When Missy Higgins took a stint at Double J as Artist In Residence earlier this year, there was one artist she knew she had to interview.
She had never met Melbourne singer Angie McMahon, but she's a big fan. Especially of her recently released second album, Light, Dark, Light Again, a mature and powerful set of songs that prove she's deserving of the significant interest her music has had the world over.
When Missy caught Angie performing a version of her acclaimed 2004 song The Special Two in a clip on Instagram, she realised that fandom was probably reciprocated.
So she invited Angie into the studio to learn more about her story, her process, and where she finds herself in her career right now. In the below chat, the two discuss their enormous respect for each other's work and trade tales about writing songs and the pressure of following up a revered debut album.
We'll hand it over to Missy, who is asking the questions.
Missy Higgins: I've never met Angie before, but we've been messaging each other through Instagram for a little while now. I reached out and told you how much I love your album. It's just incredible.
Angie McMahon: I don't know if you understand the overwhelming emotions that took over my body when you sent me that message. I am very flattered to hear that from you and very happy to be here.
MH: I came across your new album because somebody tagged me in an Instagram post of you singing The Special Two with a whole lot of artists at The Gaso [Melbourne's Gasometer Hotel].
AM: Yeah, it was the day my album came out, we put on this little launch show because I didn't have a tour happening at the time. I knew that I wanted to sing something with my friends.
I can't remember who suggested that we do The Special Two, but that song lives in my body and in so many of our stories as musicians separately. So, we were all just like, 'Yes, The Special Two'. It's so fun to sing that. And it really was special.
MH: It was so cool. You were singing it like it was an anthem. I was like, "Wow, I can't believe all these amazing singer-songwriters are standing up there and singing my song". I was so flattered.
Can you tell me a little bit about how long you've been in the industry for, what number album this is for you, and how it's different from the rest?
AM: This is my second album and I've probably been in the industry for 10 years. I'm 29. I guess, coming out of school I started doing the songwriter thing as a job. But I didn't put out my first record until maybe four years ago. So, it took me a while to get to the solo project confidence level.
That first one [2019's Salt] was all the songs that I had gathered up until that point, I guess I was 25 or something. It was a big undertaking to even understand how I wanted things to be produced or what I wanted my sound to be.
A lot of that process felt like I was trying to keep it quite simple. Then, the second time around, I think I felt a bit more brave about creating a sound and crafting arrangements and that kind of thing. It felt really exciting to develop my ideas a little bit more and feel less afraid of doing it wrong.
MH: It's interesting what you say about the first album being like a collection of all the songs you've written up until that point, because that's what it was for me. There's not that much pressure, because it's like, "Well, this is my first shot at it, and I don't know if anyone's going to hear these songs. I've had my whole life to write these songs".
But then the time the second album comes around, it's like, "Oh, I've got to really back this up and prove that wasn't just a one off and I can actually put my head down and write songs when people need me to".
Then there's record company pressure. Did you feel that with the second album?
AM: Probably not to the same level as the artist who released The Sound Of White [Higgins' 2004 debut], but I did feel it.
The pressure came from inside of me as much as outside of me. I was definitely wanting to prove something to myself as much as anyone else. I wanted to develop, I wanted to prove that I could do more than what I had done.
MH: That you'd grown as an artist.
AM: Yeah, and I had more to say. In the first chapter of trying to make the record, I was really thrown by that idea. I didn't know what I had to say. You just don't have that same timeline. You don't have all these years of songs building up.
MH: And life experience. "I haven't lived enough to write about what I think about life yet".
AM: I didn't know what I believed. I felt like I had to figure it out on the clock. Then there's the actual momentum or industry surrounding your first record. It feels like the clock is ticking. It's like you've had all this time and space and then suddenly the clock is ticking, and you have emptied your bucket.
How's your experience with it been so far? Has it been received well?
AM: It has been really, really nice. I have had a warmer reception than I could have hoped for. By the time the record came out, I was just really relieved that it was coming out and I maybe hadn't thought much about the reception, or I had stopped thinking about it. People are just being really lovely. It's great, I felt really lucky.
I've been craving touring, but it was kind of the end of the year, and it sort of just didn't feel like I was ready to tour it. So, we're starting the touring now, which is exciting. I think this is what I've been waiting for, Just to get to do it live.
MH: Can I have a ticket? I want to come.
AM: Yes, you can have a ticket.
MH: When does the tour start?
AM: The tour in Australia starts in May. You should come and sing a song with us!
MH: I'll come and sing a song! One of my favourite songs on the album is Exploding. I've been exercising to this song. It's really inspiring. There's like a driving kind of beat behind it and it just makes me want to pump my fists in the air.
AM: That's so nice. I have never written a song with that before and now I just want to do more. I want to do running and dancing songs.
MH: I have to tell you, I can't remember if it's this song or one of the others on the album, but it inspired a song for my next album.
AM: Are you joking?
MH: I'm not joking.
AM: I'm not gonna be able to speak for the rest of this interview.
MH: It's like the guitar rhythm or something… because I was listening to it on repeat. When I love an album, I really listen to it obsessively. I got out my electric guitar and, you know how you kind of do that really fast strumming thing? I started doing that. It really inspired me and a song came out, so thank you. I'm so grateful.
AM: Well, I can't wait to hear it.
MH: Hopefully it's not too similar to yours.
AM: I don't care — take it! Have it! That's made my day.
MH: Well thank you so much for coming on. We have a lot of the same friends. We've been in the industry for a while, circling each other, so it's really cool to meet you.
AM: It's so nice to meet you. Thanks for having me. This is really special.
Angie McMahon tours in May. Get all the details here.
Missy Higgins kicks off her sold out tour this month. Get all the details here.
You can hear their conversation here.
Listen to Missy Higgins full month of Artist In residence programs right here.Parts of the interview have been edited for clarity and length.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiXGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDI0LTAzLTA4L21pc3N5LWhpZ2dpbnMtYW5naWUtbWNtYWhvbi1pbi1jb252ZXJzYXRpb24vMTAzNTQyNjc20gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMzU0MjY3Ng?oc=5
2024-03-08 02:52:49Z
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