INTERVIEW: PRETTY BLEAK

Tori caught up with Pretty Bleak lead singer, Sam to discuss how the band came to be, musical inspiration and whats coming next!

Tell me a little bit about yourself and the band? 

The band is a long story, Kyle, Sanji and I have been playing music together since 2014. So quite a while. We've had a heap of different names and different styles but we settled on Pretty Bleak and this musical and visual themes since the end of 2019. Our drummer, Cherie joined at the end of last year so now we're fully set. It's really good.

What were some of the names you tried out before?

The first name we ever heard was Infamous Minorities, which was edgy, teenager, stupid, sort of thing. Then we were Half the Sky, then The Avenue, now we're Pretty Bleak. 

Tell me a bit more how you met each other and how you got together as a band?

Me and the guitarist Kyle, we first met in 2011. We met because my dad taught him guitar, then we met Sanji at High School. We met Cherie at High School as well. So we've been friends with Cherie for quite a while, but she only just joined the band last year.

Has the genre of the band been the same the whole way through?

When we first started, we were doing heavier music,  sort of post hardcore, sort of metal when we were really just starting out. Over time, we have had this natural progression towards a pop style. We still have a lot of heavier influences. As we've got better at our instruments, then better at songwriting, it's been a really natural progression from being teenagers playing as loud as they possibly can, to something a bit more sophisticated. It's been very natural.

We don't necessarily conform to what we think people want to hear. We're very focused on what we find interesting, musically. It's a healthy mixture of what do we think is really cool? And what will be appealing to people as well? You can definitely get too caught up in what you think is cool, and then make something that's really abrasive to people. So it's good to have a balance.

Where do you think the new single falls in that realm?

The new songs are a pretty good example because a lot of it is really unconventional and not something that you hear all the time. The most important thing to me is having a catchy vocal, if the vocals catchy, you can pretty much put anything around it and it will work. I think with this new song, we've done a lot of things; having the extended guitar solo in the middle, unconventional drumbeat and that sort of thing. But having a really catchy chorus, or catchy vocal hook on top of that, ties it all together.
I think we've done a good job of achieving that.

As a writer, do you start off with your vocals first? Or do you write the music and then shape your lyrics to it?

It's usually a combination, it depends on the song. I'll start a song idea, based on a title and then, what the song is supposed to sound like all sorts of stems phonetically from what those words mean. With this current song, I think I had the main title, the vocal melody, I think that's the first thing that I had, everything sort of stems from there. But sometimes, sometimes it will just be like, a guitar riff or something, or like a chord on a keyboard or something that will start a song. It's just like having a really good base and something that sounds really interesting from the from the start, to make it just out from there.

You guys had a show at the workers club recently? How did it all go?

It was really good. It was definitely my favourite headline show. We had a heap of people there, especially for a Thursday night, too. So that was good. We put a really good set together. We played a few songs we haven't done before, which was fine. I think overall, it was really positive.

We've got a really good, cool group of people who are into our band, who come to our shows and know the words to songs, even though we're still relatively small. We're really lucky to have a really cool group like that who will come. The advantage of that is you can kind of do anything. It's good that I feel really lucky that we're starting to build this really good, foundational fan base that are really into our music. It's good to be able to play some stuff we haven't done before, and be validated for it, which we were so, I feel really good about it. 

Any producers that you've got an eye on that you'd like to work with?

The guy we're working with at the moment, John, from Cry Club. He's really, really good. We've done a heap of songs with him. And I'm really happy with the way we work together. I would literally love to stick with him for a while. In terms of, if I had to give a dream producer to work with, it would probably be Brian Eno. He's an old school guy, legendary and he does a lot of ambient stuff. He did a lot of stuff with Talking Heads. He would be awesome to work with.

What's currently in your on repeat playlist. What are you listening to?

You know what song I really love. It's by SZA, ‘Good Days’. Such a good song. I love that song. It's my go to song for vocal warmups. I'll just put that on. I cannot sing anywhere near as well as she can. But I give it a good shot. I love that song.

