Interview by Kris Peters
Reward for effort is not a phrase generally used in the music industry, with countless bands and musicians paying their dues thousands of times over and still not finding that elusive pathway to the next level. But occasionally you see the music Gods smiling down on one of their own by rewarding them with a more universal platform, in the process opening that band/artist up to a whole world of possibilities they may never have known existed.
Melbourne rock/pop artist Karly Jewell has recently found herself in this welcome situation after years of pouring her heart and soul into music when she signed with emerging label XMusic. It's not so much the signing to a label that is significant here, it's more a case that someone in a position of influence in the music industry finally believes. Believes in her. Believes in her music. Believes in the future of Karly Jewell and her self-titled band.
With a number of new songs already written and recorded, Jewell attracted the attention of XMusic with her upcoming single, Sad Girl, which will premiere via HEAVY this Friday, June 14. It is a catchy tune, with meaty hooks in the right places, and dripping with enough attitude to have disenfranchised teens come running in the direction of musical salvation.
Jewell sat down with HEAVY to discuss the signing and new single.
"I am so excited," she beamed, "because I have been sitting on this song for months now. Since last year, I believe. Just knowing how it turned out was exciting, but being able to share it after waiting and waiting… I'm excited now I have a label behind me and heaps of cool stuff coming up - which we'll talk about later. Now's the right time to get this song out. I'm pleased I held onto it. And it's a cool song (laughs)."
In the full interview, Karly talks more about Sad Girl musically and what it's about, the slightly different sonic direction to her previous releases, where it stands in the scheme of a possible future album release, signing to XMusic, what things that opens up to her and her band, new bass player Mick Jones and what he brings, their upcoming tour of Japan, future plans and more.