She won triple j’s ‘Unearthed’ competition while she was still in high school. Her first album ‘The Sound of White’ topped the Australian charts. She has a shelf full of ARIA awards. She is adored by lesbians (and others) everywhere. She is Missy Higgins.
Never one to rush the creative process, Missy has taken her time writing and recording her sophomore effort ‘On a Clear Night’. She released the album on April 28th and it reached #1 on the Australian charts by May 7th. May will see Missy embarking on an Australian tour, with a stop at Perth’s Concert Hall on the 28th. OUTinPerth caught up with Missy for a Q&A about her new album, her life at the moment and (of course) all those adoring lesbian fans. In the exclusive online version, we have included the questions that didn’t make it into the print version. For true, Missy fans, read on to get your fix!
OUTinPerth: Tell us about your new album ‘On a Clear Night’. What are the major differences between this album and Sound of White?
Missy Higgins: There’s so much to say about it. ‘On a Clear Night’ is written four years after ‘The Sound of White’. The songs come from a more mature place. I’m at a point now where there are a few things I’ve figured out. A lot of these songs have a better perspective about them. Musically, they were all written on guitar. With ‘The Sound of White’ most [songs] were written on piano.
OiP: What is the inspiration for your songs?
MH: Most come from my personal life, but not all of them are directly about experiences I’ve had. Some I’ve put myself in the mind space of a fictional character and explored that world. There’s a song [‘Forgive Me’] about a man who cheats on his wife and betrays his family. The song is his apology letter. A couple of songs were inspired by this hotel we stay in when we travel through L.A. It has old stills from old Hollywood films. Two songs were inspired by different photographs.
OiP: What is your process for writing a song?
MH: Every song comes in a different way. It usually comes from me just sitting down and mucking about with melodies and chords and whatever I am feeling at the time comes out in the song. I’ll just start singing or humming some words and whatever is in the back of my mind will unjumble itself.
OiP: You chose ‘Steer’ as the first single off the album? Why?
MH: I felt Steer was the most uplifting, rhythmic track. It felt like a good way to introduce the album. The sentiment of it represented where I am right now as a person and a songwriter. It’s about discovering you have the strength to go in whatever direction you like.
OiP: Do you have a favorite track off the new album?
MH: I really like a song called ‘Secret’. I was in America on one tour, and it was late at night and snowing outside. I decided I wanted to write a song with one string and 3 notes. So, I just started playing a real bluesy rift and singing.
OiP: At West Coast Blues & Roots in Fremantle you mentioned that the song ‘Going North’ was inspired by your time in Western Australia. Can you tell us more about your time in WA? Where are the places that inspire you?
MH: Mostly up north in Broome and near the Kimberleys. I spend a lot of time camping in swags on the beach and cooking by a campfire… taking some time out really. I felt I really needed space and some perspective. That’s what it was for me. It was a place I could escape and get to know myself. It [‘Going North’] was a song about getting back to my roots and rediscovering the child within who loves music in an innocent way.
OiP: At Blues & Roots, you had a noticeable lesbian fan base. Have you found that to be true at most of your shows? Why do you think you have such a huge lesbian fan base?
MH: Yeah, I’ve noticed that since the beginning. I think that’s great. My music is coming from a place of strength, and women in general like to have female musicians or people in the entertainment industry who show a certain self-respect or strength in their work. My songs come from a space of self-assuredness. Maybe, it’s a matter of me not conforming to the synthetic pop culture and cliché of what a female performer should be.
OiP: How is it traveling with a larger live band? Does it change the dynamic from your previous tours/shows?
MH: The one addition I’ve got is a keyboard player. It’s good to have a keyboard player because I can come out from behind my keyboard and connect more with the audience. I’m also free to do a bit of dancing if I want to. The keyboard allows me to put some padding under the chorus of my songs.
OiP: When you perform a song from ‘Sound of White’, does it bring out the same emotions that were there when it was written?
MH: I don’t really feel that raw strong emotion when I first wrote the song. I’m still transported back to that time in my life… I try to go back to how I felt when I was writing the song, but over time songs take on different meanings and I adapt a song to what I’m going through at the moment.
OiP: If you could get on stage with any musician past or present, who would you choose and why?
MH: It’s funny because it would usually be Neil Finn from Crowded House. When I was in L.A., I got Neil Finn in to play on the album. He was also playing a secret show in L.A, and I jumped up and sang backup with him on stage. That was a dream come true for me. Now, I don’t know, maybe with Fiona Apple.
OiP: If you were stuck in an elevator and the radio was looping just one song, what song would you want it to be?
MH: A song called ‘Sugar Man’ by Rodriguez. He’s amazing. It’s just a really classic, bluesy song about a drug dealer. There’s something about it that I just love. I love listening to his lyrics. My favorite thing about an artist is their lyrics.
OiP: Describe your career from winning Triple J’s Unearthed to releasing your second album?
MH: Whirlwind. Electric. Fantastic.
OiP: If you weren’t a musician what would you do?
MH: If I do anything else, I’d get way out of the entertainment industry. I’m really loving rock climbing at the moment. I wouldn’t mind just climbing all day… and maybe growing a veggie patch.
OiP: What is the hardest part of being Missy Higgins?
MH: The hardest part would have to be all the travel. The travel can be the best part as well, but sometimes when you have been on the road for months and months, you just want to be in one place for longer than two days. You want a little bit of continuity and stability. You just want your own bed.
OiP: You’ve just released your second album and started touring again, where do you go from here?
MH: I don’t know. I can’t figure out if I want to keep recording or if I want to take a big break and try something else. At the moment I’m taking everyday as it comes. I’m really looking forward to this tour because it has been so long. I’ll reassess my life and where I am after this.
OiP: Which show are you the most excited about?
MH: I’m kind of excited about going everywhere in Australia at the moment because it has been so long since I actually toured. I’m looking forward to going to Western Australia. A lot of songs came from there. I have great memories… I’m looking for anywhere warmer… I’m from Melbourne. [laughs]
OiP: With your new tour, what do you hope audiences take away from one of your shows?
MH: I’d like people to see this next album and enjoy it as the next installment of my life. It’s a snapshot of where I’m at the moment and where I’ve been since ‘The Sound of White’. I want people to enjoy it for the timeframe it represents, for the stories and the songs.
For more on Missy Higgins, visit her website.
