Gold Coast indie-pop sweethearts IVEY are hitting BIGSOUND for the second time in their career.
Originally performing at the 2017 BIGSOUND Gold Coast showcase, this time the band are going to be making waves throughout Brisbane.
Frontwoman Millie Perks remarks how excited the band is to get among the colourful mishmash of artists that BIGSOUND boasts. “[We're] keen to connect with the other bands who are all in the same boat,” Millie says.
BIGSOUND is renowned as a fantastic industry networking platform for creatives and IVEY can't wait to lap up every opportunity the festival presents them.
Their previous BIGSOUND experience has taught them to be aware of the quick-moving nature of the festival, a defining characteristic of BIGSOUND. “It does move super, super quickly,” Millie says, “so, you gotta do a lot of prep.”
IVEY's hustle in their early years has reaped a plethora of notches on their belt including, but not limited to, winning various competitions across Channel V and triple j Unearthed platforms, as well as playing alongside the likes of Cub Sport and Five Seconds Of Summer.
Certainly no strangers to the stage nor the spotlight, for a young band they have been chipping away at their craft for ages. Millie was only 12 years old when her bandmates recruited her in to the band. “What?! Okay! I'm 12 and I don't know what that means!” Millie says with a laugh, reflecting on her pre-teen induction into the music scene. “We've been working our butts off for ages.”
When IVEY first started gaining traction only one of the members was aged 18-plus, so they often were kicked out of venues the moment their set finished.
Alas, years have passed and now they're all of adult age IVEY spend less time worrying about being escorted out of their own shows and more time honing their energy into composing and performing quality music.
Often portraying sombre and introspective lyrics against shimmering and bouncy instrumentals, IVEY seamlessly straddle the line between knowing when to evoke thought and when to evoke feeling.
This particular 'energy' radiates from the band before you even hear their music. They embody the quintessential vibe and aesthetic of the Gold Coast just from their polished, yet simultaneously laid-back look.
Growing up among what is arguably some of the country's most recognisable beaches, IVEY believe the Gold Coast runs through their veins and that it influences their creative ethos. “There are two stereotypes on the Gold Coast… the muscle tees… and then there's our sort of stereotype, like the surfy sort of vibe… we all grew up next to the beach,” Millie explains.
“When we were younger, we would play everything from reggae to surf rock, and now we've landed at pop. We always try to keep those roots in everything that we do.”
Earlier in the year triple j Unearthed premiered the band's latest single 'Bodies', accompanied by a well-produced video clip. Millie details how the more luxurious nature of the 'Bodies' music video contrasts against the home-grown nature of what will be the film clip for the band's next release.
“With [the] 'Bodies' [film clip], we had such a big crew and we knew what we were doing at every time of the day. We had a lot of extras and stuff… and then, with our latest single that's going to come out, it's very 'local'. We filmed everything on the Gold Coast. We tried to capture those beautiful, Gold Coast beachy [sic] vibes.
“So yeah, two very different film processes, but both really hit home and captured that aesthetic that we have become."
