Genevieve Little

Destiny can be a strangely elusive beast; some people spend their entire lives trying to track it down, only to lose in their struggle to tame it. For others, their life path is revealed in a natural progression, with each step in their journey fitting together like a jigsaw as they go about the business of living their lives - such is the case with Genevieve Little. Her early musical training and melodic environment have culminated in the development of her soulful musical style and a voice that commands attention with its unique blend of strength and fragility. ?I was trained classically as I was growing up. I really liked to do traditional folk songs and pieces from musical theatre. I listened to a diversity of music from a young age, from the Lion King soundtrack to Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, and Leonard Cohen. I have always appreciated music from every genre, but perhaps was particularly taken with the music I could invest as much emotion and character into. I guess that's how I ended up blending folk with jazz influences and a hint of blues.'

Given that much of her life has been surrounded by music in one form or another, it is no surprise that the inspiration for Little's work comes from both her own experiences and observations from the world around
her. ?You can't help letting your real-life experiences become your interest at a given time and vice-versa. However sometimes I channel my line of thinking through the perspective of someone who has endured something that has had an impact on me - as if it were an experience of my own. In this way I'm trying to capture something we all feel, something we all relate to, but articulate it in a way that has meaning to me personally.'
Aside from her musical aspirations, Little has also been concentrating on the completion of her medical science degree; an ambition which presents an interesting contrast to the creative elements involved with making music. ?I am exploring the potentials this year, trying to get as involved as I can in the music scene and learn as much as possible from both local and international artists who have influenced me thus far. If success and demand permits, I hope to pursue music as both my passion and career. Regardless, I won't lose the love or need for music and in one way or another will continue to share it with my audience.'
With her time split amongst an exhausting blend of study, work, making music and living a life, it would be easy to let one particular area suffer, but it seems for Little that while the balance between priorities may change, the quality of her work is something that she is not willing to sacrifice. ?While there's always been a
limit to the amount of time I could commit to music, particularly whilst trying to complete a Uni degree, I found that following two interests simultaneously from such different areas of the spectrum allowed me to appreciate each interest more holistically as I could change my frame of mind accordingly. However, now that I've finished my degree, I am taking this year off to fully commit to music and in particular tackle some more songwriting and possibly collaborate with other artists in doing so.' More time to dedicate to her music may just make this year a very busy twelve months in the musical life of Genevieve Little, especially following the launch of her EP Fire from the Sky. ?I have recently hosted my first
album launch on the Central Coast where I grew up, and then the big Sydney launch. The EP is available for sale at my live gigs as now, and internationally online through CD Baby. I'm also in the process of making it available through an Australian retail and postal distributor as well as most digital distributors.' The release of any musical recording, particularly a debut release, is an important milestone for any musical artist, but there are no hard and fast rules to follow in the recording process. Some musicians need to apply intense focus to get their tracks sounding just right, while others adopt a more fluid approach - Little seems to have found the perfect blend of both. ?When I first started working with my own recording studio I would lock myself up for days and weeks on end. I would experiment with effects, add layers upon layers of harmonies and refine the details that still didn't sit right after hundreds of hours of playing back the songs. All of which turned out completely over-produced and had a lesser impact than a stripped-down acoustic live recording! I learnt a lot from that, and also respected the opinion of my producer Chris in the studios, so I relaxed a lot more about the production and only refined the aspects I knew would bother me forevermore if I let them
slide!'
The time, effort and occasional frustration associated with studio work has all been worthwhile, resulting in a recording that demonstrates Little’s soaring vocals and her obvious strengths as a singer-songwriter. ‘It was an incredibly intense and instructive project for me, and it is something of which I am extremely proud. It symbolises all of the faith, commitment and dedication of my family, friends and the talented musicians I
worked with.’
So now that her debut EP is complete, the time seems right to hit the road and spread the word in a series of live performances. ‘I want to do a lot of touring this year. Starting around Sydney-Newcastle regions, then branch out down to Melbourne, and head up the coast to Ballina, Byron Bay and Brisbane. By the end of the year I hope to actually hit up the scene overseas to share my songs and experience first hand what people want musically in different corners of the globe. The ultimate goal would be to receive enough exposure so
as to facilitate the possibility of being a touring musician.’
In addition to the promotional benefits gained from undertaking a tour, live performances provide the perfect contrast to the structured process of recording, allowing musicians to connect with audiences firsthand, a connection that obviously appeals to Little. ‘It’s what makes me feel alive. I can't see myself hibernating in the background and simply recording and releasing tracks from time to time. Connecting with the audience and giving them something genuine and unique with each live performance is to me what gives my music
meaning.’