What else would you want new fans to know about you?

I think the main thing about our band is that we're super open minded and super malleable. I feel for people who are into music, basically no matter what you're into, you can find something about our music that connects with you. I think we're really open minded artistically. As a consequence of that, I think we attract open minded listeners as well. 

Do you guys have any tours coming up in future?

We don't have anything planned. But we've got a heap of songs recorded that we're just going to keep pumping out this year. We're definitely going to try and get up the east coast at least once this year. 

Check our their new song, ‘like you know better’ below!

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INTERVIEW: HUYEN ON HER SINGLE ‘CAN’T TRUST’ AND UPCOMING EP ‘SAD BOY’

Melbourne is always thirsty for a new artist and Huyen is a strong contender to capture attention. The Melbourne based musician and producer is primed to release her EP ‘Sad Boy’ and has given us a taste with her single ‘Can’t Trust’. Tori caught up with Huyen to find out more…

So tell me about you, is this your first big music thing or what's led up until now?

I have a degree in Audio Engineering. I went to Collarts and did all that for a couple years, which was pretty fun. Growing up, I played piano, I was a part of Young Australian Broadway Chorus. I've always been writing music for producers and other artists and helping them record their stuff. It's taken me a really long time to get in the space where I wanted to release my own music. I was really nervous about everything… I wear my heart on my sleeve. I feel like when I put something out there, I give too much vulnerability out to everyone. I had the roughest year last year…. I decided this year to not care and just be like, alright, just do it!

Throughout our conversation, it was clear Huyen isn’t letting anything get in her way, she is dedicated to her art

I'll do my nine to five, and then straightaway, I'll be in the studio, or stuff at home. I don't get to bed till 2:00am most nights. Then you have to get up and do it all again, to make sure things are done. But it's a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it, the whole process of writing everything and putting everything together.

With your audio experience, did you record, produce, mix and master everything yourself?

What I tend to do is start an Ableton session, and just be like, that sounds fun and if I have something that I've written that suits that vibe, then I'll try to incorporate that in there. Sometimes, you write a completely fresh song off of a new session that you've made. I find the best way for me anyways, I'll have my lyrics, and then I'll try to make something to that. But most of the songs that I've written so far have been completely fresh. I've got a whole box of lyrics that I haven't produced yet, because it's just too difficult.

I have a specific mindset for the music to the words, but I'll get the groove down and one of my really close friends, Christopher, he'll fix it up. I'm not the best producer. I won't lie. But he has an ear, and he knows exactly what I need and what I want. This was mastered by my friend, Cash. He’s a lot better at mastering than I am to the sweetest person ever. It's nice to have like a team of people with you that support you. I've learned so much from them.

Tell me more about the EP

Im excited. It's called “Sad Boy”. I'm hoping to get it out by June. I'm excited for that to come out and and be my first. This single is an introduction to who I am. I hope that the EP is a little bit more of an open book for everyone. I'm really excited for that.

You mentioned you have a more formal and classical background. How did that influence what music you made here, which is sounding more modern?

With my grandad, I grew up listening to The Carpenters, Doris Day, Lauryn Hill and then started rebelling against him a little bit. I would say “We should listen to Britney Spears, you're taking me the Britney Spears concert!”. The 90s era influenced me heavily, 90s r&b, which was great. I guess growing up listening to a combination of alternative rock and pop, I love Broadway, I cannot stress enough how much. I picked apart little alternative pieces from all these different genres and then thought, How can I put that all together and I remember listening to Banks's album for the first time. I listened and it was perfect. It was the perfect amount of r&b, perfect amount of lyricism, poetry, everything like that. She's a heavy influence for me. I think that my music is a mixture of everything.

Are there any artists or producers you hope to work with in future?

I would love to work with Social House. I'd love to work this producer called Derek Taylor, who did a lot of Banks album. He's got an ear for for everything and it's so nice. Finneas would be good to work with as well. Yeah…Finneas call me….

You can stream 'Can’t Trust’ now!

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