STACK #151 May 2017

2 1

while like ‘I’m into punk bands and that’s what I’m into.’ But then you meet different people, and it just took me a while to take it on and appreciate other artists and stuff. How did you go hosting Rage ? It was so much fun. Rage was always on at my house, I was really lucky, I had a really good library of music when I was growing up - The Police, Silverchair, all these great bands. Rage was a big part of me growing up, and it was really cool to be in there and talk about songs that I liked. It was a really cool experience. Can you walk us through what happened following Adore dropping at #2 on the Hottest 100? Oh man. It was a very big day. Obviously, the next day was like a lot of talking about it, and it was hard because even for me it hadn’t quite registered, I was like did that actually happen? That’s another thing that I’ve sort of grown up listening to, like it’s always been a day where your friends listen to it. I wasn’t even thinking ‘one day Amy you might have a song in the countdown,’ it wasn’t even in my head. I never even thought that. To think it came in number 2 - even when I think about it now it’s weird. Everything sort of escalated very quickly after that, which was great. Is there anyone in particular that you’d love to collab with? A stack of people. I really like The Weeknd – I’ve been a big fan of his since the early days, I really liked his early EPs. Obviously I’m a fan of Lorde as well; when I think of writing with someone I love how she writes. And I mean obviously Eminem, but that’s probably something that will stay in my dream land. How did the collaboration with Allday on new track Worst Girl come about? I’ve been a fan of him for so long. I think he is super, super talented. I love the way he writes, he’s just got that sound, it’s just so cruisy and polished. I heard a couple of songs where he let out a couple of real singy parts in his songs and I was like ‘I really can hear him

on this particular song.’ I was still at the stage where I was like ‘we’re not gonna be able to get Allday, like come on,’ but then everything sorta happened and he was like ‘of course!’ I was sorta talking to him even before that; he’s so good with his fans. It was great, and he liked the song. We had a day where we were just sorta driving around Melbourne and I played it to him in his car and he’s like ‘yeah, I’m feeling it,’ and we had a really fun time in the studio. You posted a pic with Greta Ray – is there a tune on the way or are you guys just mates? She’s just beautiful. I’m actually a Greta Ray fan, I

Records and I just loved having people you could relate to; we were all absolutely useless at our jobs and obviously were all forced to be together in this one spot on the weekends. Where did the EP name Night Thinker come from? I write a lot at night – I’m a bit nocturnal. That’s when I’m at my peak, that’s usually when I’ve got a space to myself. It’s been like that since I was quite young, and learning to play guitar and writing songs for this school band that I was in. I was the writer and I would always have a pen and paper next to my bed. I would just come up with just these

Amy Shark with STACK ’s Alesha Kolbe

don’t know how some of her songs sound the way they do. She has so much power, and she’s ‘like 12’. She’s so young but so full of soul, and crazy talented. It’s just one of those things, we just respect what each other does. Where there are people who won’t reach out, we wear our hearts on our sleeves; if I think you’re great I’m gonna tell you I think you’re great, and she’s the same. What can you tell us about how the clip for Weekends came together? It’s pretty different. I knew it was gonna spin people out a little, but I kinda wanted that cause it’s got such that big vibe. I’m sure people thought it was gonna be champagne popping, but I really didn’t want that. The whole thing about that song is kinda reminiscing on times where you did have that part-time job, where you’re just stuck in this almost-detention centre where you’re stuck with all these people you don’t wanna be around, just daydreaming about where you’d rather be and who you wanna be hanging out with. I watched The Breakfast Club and Empire

words, and it would always be just as I was about to fall asleep, you know. It was this whole thing, I was just addicted to it, so the name just made sense. Is there anyone on the bill for the festivals you’ve got coming up that you’re keen to hang out with? I’m a pretty big Wombats fan. I’m actually never seen them live. I hear that they are some of the best acts, like one of the best acts to see live. I’ve YouTubed the hell out of them, and watched a lot in my own time so I’m really looking forward to seeing them. It’s very exciting.

Night Thinker EP by Amy Shark is out now via Sony.

stack.net.au