Just under six months since her last single release ('Unsung Hero'), Australian pop singer-songwriter Aislinn Sharp returns with another slice of upbeat electro-pop in the form of new single 'Phone'.
Tell us about your new single called 'Phone' – its creative direction, importance of the lyrics, and the message you wanted to convey?'Phone' is inspired by the human need to talk and connect. It is about the energy, excitement, and anticipation we might feel knowing that someone we care about is only a phone call away. Creatively, I wanted to take my music in a new direction with 'Phone' by capturing a more electronic pop vibe.
In terms of writing its lyrics, I experimented using a more minimalistic approach of limiting my words in telling and developing the storyline of 'Phone', which also includes a little twist at the very end of the song.
You have collaborated again with Melbourne producer PattyBoomba to create 'Phone' completely online. What are some of the pros and cons of recording with a producer who is not in the same room as you?
Before reaching out to Pat Gabriel, also known as PattyBoomba, I had only worked locally with producers in Brisbane.
I think working in the same room as a producer is great in that you can easily have a conversation and start building trust and a rapport with them. There's space to chat, clarify and brainstorm ideas, and determine the best way to create the song as you go.
When you and the producer have busy work-life schedules and there's uncertainty about when you can both work in the studio due to the health pandemic, the downside can be trying to coordinate dates to record in person.
As Patty and I live in different cities and states, creating music together as an online team has been a brilliant solution for overcoming these 'in studio' barriers of working remotely and managing COVID restrictions. It has also brought new learning opportunities for developing my skills, such as how to write constructive feedback for improving our songs, and build teamwork online.
To help overcome these obstacles, I am mindful to consider how my words might impact Patty. Most importantly, I try to make sure my e-mails and messages express gratitude for Patty's amazing work. I believe it matters that people feel they are valued, respected, and appreciated for their contribution.
You've also collaborated with hip hop, dance choreographer Kim from RAW Company for a TikTok-inspired dance for 'Phone'; how did that come about and what are you hoping to achieve with the TikTok dance?
To help celebrate my upcoming song release, I reached out to Kim who has teamed up with multi-faceted performer Demi to create and film a short dance routine to 'Phone'.
After starting my TikTok account late last year with my #UnsungHeroChallenge by Wanida Serce, I would again love people to follow me, and have fun learning in pairs and recording their own #PhoneChallenge dance routines to post on their social media pages. Please remember to tag me, so I can see and repost your awesome dances.
You've been making music with Pat Gabriel for over four years. How has that creative partnership shaped the direction of your music and the sounds you want to create?
I think Patty and I have developed a successful creative partnership over the past four years as we've progressively taken on and created more technical and challenging projects together.
In the beginning, one of the biggest challenges for me having never met Patty and working completely online was trying to build trust and a good rapport. As a result, I intentionally at the start did not send Patty the most vulnerable songs I'd ever written because I didn't know if I could share something personal with someone I didn't know yet.
As a songwriter and artist, I think there's a lot of trust and vulnerability involved sharing art and personal stories with a music collaborator or producer.
Over the years, Patty and I have worked together on 'Phone' and many other music projects; all of which I've been really happy with our creative output. Reflecting on all the challenges we’ve been able to overcome making music, I recently said to Patty: "If I can think of it, I know you can do it."
This is because I feel confident that whatever direction and sound I can imagine in my mind and describe for making our songs, I have a sense of creative freedom knowing that Patty and I will be able to figure it out and achieve it.
You have an accompanying music video for 'Phone' as well; the creative direction of the video, how does this clip expand on the message of 'Phone'?
First to give you some background context, my previous 'Unsung Hero' and 'The Wall feat. Joel Turner' music videos both showcased awe-inspiring parkour stunts and jumps in some iconic areas of Brisbane city.
Moving forward with the release of the 'Phone' music video, its creative direction expands on these past releases by featuring parkour by Dim Pardilanan (who also appeared in 'The Wall' music video), and beautiful beach scenes at the Gold Coast.
In addition, my 'Phone' clip expands on the song's lyrics by visually telling a story about some of the struggles we might encounter trying to connect with someone via text messaging.
Perhaps you and your readers can relate to when you send a text message to someone, and you don't immediately hear back. In response, our minds might be tempted to start 'filling in the blanks' with worries and ruminations about the situation and what's gone wrong.
As these negative or 'catastrophising' thoughts are not necessarily based on fact, they might not be helpful or explain the reality of what's happened, like you'll see in my new 'Phone' music video.
Looking a little way into the future, you have another single in the works titled 'Red Red Bike'; what’s the goss on that front?
My new single 'Red Red Bike' will be coming out later this year, which I'm excited about. To help people learn the words of this fun and lively pop track, there will be an accompanying animated lyric video created with my talented friend, Qiyu Chen.
In addition to help illustrate the song's storyline about literally falling down, but metaphorically learning resilience and getting back up again on your bike, I'll be showcasing pro BMX stunt rider, Jett Beattie in our official 'Red Red Bike' music video. Looking ahead to help mark its one-year anniversary, I will be releasing a new 'Matter' music video by filmmakers Mark Burkett and Jay Taylor. This special video captures beautiful footage of South East Queensland including speculator blue ocean views at North Stradbroke Island, the green pine tree forest at Beerburrum, and the golden sunrise at Froggy Beach.
It is my hope this release will help to promote R U OK Day this year on Thursday 9 September and encourage more people to reach out and have R U OK? conversations with anyone who might be struggling.
