Living In An Iglu: Home Is Where The Art Is

For someone who hasn't hit their 20s yet, Brandon Woods has a pretty impressive resume. The electric violinist released his debut EP Violectricity at the tender age of 16, following it up two years later with 2016's Immortal Symphony, his first full-length album. In the process, he established an MO for using his classical instrument to forge contemporary EDM. 

"I've always been musical," says Woods, "I started violin in Grade Four. That was in 2007, I think. The reason why I started was I went to a Dixie Chicks show in Brisbane and I was like, 'I wanna start that'. Then in about 2012 I was introduced to dance music and I was like, 'Why not combine them both?' So that's how it all started.

"The artists I get inspiration from are Lindsey Stirling, she's also an EDM violinist, I also love Zedd and David Guetta. I love Lindsey, I'm obsessed with her."

As well as writing his own output, Woods has a YouTube channel where he posts originals, covers, tutorials and vlogs under the handle BrandonWoodsTV — a process that began when the second year Queensland University of Technology student moved into Iglu student accommodation in Brisbane. "I started uploading regularly in March last year, so when I moved here I started. Ever since I've been uploading about once or twice a week... I try to get a cover out at least once a week, but right now I'm actually working on my next album. 

Being his first home away from home, Woods shares that it's been nice to get a taste of freedom. "I lived there for nearly two years now. I lived [in Hervey Bay] all my life with my parents. I moved to Iglu in February last year and I've lived here since and I love it. It's nice to be, I guess, independent — get my own stuff done.

"Whenever I tried to film at home, I would always be interrupted by either my mum or my brother," jokes Woods, "so it is great to have my own space."

You can't accuse Woods of tunnel vision. Among his recent ventures he's won three gold medals at the World Championships of Performing Arts in LA, performed for 150,000 people over ten nights at Royal Queensland Show’s EkkaNITES and is currently out touring. "My main form of income is from live performances," says Woods. "Right now I’m actually on tour with a Keith Urban tribute show, which is great. It’s amazing." But by his own admission, it's BrandonWoodsTV that take up most of his attention these days.

"In the last year I've been focusing more on YouTube and in June I travelled down to YouTube Space in Sydney. I went there for three days and met some creators, yeah! It was fun — learnt some new stuff."

Whatever he learnt at the invite-only pop-up event, it seems to have helped and Woods has gained quite a following. His cover of Clean Bandit's Rockabye even cleared 100,000 views. "It's scary, actually," laughs Woods.