With a style compared to Stella Donnelly and Tia Gostelow, Melbourne folk songwriter Rachael Comte is ready to present her debut album, 'Where I've Begun'.
Filled to the brim with honest, warm and enticing songwriting, Rachael has created a collection of music traversing themes of love, love lost and emerging stronger with clarity.
She recorded the album with producer and instrumentalist Andy McEwan. "We hired a bit of gear and then set it up at his parents' place on the beach, and spent three days straight recording, drinking coffee, going for beach walks, drinking wine, recording. It was such a beautiful experience," Rachael says.
Ahead of the album's official release on Friday (9 November), Rachael has shared an exclusive stream of 'Where I've Begun' with scenestr. Enjoy.
How does this album represent you as an artist?
[Rachael] This album is the most honest thing I've written yet, and the most I've ever given of myself through my music.
I feel like it's the culmination of a lot of musical experiences I've had in different contexts and also different experiences in life and relationships, and this album is me finally emerging with a clearer sense of who I am and what I want my music to communicate.
Were there any influences that came into play on this album?
Not particularly. But if I had to say one, I think I'd say Lianne La Havas. She showed me that you can be a singer/guitarist who writes songs which carry a singer-songwriter quality but also utilise interesting harmony.
She also plays a cool hollow-body electric guitar, so I got a cool hollow-body electric guitar.
Any funny stories that stood out from recording this album?
A cool thing that happened out of recording the album was that after my friends all came over to record the choir part on 'Tangled Thread' everyone had such a good time that we started a community choir.
It's still running and now has more than 25 members. They might do a flash mob performance at the album launch… maybe!
What was the best part about making this album the way you did?
It's very handy to have a best friend that is an AMAZING producer who you only have to pay with love and beers.
But in all seriousness, the best part about making the album was doing it over a long weekend, hauled away in a beach house with my best friend. It felt like we were immersed in a whole other world for a few days, which was pretty magic.
Rachael Comte Tour Dates
Sun 11 Nov - The Bridge Hotel (Castlemaine, VIC)* supporting Eliza HullSun 25 Nov - Gosling Creek Winery (Murroon, VIC)
Sat 8 Dec - Araminta's Tea Rooms (Seymour, VIC)
Fri 14 Dec - The Wesley Anne (Melbourne)
