Country-pop duo Seaforth will make a pilgrimage from their adopted Nashville back home to Australia this November, injecting their melodic lyrics and breezy rhythms into a series of live shows.
Lifelong friends – since kindy, in fact – Tom Jordan and Mitch Thompson broke from their label, Sony Music, in April of this year, choosing to take the independent route. It's a move that Seaforth now describe as "a rewarding challenge"."Being with a label has its perks, but then stepping out our own and backing ourselves was a rewarding thing," Tom says. "We've been lucky enough to do things over here [in Nashville] and build a foundation then leaving [Sony], it wasn't like jumping into the abyss.
"We've had some great shows this year, we've been self-sufficient and can produce and put our songs out, and that was our whole point. [Leaving Sony] gave us a whole new life and love for doing this in general. It felt like owning a business and now has a fun perspective."
The experience of being with a label, Seaforth attest, did indeed afford the pair an education of sorts, as to how the industry operates at a business level, thereby how they operate their brand as Seaforth independently. "When we signed the deal, we were so green," admits Tom.
"We just knew we loved music and wanted to do the thing. We never even conceived of going independent. We left feeling confident and comfortable in what we do, feel like we know the ropes enough that we want to navigate this ourselves for the moment."
The last time Seaforth performed in Australia was on their About Time Tour in 2022, when they were met with raucous acclaim from critics and fans alike.
It was an experience, the pair say, that provided them with a lot of validation. "We'd done a lot of touring here [in the US] but not back home. It went great!" Tom says.
Seaforth are among a plethora of Aussies in the country music scene making their mark in Nashville. Since April, though, the band haven't felt like they've had to create a niche groove for them to stand out among their peers.
"I've noticed, even when we came out here, there've been Aussies in Nashville for so long that we were kind of like outcast Aussies you could say. We weren't in the scene in Oz and no one would know us until we came here.
"After six years and slowly meeting the Aussies that come out and tour here, there's an abundance of Aussies [in Nashville].
"I feel like over the last couple of years, I think due to streaming and how country is becoming this massive global genre, it's become more and more accessible to people, so more people are taking the chance and trying it and coming out to Nashville and taking a dive.
"We're not in direct competition with anyone. We've always been set in our style. I'm proud to say we're Seaforth and we're not trying to combat with other people."
If anything, there's always been support for Seaforth in Nashville, the band's hope that they're in a way, flying the flag for more Aussie country artists to head to Nashville and "give it a try". As Seaforth point out, the genre is picking up; and perhaps the fusion of genres is helping many country artists, contributing to that development.
For Seaforth, it's combining pop with country music. "Fusions is a way forward," Tom reasons, his bandmate nodding in pensive agreement. "I think country music fans are country music fans, especially over here.
"As country music is becoming a more globally appreciated format, the umbrella of country music is becoming more diverse, which is really exciting, and where we saw ourselves fitting in.
"I feel like we have to be true to ourselves – we love country music and what it stands for, but we wanted to do our own thing within that format."
Seaforth 2023 Tour Dates
Sat 4 Nov - Ridin' Hearts @ Sydney ShowgroundSun 5 Nov - Ridin' Hearts @ Melbourne Showgrounds
Wed 8 Nov - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Fri 10 Nov - Miami Marketta (Gold Coast)
