Upon releasing his debut-self titled EP on Friday, March 26, fast-rising New South Wales artist Budjerah has announced his first national tour, hitting Western Australia with a date at The Aardvark in Fremantle on Sunday, May 16. To mark the news, the 19-year-old savant has also unveiled the official video for his latest single Higher.
Directed by Mick Soiza, the disco infused visual accompaniment for Higher captures Budjerah performing in the heart of a glittering roller derby. “I wanted to make the music video for Higher super fun to match the energy of the song. When I hear the song I see people partying in a disco and roller skating. It was really fun to film,” says Budjerah of the clip. “Higher is an ode to fun, it’s a celebration of happiness when life is stress and worry free,” he adds.
Higher follows on from Budjerah’s debut single Missing You, which claimed the #1 position on the triple j airplay chart. Both songs feature on the EP, produced by ARIA and J Award winning artist Matt Corby. The pair forged a strong kinship – Corby also emerged in the music scene when he was just a teenager and his studio is located close to Budjerah’s home in Fingal Head. The two clocked countless hours comparing notes and crafting the sound that would introduce the world to Budjerah’s music prowess.
“In my music, I think of how I’m going to use my voice as an instrument before the melody and anything else. Matt is classically trained, so he pushed me vocally. We both really like the real, organic sounds of instruments,” muses Budjerah of the recording process.
Raised in a home full of instruments and playing in family bands, making music was inevitable for the young singer-songwriter. “I grew up singing Sam Cooke and listening to gospel singers like The Clark Sisters. My dad taught me how to sing and that’s the kind of music that has been around since I was little,” he says.
Making music may have been second nature to Budjerah, but it’s still set him on a journey of uncovering more about himself and his potential. “I think that I think too much,” he laughs. “And making my EP, sometimes with time limits in the studio, has taught me that I need to relax more and trust my instincts.”
Budjerah hits The Aardvark on Sunday, May 16. For more info and to buy tickets head to www.budjerah.com
