After winning the Triple J Unearthed comp in 2012, Thelma Plum is making a name for herself in the indie music scene, with a fresh face and wicked attitude. Charlotte Boumford sat down with the songstress to discuss eyebrows, her love for dogs, and of course her upcoming Rosie EP tour.
TOM: What does music mean to you?
Thelma: At the moment, music means my life. It sounds very dramatic, but my whole life is based around music at the moment and kind of has been my whole life. It means a lot to me, it’s who I am.
TOM: Who do you note as your biggest influences?
Thelma: I could have a huge list! My parents are huge influences to me. They’re not musicians but they’re avid music lovers to the point where everything growing up was based around music. Mum tries to sing sometimes… she’ll hate me for saying that. They have amazing taste in music and often go and see really cool gigs way before I do. Lots of Australian musicians like Paul Kelly and Bob Evans (Kevin Mitchell) really inspire me, both of their songwriting I take a lot from. I toured with Bob Evans recently which was awesome because I listened to Jebediah growing up and I’ve seen Paul Kelly live over 10 times.
TOM: Since you grew up around music, do you remember the first concert you ever went to?
Thelma: Mum always took me to see really cool concerts, I saw Archie Roach when I was a few months old. The first gig I guess I remember going to would be Paul Kelly when I was about 7 and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world. I remember watching him and thinking, I can do that, I can do what he’s doing.
TOM: Was there a moment in time where you realized music is what you wanted to pursue?
Thelma: Not really, it’s always been a part of my life. Since I was really little I was singing and I started writing when I was really young. There was never really a point I suppose where I was like ‘I should be a musician’ it just happened, and I’ve just grown up thinking, ‘I’m going to be a musician… I am a musician.’
TOM: Was there a moment that changed it all for you, in terms of making a career out of music?
Thelma: Last year when I won the Triple J Unearthed competition, I think that was the point where everything became more serious. People started to actually want to talk to me, so I suppose that was the point where I thought, alright this is actually happening.
TOM: As a songwriter, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Thelma: It really depends where I’m at, it depends what headspace I’m in. Sometimes I could be walking down the street and a little melody will come in my head, and I’ll think that’s a cool song and record it on my phone. Other times, I guess I might not have a lot of inspiration and have to sit myself down and make myself write for a few hours. A lot of the time if I’m really tired and lying in bed wanting to go to sleep so badly, an idea will pop into my head and I won’t go to sleep until 4am.
TOM: Is songwriting an easy process for you?
Thelma: I wouldn’t say easy, I’d say it’s quite natural just because it’s like what I do. If I’m forcing myself to write I’ll sit down with the guitar and see what happens but sometimes I find it really therapeutic if I don’t play any music and just write words down.
TOM: Can you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Thelma: I actually found the diary that I had it in the other day. If I was really going way back, I remember I was in Grade 4 and I wrote out this song because I wanted to show my friends that I was a really good songwriter. I used to be a massive Shania Twain fan when I was in primary school and I stole one of her underground songs and wrote it out in my diary, but mixed it with my own words and sang it my way, and then sang it to all my friends and they had no clue. I was so sneaky. I guess that’s the first song that I wrote and also stole.
TOM: Do you think your culture relates to your music/songwriting and influences what you do?
Thelma: It definitely influences it because it’s a part of me and who I am and I guess who I am influences my music. I wouldn’t say I write my music based around being Aboriginal, but it does impact me in the fact that it is a part of me and that influences me. I’m very proud of my Aboriginal culture.
TOM: Let’s talk about the EP, how was the recording process for you?
Thelma: I recorded in 301 in Sydney, I really enjoyed it! It was the first time I’d ever been in a proper studio and the first time I’d ever really heard my voice sound like that. It was the first time I’d heard myself with a band too which was awesome!
TOM: Who are the musicians you worked with?
Thelma: It’s just Andrew Lowden and I at shows on the road, but on the recording we all switched around with instruments. Tony Buchen who was the producer of the EP, played bass and a lot of other things and Luke who is the drummer in The Preatures played drums.
TOM: How did yourself and Andrew start collaborating?
Thelma: Well we met at Black Star Coffee in West End and he told me he liked my eyebrows. We became friends first and then the music came after that.
TOM: You named your EP ‘Rosie’ and it has a beautiful drawing of a dog on the cover, what’s the reasoning behind that?
Thelma: Rosie is my dog. I love her, she’s really sweet. The song ‘Rosie’ which is on the EP, that song I wrote when I was sitting next to Rosie and she inspired that song so I thought it was fitting to have her on the cover.
TOM: You have two dogs though right? Why didn’t your other dog get the title?
Thelma: Yes, Tex. Tex is only 2 and Rosie is really old. Rosie is like my grandma and Tex is like my child and Tex requires a lot more attention. He’s young, he can get the second EP.
TOM: You’re taking your EP on your own tour soon, tell me about that, when does that kick off?
Thelma: It kicks off in July! Andrew and I are going all around the country pretty much, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney!
TOM: What were some of your inspirations when writing ‘Rosie?’
Thelma: Most of it was written in 2012 and was basically a ‘f*ck you’ to my ex-boyfriend.
TOM: You’re currently travelling with ‘Rosie’ on tour with Emma-Louise, what have been the highlights?
Thelma: I suppose everything’s been pretty fun. Hobart was really beautiful and we met some really beautiful people. Oh yeah, it was sleeting that was the best part!
TOM: I had the pleasure of seeing you perform at Bluesfest, how was that experience for you?
Thelma: I’d never been to Bluesfest before, it was amazing! I met some really cool people. I got to see Chris Isaac, which was amazing, he’s been a huge inspiration to me!
TOM: Aside from music, what do you do in your free time, what are you interested in?
Thelma: Dogs! I love dogs. Whenever I have free time I’m either hanging out with my dogs or someone else’s dogs, doing something with dogs!
TOM: What can we expect from you for the rest of 2013?
Thelma: I’ll continue touring with Emma-Louise and then set out on my own tour with ‘Rosie.’
