aleksiah ProfileEarlier this month, some of Australia's best and brightest rising stars took to Redfern’s Bat & Ball Hotel in Sydney for the latest edition of Spotify's Turn Up Aus celebrations.
Already the concert series has seen the likes of Hooligan Hefs and Genesis Owusu hitting up the intimate venue for a stellar live show occupied by their biggest fans.
This time around, it was a triple treat, with aleksiah, Chloe Parché, and Darcie Haven taking to the stage to show for an evening which not only threw the spotlight on exciting local talent, but ensured there were nothing but superfans in attendance.
Of course, it wasn't simply an opportunity for these acclaimed musicians to get up on stage to belt out the hits, but it was also an exciting opportunity to celebrate the amazing women who have been ensuring the world of Australian music is as fresh and vibrant as ever.
Speaking to The Music ahead of the show, the three artists took a moment to reflect on the women in music who have inspired them over the years.
aleksiah for Spotify's Turn Up Aus. (Credit: Jess Gleeson)
For aleksiah, the Adelaide musician who fittingly describes her music as "pop that you can simultaneously shake rump and ugly cry to," she pointed to some of the biggest names in the genre.
"Definitely Lily Allen, Robyn, Kylie Minogue – my girl, and Carly Rae Jepsen," she offered, before pointing the finger to a hometown favourite. "And when I was younger, I was really inspired by Sia."
Fittingly, all of these artists also share a common thread which also extends to aleksiah's own approach to her craft. "I love writing music that sheds light and explains those really human little niche feelings that we feel in our everyday lives that we all deal with," she explains.
Darcie Haven for Spotify's Turn Up Aus. (Credit: Jess Gleeson)
For Darcie Haven, the 24-year-old Western Australian musician who helped kick off the Turn Up Aus evening, she describes her sound as one which encompasses "dark, diaristic, moody pop".
All three of these elements can be found within the artists that influenced her, tracing all the way back to her earlier years.
"I grew up listening to a lot of Olivia Newton-John and Missy Higgins because my mum was obsessed with both of those artists," she admits, before turning her attention to one of Australia's famous sibling duos.
"My first CD was The Secret Life Of… by The Veronicas, which was their debut album," she offers. "That was my first CD that I ever bought with my own money, and I am still obsessed with that album today. I think they really shaped the way I write my music."
Needless to say, this means that Haven would have been in musical heaven on the night of the Turn Up Aus event, which concluded with the three acts offering a boisterous rendition of The Veronicas' debut single – and the album opener – 4ever.
Chloe Parché for Spotify's Turn Up Aus. (Credit: Jess Gleeson)
For Chloe Parché, the evening was a hometown affair, with the 22-year-old placing her own blend of fun compositions – which blend the likes of indie, pop, and rock – before the eager Sydney crowd.
For her, the inspirations are similarly found both at home and abroad, with a similar name showing up once more.
"I would say that Stevie Nicks has always been a big one for me," she says of her inspirations. "Katie White from The Ting Tings too – I think she's so cool – and Missy Higgins.
"When I was a small child, I listened to Steer a lot. It was my favourite song, and that would've been right around the time that I would've decided that I wanted to make music. I think she definitely would've had an impact on me."