We've discussed your role as an R U OK Ambassador previously, which ties into your 'other' job as a registered psychologist; given the stresses of the past 12 months with the pandemic, are you seeing more open dialogue in the community surrounding mental well-being and associated stigmas decreasing?
This past year coping with the health pandemic has been stressful and challenging for everyone, and first and foremost it raises my concern as a human about how it's impacting people's mental health and well-being.
We know Australia has been doing relatively well to control outbreaks and community transmission of COVID compared with the rest of the world, but psychologically and emotionally, how are people going more than a year into this health crisis?
I think it's normal and okay to feel sadness, fear and a whole range of emotions surrounding the impact of COVID such as worry about contracting the virus, and all the associated unknowns like 'when will I receive the vaccine?', and 'when will life return as usual?'.
I think it's important to acknowledge our feelings, whether positive or negative, and to make space for them. We've all experienced significant changes, and disruptions to our daily lives over the past 12 months or so, meaning it's even more important for us to look after our mental and physical health, and each other.
In terms of opening up dialogue in the community, I think the R U OK? movement is very important in growing awareness, and reducing the stigmatisation around discussing mental health as more people learn and have R U OK? conversations.
The steps are: 1. Ask R U OK?; 2. Listen; 3. Encourage action; and 4. Check-in. By noticing and reaching out to have an R U OK? conversation with anyone who might be struggling, we can help to increase our culture's level of psychological health and safety, meaning it's easier for people to talk and seek support when they're not okay.
To find out more about how to have an R U OK? conversation and find professional support, please visit the R U OK website.
You're a massive fan of parkrun and getting active with local communities (as part of a healthy life diet); what benefits are derived from taking an active role with your own community (whatever shape that may take)?
Through participating at events, I have learned the value of parkrun in creating and supporting healthier and happier communities. For me, my love of parkrun is not just about valuing its promotion of regular physical exercise.
The parkrun movement is so much more in providing positive and inclusive social communities. Sometimes I think people assume from the name 'parkrun' that you need to 'run’' in order to be involved, which simply is not the case.
Parkrun Australia welcomes everyone to come along, either to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate at their free, weekly events held across Australia, and around the world. With many people reporting lost connections during the current health pandemic such as feeling lonely and isolated, I see many health benefits of people coming together and connecting at parkrun Australia, or at any social community group or event.
To help highlight some of the benefits of taking a more active role in the community, I would like to share with you and your readers an innovative concept called 'social prescribing', which looks at how to remedy the rise of conditions such as chronic illness, and mental health issues including isolation and loneliness by considering alternative healthcare approaches beyond the medical model.
Social prescribing and its research suggest we can address some of the social determinants of modifiable health risks by connecting with non-medical sources of support in the community and voluntary sector, which can range from health and fitness programmes, to social clubs, shared garden projects, and meditation.
For anyone looking to become more active in the community, why not learn more and get involved in parkrun Australia and its nationwide Saturday morning 5km events by visiting the official parkrun website.
With its emphasis on socialising and exercise, there could be multiple benefits to joining parkrun; from improving your physical and mental health, to your overall lifestyle and happiness.
One or two simple, daily tips for anyone wanting to create a better or healthier outlook on life?
In the space of working as a psychologist, I sometimes have career conversations with people about what they would like to do for work, and more broadly achieve with their life. Often, I find people already know 'what' they would like to achieve, but don't know 'how' to get there.
Taking inspiration from one of my favourite quotes by William Arthur Ward: 'If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.' I have a couple of simple tips to help you turn dreams into a reality.
Tip one is to journal daily. This includes writing down what you want to achieve with your life, and why. Research has shown that vividly describing your goals in written form is strongly associated with goal success, so have a go at writing and goal setting every day.
My second tip is to take your goals, and then break them down into smaller, more realistic, and time-bound tasks you can attempt and do each day. It is amazing how ticking off little tasks on a 'to do' list can help give you momentum and confidence about your ability to create bigger, more meaningful positive changes in your life.
Part of your work in the mental well-being space has included collaborating with Melbourne group Choir of Hard Knocks; how did this come about and what projects have brought you together?
Both as a singer-songwriter and R U OK ambassador, I reached out to the Choir of Hard Knocks (COHK) last year during lockdown about singing my song, 'Matter' as a way to inspire and encourage everyone to have more 'R U OK? conversations and help spread awareness of mental health and R U OK Day.
As you and some of your readers might remember from our interviews last year, I wrote 'Matter' during a difficult time when I lost someone in my life. Working online with Patty, the creative process became a helpful way for me to express and process my feelings, to find meaning, and share a positive light with others about the importance of connecting with anyone who might be struggling.
As a Brisbane-based artist, it was wonderful to have the opportunity to attend an online Zoom rehearsal with COHK, to meet and chat with everyone about 'Matter', and be inspired seeing the resilience of Co-Directors, Adam Przewlocki and Danielle Matthews, and its members using technology to overcome the obstacles and barriers of being in lockdown to continue learning and connecting through the joy of singing.
I am so thankful to be collaborating with COHK, and look forward to sharing news of their 'Matter' performance later this year as it helps to spread the important R U OK? message that a conversation could help change a life.
When it comes to pets, are you a lover or hater of our furry friends?
By definition, you have to love your friends, furry or not right!? I have a beautiful cat named Ivy, who is super cute and supports local music.
For example, Ivy shows support as a pet subscriber at 4ZZZ – Queensland's longest running FM radio station. Community radio stations do incredible work in this country to support Australian artists, so I would highly recommend people support their local not-for-profit broadcaster too. 'Phone' is available now.
