The Square was an Australian-made blockbuster of the big screen this winter, and alongside the gripping movie was a haunting soundtrack written by Ben Lee and sung by none other than former Home and Away star Jessica Chapnik. Ben Lee personally chose the actress after hearing her sing while she was on a trip with him in India. Here’s just a sneak peek of what Jess had to tell OiP about the soundtrack.

As an actor and a singer, it seems a movie soundtrack would have been the perfect combination of your talents. What do you think the music added to the film? And conversely, how did the film enhance the power of the music?

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Music for film is almost like a character in its own right. It’s amazing like that. Ben calls this soundtrack the crib notes to the film. A little companion piece. If you want to get closer to these characters and this world, if you want to go deeper, then there’s this record. As far as the film enhancing the music, for sure, it works both ways. I can only speak for myself, but hearing the songs in the cinema as a part of the full story added a whole new dimension for me. When I sang the songs in the studio, I had my own stories for them. In the film, the songs take on stories of their own, from a whole other reality. That was really satisfying to hear. New pains, new joys.

You were singing songs written by Ben Lee, how did you go about getting inside someone else’s songs? Was it similar to ‘getting into character’?

I connected with these songs pretty much immediately on hearing them. I was surprised how that happened, but it was a funny thing, almost like I’d had a part in writing them. So it was not a huge stretch in that way, to make them feel personal. I didn’t feel that I consciously had to work hard to get inside them. As far as “getting into character”, all that really means for me is getting more in touch with particular parts of myself. I roughly knew the kind of sound Ben wanted from my voice, so I took myself there.

The Square bio has Ben Lee explaining how you got involved in the project, but I was wondering if we could have the story in your words. And, if you could, say what you were doing in India when he first asked you to audition?

Ben and I had met when I was touring with other bands, so we were already friends. One day we were hanging out in India – we visit the same spiritual teacher there so we see each other there a fair bit. Anyway, we were hanging out listening to music, and out of the blue he asked me to have a go singing a song he had written for a soundtrack. I sang it and he was really into it. We put it down on garage band and sent it to Nash (the director) to see what he thought. Before I knew it, we were in LA making a record.

Do you have a favourite lyric from the soundtrack? What is it and why?

My favourite lyric is “when I’m with you, I feel like a man”, from the song NO SUCH THING. It’s provocative somehow. I like what it conjures up for me when I sing it. I like that I get to sing lines like that, that were clearly written by a boy. I’m glad Ben didn’t change those things to suit a female singer. I think there is a maleness in some of the lyrics that sung by a female voice sounds more sensual in some way, which works for the film.

Do you have a favourite scene in the movie? What is it and why?

There is a shot that really sticks out in my mind. It’s a shot of Joel’s character smoking a cigarette and watching the house he has just set on fire burn from a distance. It’s a beautifully peaceful moment for something so horrific. It’s almost romantic.

Why was Sand chosen as the single from the album?

There are some relatively dark, moody songs on the record. I guess SAND was one that felt fairly upbeat and accessible. In some ways it’s the least cinematic maybe of all of all the tracks. I don’t know what makes a single a single, but it felt like it made sense.

How familiar were you with the movie before recording the songs? What role did it play in the way you decided to sing and approach the recordings?

I had not read the script and I knew next to nothing about the story. I was simply told it was a very dark love story. I’m not sure how reading the script would have affected my performance. I think throwing yourself into the story is crucial in the songwriting and production stages, because you are basically in charge of shaping something that is serving a larger atmosphere. But for me, I just had to trust that if the powers of this film had chosen me to sing this, that what I had to do was a truthful, honest job. I wanted to approach it all quite innocently.

I have to ask this because in watching your performance on Sunrise with Ben Lee I noticed they introduce you as Home and Away’s Jessica Chapnik. Do you ever get tired of being ‘Home and Away’s Jessica Chapnik’? And do you still watch the show?

Home and Away was the most public thing I did, and the most recent thing I did, so I can’t exactly expect people to associate me with other previous projects. People want a point of reference I guess, and that is understandable. It is what it is until people can place you in different ways. I’m not fussed. As far as watching the show, I haven’t owned a TV for about 4 years, so it would take a fair bit for me to run to a friends house to catch an episode of anything.

In three words describe the movie? The soundtrack?

The movie: nail-biting, thrilling and full of surprises (I cheated a little on the word count)… The soundtrack: gentle, aching and starry-eyed (I did it again).

What’s next for Jessica Chapnik, following this soundtrack? You have supported a number of tours, including Sarah Blasko. Is your own tour something you would be interested in?

Sure, I’m open too it. A lot of things interest me, but I’m not really sure what is next. Life is continually so much more interesting than my plans. I want to keep exploring and asking lots of questions. I’m curious about so many things. Time will tell what’s ahead.

Jessica Chapnik & Ben Lee’s soundtrack for ‘The Square’ is out now on Igloo Films through Inertia.