Related links:
http://www.myspace.com/genevievelittlemusic - Tassie77

Posted: Friday, March 2

Many questions surrounded my first experience of Genevieve Little. Does she sound like Missy Higgins or Sarah McLachlan? Has she been influenced by The Waifs or The Dixie Chicks? Surely she's listened to a lot of Jewel? Most would guess she was someone who had been in the industry for many years, so polished and professional the Fire From The Sky EP sounds.
Needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Genevieve, hailing from the NSW Central Coast, is only 20 years old. This new EP is both an inspiring and breathtaking offering, encompassing traces of all of the above artists, along with hints of Genevieve's own confessed influences, like Tori Amos, Eva Cassidy, and hints of bands like Evanesence and george.
With a powerful voice that largely disguises her tender age, the tracks tell stories of both love and loss, and beneath the underlying empowering nature in the songs hides a refreshing hint of youthful optimism. “All
That Matters”, a beautiful song that grows into a duet with sometimes band member Mark Wilkinson, is a standout. Tracks are largely acoustic guitar-based, courtesy of Genevieve herself, and Anthony Lockhart, who also doubles up on drums. Oliver Hookins provides bass accompaniment, electric piano on “Flawless”, as well as violin on some tracks, including “Starry Skies”.
As an artist who has developed a large live following, Genevieve has done well to include a live track, “Breathe” on the EP. The track showcases her vocal range, with hints of Jewel-like rhythms and a range Katie Noonan would be proud of, bringing the live experience to a potential new audience.
Overall, Fire From The Sky is a beautiful experience, and a great showcase of a local artist who is definitely going to be one to watch. - Felicity Rennie

Genevieve Little commands a voice which belies her youth. Fusing the enchantment of Sarah McLachlan, the diversity of Tori Amos, and the sensibility of Alanis Morissette, her live performance has been described by FasterLouder as “absolutely breathtaking”. Whether performing solo or backed by her fivepiece band Genevieve is undoubtedly a star on the rise.
Born and raised on Australia’s central coast, Genevieve’s musical journey began at an early age. “I can’t remember music ever not being a part of my life. I started with the piano at age seven and it became pretty clear that I had a good ear for music.” The piano represented the first of many stepping stones during which she developed into the talented artist she is today. Shortly after, Genevieve started training as a classical singer, a talent which was further nurtured in the school choir. It was with this choir that Genevieve toured internationally as its youngest member. “We collaborated with another sister school so the choir was very powerful and I’d get tingles down my spine when we sang in full harmony. Moments like these made me realise how music would always be a part of me.” This experience garnered Genevieve’s love for public performance, and inspired her to pursue other avenues of artistic expression. Such avenues included performing in musicals, and given her talent, it wasn’t long before she was snatching the headlining roles. Genevieve expanded her repertoire further at the age of sixteen by picking up the guitar. It was also during this time that Genevieve tried her hand at songwriting, a skill which came all too easily.
“My days of songwriting blossomed in year 9 when I collaborated with two friends to compose a musical piece for the Shakespeare Festival. We were awarded a highly commended at State level and had so much fun in the process that I decided to pursue songwriting thereon.”
With so much creative output, Genevieve required a means to vent and share her music. This inspired her to start recording and producing her own music in her central coast studio, as well as pursuing more public performances. Such performances included school festivals and fundraisers promoting awareness for issues such as Aboriginal
rights, as well as regular sets at local cafes and night spots. While the central coast was a nurturing environment for Genevieve’s musical talent, it didn’t offer many opportunities for an up-and-coming artist. It was the big city that symbolised hope and prospect and motivated
Genevieve’s move to Sydney at the age of eighteen. The fast paced city life, with all its diverse facets, has been a maturing and inspiring time for Genevieve, both as a person and a musician.
Over the past year Genevieve has performed
regularly in Sydney and interstate, developing a solid fan base along the way. Highlights have
included headlining to capacity crowds at such
legendary venues as The Basement, being recognised by Australia’s songwriting society APRA as ‘Best Performer’, and being featured on Coast FM after which the host pronounced,“Genevieve Little came in and blew me away. What a voice!”
Currently Genevieve is also a finalist in Australia’s largest band competition and a city-wide singing competition, and has recently completed demo recordings for her first commercial release.
Scheduled for early 2007, there has already been significant global interest. From record labels to producers, from radio stations to fans, the world lies in waiting. Meanwhile Genevieve is in her final year of a Medical Science degree at The University of Sydney and is also considering a career in medicine. “I am fascinated with medical science and love neuroscience in particular, but music will always be a significant part of my life. I hope to travel, create a sound that is my own and to reach people. There is nothing quite so satisfying as sharing a gift that can be appreciated.”
With the completion of her degree and her album, Genevieve intends to spend 2007 travelling and sharing her music with the world.

- Networking Women