Greta Stanley

Signalling her triumphant return for 2020, Far North Queensland’s Greta Stanley announces her new single, Soak Into This out now via Double Drummer. Blending a new indie-rock influence and smart pop overtones with her folkier roots, it’s her most immediate and engaging song yet.

Soak Into This marks a vibrant new kick off point for Stanley, who is coming off the back of three QMA nominations, a sold out headline tour and support runs with both Emma Louise and Newton Falkner. She is now staring down the barrel at a brand new year of music, live performance and a new album. Greta talks to Hi Fi Way about the single.

How has the build-up been leading up to the release of the single?
It felt like an exciting but strange build up. The team and myself felt very proud of this release and of course really excited to get it out into the world, but for myself and I imagine a lot of us, it feels like a strange time to be releasing when you aren’t following it up with a tour or some live shows, or really able to jump in the studio and further record but regardless we all felt very positive about it and that it was an uplifting song for these uncertain times that would hopefully lift people’s spirits a little.

Was the process of making your single as challenging as you thought?
I was nervous to approach this single because I went in empty handed to just meet a new producer and have a small session, I didn’t expect to leave with a near finished brand new song that I loved. Working with Tobias was a great experience, we had never met previously but we got along well and that helped the process and feeling of comfort when it came to recording this song.

Sonically, how would describe your music?
story telling, subtle electronica with some folk roots and pop flare.

Who would you consider to be the biggest influence on your music and why?
I don’t think I have one big influence, maybe it’s a cliche but I feel influenced by different things all the time. I guess i have always drawn from personal experience and i like to story-tell in my music, but I have never had one main influence, rather a range of different influences all the time! From other music, to the weather, to friends and the news, lots of things are influential.

Best piece of advice you have been given?
Cliche and simple, but stay true to you.

What is the Greta Stanley life story?
I was born in Townsville but then moved with my family to a little regional town called Mena Creek when I was 8. We were meant to move into our house when we arrived but my dad had a motorbike accident and we actually ended up living in a little tin shack for almost a year as he couldn’t renovate until he recovered. My brother and I slept in bunk-beds in the same room as my parents at my dad’s friends shack-house! Wild! haha.

I lived in Mena Creek until I was 18 and I then moved to Cairns where I studied music at Tafe, this was when i felt encouraged and inspired to play my music outside of my bedroom. I started busking and doing local gigs and eventually through a local competition met Fleur McMenamin who mentored and then Managed me, this was the turning point for music, and when I believed it could really be something I want to pursue forever. Fleur no longer manages me (but we still love each other VERY much!) she introduced me to my new team Double Drummer and booking Agent Josh Lane, and it’s all continued up from there!

Are you looking to tour more broadly?
I would like to tour overseas when the time is right, and I hope to have everything in place to achieve that next year. I believe it will happen within the next two years ahead, or at least I’m very hopeful it will.

What’s next for Greta Stanley?
I will have a film clip for my latest single coming out soon, it’s beautifully produced by some folks down in Brisbane who were responsible for my previous film clip for ‘Pour’. I’m excited about that. Aside from that, given the circumstances, not much is happening in the months ahead, but i will be playing and writing and I hope to work on a new body of work when the time allows.

Interview By Rob Lyon

Connect with Greta Stanley
Facebook ~ Website ~ Instagram ~ YouTube

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