With less than a year of gigging under their belts, Perth pop-rock band I Call Val have earned two nominations at this year's WAMAwards: Most Popular New Act and Most Popular Live Act.
The band is fronted by Paige Savill, a regular performer on the local scene who has found the perfect vehicle for her songwriting in I Call Val alongside friend and bandmate Adam Rossetti.
“I've been writing for so many years, because I write the melody and lyrics, and I've been doing that with the sole purpose of having a team around me that is absolutely going to bring it to life,” Paige says.
“That's come to fruition in the past year; we've been gigging less than a year – it's coming up to the year mark. It is really important, for me especially, because I think the music is a way of keeping a conversation going about our chaotic society, staying humble in that as well and my own part in it, confronting my own actions.”
I Call Val hit the ground running with their debut single 'System Is Failing', Paige's eviscerating scalding of the beauty industry, followed by new single 'Erase Her'.
Both of these songs will appear on their five-track debut EP, a record Paige says will make a definitive statement about the band. “With the EP and these two singles, we've really just wanted to say 'this is who we are and this is what we're going through at this point in time', and I think that is a story within itself.
“Each track explores a different part of, for me especially, what I'm going through on a daily basis.”
After the ferocity of 'System Is Failing', Paige says she wanted to take a step back for the next single, 'Erase Her', and to have a little more fun with it.
“With this one we've got a little more pace going, and with the music video as well it's a got a comical element to it. So we're really looking forward to doing something that puts less pressure on other people,” she giggles.
Still just a two-piece with a roster of friends serving as supporting players, Paige says she and Adam are searching for their “forever rhythm section” to complete the band.
Before releasing their debut EP, hopefully early-mid 2019 according to Paige, I Call Val will contend for WAMAwards in the Most Popular New Act and Most Popular Live Act categories.
“I'm on cloud nine ever since I found out we got nominated for both of those, you can't wipe the smile off my face,” Paige laughs.
“Particularly for us, to be nominated for Most Popular Live Act is so so wonderful because it is such an integral part of our band and what we do.
“That performance side of it is what I live for and we always do our best to really step it up. Each show we just want to be more and more engaging, more fun and really take things to new heights.”
