen to these bands make sure you jump on and purchase a ticket because you are in for an hour of great music by some up and coming talented young Australian bands.

Leading up to event day (THURSDAY OCTOBER 29) we have a series of interview with the artists involved so watch out for those over the coming days!

Hit the links below and give them a follow on their Facebook pages and check out their YouTube channels:

XPROMOTIONS
FACEBOOK

VELVET BLOOM
FACEBOOK
'DM ME' ISO LIVE JAM

TEENAGE DADS
FACEBOOK
'JEANE-CLAUDE VAN JAMME' MUSIC VIDEO

SUBCULT
FACEBOOK
’POISON’ LIVE AT WRANGLER

BOLER MANI
FACEBOOK
'DOOZY’ MUSIC VIDEO

SEVEN DEADLY Q’S WITH RON GALLO

Its our first international-artist-based article, and Dan has for sure swept us up with this one!

“I was honoured to be able to interview the amazing Ron Gallo through the power of the worldwide web. We talked meditation, the importance of being multi-faceted in todays ever shifting workplace and stress and its relation to creativity 😊“

1. I was listening to Stardust Birthday Party and kept thinking to myself that a lot of the lyrics reminded me of the kind of introspection one has when meditating (something I started doing as a result of the pandemic). Then I heard OM and that sort of confirmed that, but what are your views on meditation, and does it help your creative process?

 Ron: Meditation was hard for a long time; I think because I didn't understand what it was.  Now, I see it as a practice to remind us of our natural state of being. A way to return to that empty, nothingness for a bit and observe the mind rather than be consumed by it.  I go in waves with it, months where I will have a daily practice and then months where I don't at all.  It's super easy to talk yourself out of meditating, haha.

 2. Given that writing is such a prominent part of your works, what are some of your favourite authors and poets? Do you think music with literary intent is on the rise?

Ron: I actually hate poetry haha, at least reading other people's poetry - I feel like poems are usually only good for the people that wrote them.  Myself included. When it becomes a song it's different though because the delivery is equally as important as the actual words.  As for authors, I don't read a TON honestly but the last book I finished a month or so ago was "The First Bad Man" by Miranda July and I thought it was great and I feel like I really understand her oddball way of thinking and saying things.  I don't think music with literary intent is on the rise - I think really basic, vulnerable songs that are like "today I woke up alone, sun was out, I scrolled my phone and saw you in my DM's" is on the rise.

3. If you had to have another career, what would it be? Do you think there's a place for renaissance men/women in today’s day? Are genres or an artist sticking to one discipline a thing of the past?  

Ron: I want to get into fashion design and start a line of kid’s clothes for adults, maybe try acting and eventually start an Italian kombucha company. I could never stick to one genre musically, hence why the music I’m putting out now is drastically different than the first few and may always be that way.  I think now is definitely the time for "renaissance" people because the creative industries are so fucked and fragile and in my mind constant evolution is the only way to survive. 

4. Aside from the Really Nice fest/blog as well as the new EP; what have you been doing to keep yourself inspired and or busy during these times?  

Ron: Washing dishes, cleaning, eating non-stop, aimless drives, took a trip up to philly/new jersey to see family for a few weeks and that was a lifesaver.  It's difficult to be inspired right now because very limited perspectives and locations aren't super stimulating. 

5. Are you someone that works better under stress or do you find having a clear head and being positive does the trick for good songwriting? Do you sometimes need time away from the craft to re charge or do you think it's better to write and be creative daily?  

Ron: Unfortunately, I think turmoil or distress makes it easier to create but I'm not interested in that path anymore so it does take a little longer because I would rather create from a clear, positive mindset now because I have to relive whatever is behind a song every night when we start touring again.  Feels like a better thing to build a life on.

6. Has it become easier or harder over the last decade to get an online presence? Who's an undiscovered creative you could shoutout?  

Ron: It feels impossible right now.  Especially from a musician perspective, the world is living on the internet all at once and the ability to cut through seems very difficult.  I think I am realizing the best way to get an online presence is from the real world - going out touring and being around people.  Nowadays it seems people only want bad news, or funny stupid viral shit to take their mind off of things. I would shout out - Jota Ese, chickpee, Stuyedeyed, Binki and also the 4 new Ron Gallo songs out now.

