INTERVIEW: DUSTY RELEASES A SWEET MELANCHOLIC DEBUT SINGLE ‘EASIER’
Article by Darcy Goss
Dusty might be a new name in music but the woman behind the project is by no means a fresh face.
Annie Newcombe has been making waves with her songwriting through her former project Annie Joelle for the past two years.
Stepping away from the polished pop sound, her new project Dusty is an exploration of raw and authentic songwriting, and her debut single Easier delivers just this.
Easier is the first taste of what this new direction of music sounds like from Annie, an exciting concoction of swoony, angelic chords coupled with intricate and honest lyricism. Easier is a beautifully told story that pulls at your heart strings with a sweet melancholy.
Inspired by a blend of female Australian songwriters such as Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Angie McMahon and Julia Stone, Dusty's debut single Easier is vulnerable and truthful in its delivery.
Tackling themes of self worth and losing friendships, it is a song that marks a shift in songwriting for Annie, bringing forth this new era of music: Dusty.
We had a chat to Annie about her new unapologetically honest project Dusty, the reality of toxic friendships and her new single Easier…
Hey Annie, how are you lovely?
I am doing really well!
First things first, for anyone that isn’t familiar with your new project ‘DUSTY’ – describe it to us in 4 words…
Honest, personal, girl power
Now you are by no means new a fresh face to the music industry, what made you step away from your former project ‘Annie Joelle’, and does the new name have a story behind it?
I started ‘Annie Joelle’ when I was in the middle of my Music Degree, I didn’t really know what kind of music I wanted to make or who I was as a person, let alone an artist. ‘Annie Joelle’ was also quite a collaborative project, which was so much fun, but I wanted to create something rawer. Through 2020 I did a lot of reflection (as I think we all did) and I really felt like I wasn’t making music that felt authentic to me. I wrote a lot of music at the end of 2020 and it just didn’t feel like it was ‘Annie Joelle’ anymore, hence ‘Dusty’.
Now you’ve just released your beautifully raw debut single today titled ‘Easier’ – talk to us a bit about that! What does the song mean to you?
I was living with a really toxic friend through covid, and it just affected my mental health so much. My anxiety got pretty bad, and I didn’t really make music for 6 months. I moved out of the house and lived with my best friends for a few months and I slowly started to feel like I could breath again. I wrote ‘Easier’ during this time, even though I was doing a lot better, that anxiety bled into other friendships and for a little while I really found it hard to talk to people about how I was feeling. ‘Easier’ was the first song I wrote after 6 months off, I wanted it to be my debut single because it is unfiltered and is a special reminder from a time when I started to feel okay again.
Whats your typical songwriting and recording process?
Normally I write my songs by myself, on my electric guitar, sitting on my bed or on the floor. Most of the time I will play something on guitar just have a sing; if I feel good about what I’m playing I will build on a single line or theme. I literally wrote ‘Easier’ in about 15 minutes, it really did just pour out of me.
In terms of recording, I recorded ‘Easier’ with Brock Weston in our bedroom. We had planned on recording it at some point but hadn’t really decided a time. We had a free morning during the summer so we just went for it. ‘Easier’ was recorded live and the release is the first take from that session. The whole process was really natural.
What do you want people to take away from this release?
I really hope that people can relate with the lyrics and I also hope that people enjoy the songs honest and raw aspects.
What can fans expect from DUSTY for the rest of the year? Could we be seeing a single launch?
I have been working on some tracks, so definitely more new music soon. No single launch for ‘Easier,’ but I am supporting my good friends ‘Jane Street’ on the 29th of April for their single launch.
Now to support local, give a shout out to 3 other artists making their way through the music scene that you love.
Jade not Jane, Oh Bailey and Evangie
Finally, to wrap it up let’s do a few rapid-fire Q’s:
· Best song to sing in the shower to?
I’m actually not a shower singer, but if I were to sing in the shower it would for sure be; If It Ain’t You - Alicia Keys.
· Favourite Brisbane venue?
The Zoo
· Best beverage?
Margarita
· If you could tour with one artist, who would it be?
Angus and Julia Stone
Listen to Easier on Spotify. Dusty · Song · 2021.
Listen to Dusty’s swoony new tune Easier.
Catch her at supporting good friends Jane Street on the 29th of April at The Bearded Lady
Follow Dusty’s socials