Queensland-based Native American Jen Mize joins the bill at Welcome To Morrisonville in Brisbane this weekend.
“I am really excited,” Jen says. “I think it’s great that Brisbane has an Americana festival. I am bringing a band with me. We are going to play tracks from my new album, ‘Warnings And Wisdom’, and just have a lot of fun.”
Produced by Shane Nicholson, ‘Warnings And Wisdom’ was released in 2016. “I found Shane very easy to work with; he’s a very introspective man and kind of a mad scientist in the studio.”
Now a 12-track album, ‘Warnings And Wisdom’ was originally a 26-track collection. “I had about 26 songs that I gave to Shane to narrow down.
"I learnt a lot from working with Michael Buble.”
“I looked at the choices we were both making and realised there was a warning theme. It turned into a concept album without me really thinking that it was. I ended up writing the title track after I made that realisation.”
The songwriter also hosts the radio programme ‘Three Chords And The Truth’ on 98.9 FM with Paddy McHugh. “It’s like the best thing that ever happened to me, apart from marrying my husband,” Jen says.
“I think we are making a difference in the community, people get to listen to Australian and Americana artists from all over the world in areas that wouldn’t normally get that music.”
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The next project Jen is set to launch is her new podcast, ‘Vagabond Highway Radio’. “There has been a lot of movement in the music industry for the last ten years. It doesn’t really work the same way it use to, due to things like Spotify and file sharing,” she says.
“So most people these days really have to buckle down and really spend time out on the road in order to be heard and to make money.”
With already eight episodes recorded, ‘Vagabond Highway Road’ is designed to highlight the touring life of artists in Australia and around the world.
Jen has been on the Australian music scene for the last six years, sharing the stage with like-minded musicians such as Troy Cassar-Daley, Bernard Fanning, Kasey Chambers, Andres Morris and Michael Buble.
“I am a fan of Bernard Fanning. When I first moved to Australia in 2006 I never thought I would be moving in the same musical circle as him.
“Michael Buble is one of the best performers and one of the best vocalist I have ever worked with. I learnt a lot from working with him.”
Releasing her first album in 2014, ‘Fear, Pride And A Few Stubborn Angels’, Jen was first introduced to music at a young age. “My mother got me involved in music at a really young age… I think I was a natural-born musician; it’s part of who I am I guess.
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As her career progressed, Jen was continuously changing musical interests till she found her niche with songwriting. “I was initially pretty bad at it, like anybody starting something new. Songwriting really opened up my world. I felt so empowered and fulfilled by it."
Aside from launching her new podcast, Jen is working on another project at the moment. “I’m starting a project with a very good friend of mine who is a singer/ songwriter. It’s a little bit hush-hush at the moment; we head into recording the first two weeks of December.”
Jen Mize shows
Sat 28 Oct - Welcome To Morrisonville at The Morrison (Brisbane)Sun 29 Oct - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Fri 10 Nov - Gold Dash Woman @ Dashville (Hunter Valley)
Sat 11 Nov - The Flamin' Galah (Brisbane)
Sun 12 Nov - Bohemian Bungalow (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 18 Nov - Wild Rocket (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 19 Nov - The Bearded Lady (Brisbane)