7. And lastly; what's one thing the world needs more of and one thing it needs less of?

Ron: World needs more compassion and less entitlement.

Ron Gallo’s new EP EASTER ISLAND is out now, make sure to check it out!

FOLLOW RON GALLO
FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER YOUTUBE WEBSITE SPOTIFY

INTERVIEW: CHRISTOS ON ISOLATION, INFLUENCES, CATALOGUE-BUILDING, AND WORKING WITH HIGH-PROFILE PRODUCER JAMES ANGUS

New BackBeat team member Milli had a chat with up-and-comer Christos (Chris Kallis) about his latest release, his writing process, and building his creative catalogue.

---

How does it feel to be releasing music through this weird time- were any of your methods changed or different?
It definitely is a weird time at the moment but I personally think its a good time to be releasing music. A lot of people are still stuck at home with not much to do so us artists have to use that to our advantage! I've just tried to be more interactive online as that's where a lot of the attention is during this time. 

I know you come up with songs based on your life experiences, what do you think is the best topic to write or sing about?
For me writing about relationships that I've been in is the best topic. Whether its being in love or being hurt, it's something a lot of people can relate to and I like to express these emotions and feelings through my music in hopes of connecting to my listeners.

 I noticed that Movin’ leans a bit more towards the ‘cloud rap’ type genre than the other songs you’ve put out and Calling is different still, would you say that your style differs depending on the song? 
For sure, I like all of my songs to sound different in their own way. At this early stage of my career I'm trying to build my catalogue to show my versatility as an artist. I love experimenting and I'm always trying new things with my music and style.

 How would you describe your sound? 
It's hard to limit my music to just a single genre, I would describe it as a mixture of a few genres. My sound is mainly Hip hop, R&B and even Pop while my style is melodic rap.

Who are your influences or musical idols?
A lot of the new gen artists like Juice, Trippie and X. I love how those guys have underlying messages that are usually quite sad, coming from their own struggles and experiences, similar to my music. Each of those artists still produce their stuff in an upbeat and vibey way. When I am creating music across genres, other influences would be Travis Scott and Don Toliver.  Funny, because I grew up listening to a lot of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Violent Femmes and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. A lot of Michael Jackson, Andre 3000 and Chris brown too. It was just always something that was playing at home or on the radio.

 What were you thinking about when writing “Calling?”
I remember pulling the beat up, vibing to it for a bit and I instantly had a melody in my head that I wanted to use. From here I wanted to take my listeners on a personal journey of an up and down relationship. Each verse kinda builds on this, making it something people are able to relate to with their own experiences. You know when someone is trying to reach out to you but you know you shouldn't go back down that road with them? That was the motive for this track. 

How was it to work with James Angus?
Basically I was looking through his BeatStars and stumbled across this really cool beat but it was super short! Only like a minute long I think. I hit him up and sent him the demo I made and he liked it so he extended the beat for me, sent it over and I made it into a full song! It was really cool to work with him being the high profile producer he is. 

What do you do in your spare time, when you’re not creating?
When I'm not making music I'm working some part time jobs and spending time with my girl, friends and family but managing my own career as an artist definitely is the most time consuming!

 What are you working on right now?
I actually just finished filming a music video which I plan to drop a few weeks down the line so stay tuned for the 'Calling' visual! At the moment I have a bunch of unreleased music that I'm planning to release over the rest of the year.

 Last question- Ice cream or cake? 
That's a tough one because I enjoy eating them both together.... But it's gotta be ice cream. 

 Actual last question: top 3 current Aussie artists and why?
There are loads of talented Aussie artists breaking through at the moment but some of my favourites would have to be Oliver Amun, Vic August and Youngn Lipz. I feel like they are all making dope music and their melodic rap style is what I'm also doing with my own music. 

FOLLOW CHRISTOS
Instagram Facebook Twitter SoundCloud