“You Talkin’ to Me?” – Shelley Segal
Starting her musical journey at an early age, performing in her father Danny’s wedding band as a pre-teen and writing original material before releasing her first self-titled EP in 2009, Shelley Segal has spent 10+ years on the US touring circuit, and the last seven of those years based in Los Angeles firmly spreading and galvanizing her creative wings.
Establishing a strong foundation working across a broad range of styles since day one, Shelley has gone on to work with a dazzling array of artists over the years while also racking up millions of streams worldwide, including creating music for documentary Transmission Love, working as a publisher for Prince Chapelle on his Billboard #1 charting song with NCT 127 and working and touring with Vanessa Amorosi at her independent label Scream Louder Records. Shelley’s diverse yet powerful skill set has also seen her appear in Germany in 2022 to perform her new work Murtadd at the Celebrating Dissent Festival.
Name: Shelley Segal
Alias: Shell
In less than 50 words describe your music and yourself.
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, performer, artist, storyteller, connector, freethinker, human, immigrant, granddaughter, daughter, sister, niece, auntie, cousin, friend, lover, supporter, encourager, uplifter, learner, audacious, desirous, spirited, unstoppable, resilient, considered, free, heartfelt, open, brave, moving, contradicting, strong, growing, glorious, curious, subversive, challenging, traveller, problem solver, collaborator, joyful, vivacious, daydreamer.
What was the first rock/pop concert you attended?
My dad was a musician so I grew up seeing lots of bands. When I was young, I saw Vanessa Amorosi play at a battle of the band’s competition.
Punk or Goth Music:
PUNK!!! Propagandhi is my fave
Who are you excited about, music wise, at the moment?
At the moment I love Adrianne Lenker
The Best live artist/band you’ve seen:
Mark Kozelek
Your “In the mood for love” song:
Anything by Amy Winehouse
What are you currently reading?
The Kingdom – by Emmanuel Carrere
Your favourite Sunday morning chill out record?
James Taylor
Which song do you wish you had written?
Beds Are Burning, Money for Nothing, This Woman’s Work.
Author Manuel Puig said “I’m not terribly happy about rock and roll. Rock music is uninspiring, numbing; it makes you feel like an idiot.” Discuss.
Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down
Vinyl, Cassette, CD, mp3 or Streaming?
LIVE (but really however you want it’s fine by me)
If you could hang out with any music artist, in a bar one afternoon, who would it be?
Ani Difranco – would love to chat about music and life. And beg for a collab!
What is your worst habit?
Biting my nails, singing all the time quietly without being able to stop even in really important moments.
How often do you look at your mobile phone?
Too much.
Any good back stage stories?
Meeting Tim Minchin backstage at the Reason Rally.
Writing a new song with my partner backstage in a songwriting game show called TopTune. You get seventeen minutes to write a song then you have to get up and play it in front of a live audience. We didn’t finish the verses, only the chorus, so we got up and sang it out of our asses and still won second place!
Getting a weird stalker kicked out for an artist
An alien lands on Earth and wants to know what Rock and roll sounds like. What song do you play him?
AC/DC
Favourite all time TV show:
South Park
What is your specialty in the kitchen?
Curry + tacos
With whom would you like to record a song with?
Mark Kozelek!
You have tickets to see The Killers and Bruce Springsteen but they are on the same night. Which one do you attend?
BRUCE
Where do you hope to be in 12 months?
Doing the same things I’m doing now – singing, songwriting, recording, working with artists, running my music production company, label, publishing company, studio, sync agency. And I want to be stronger!! I’ve been a gym rat for nearly a year now so I wanna get as strong as I can. And do a 10k run. I wanna take my dad on tour with me around the world.
The glorious new single Mother from Melbourne singer-songwriter Shelley Segal simultaneously
tugs at the heartstrings and awes with warmth. A stirring ode to Shelley’s own mother, Mother is also accompanied by a sentimental music video featuring footage of Shelley with her mum that perfectly complements the raw and beguiling new track.
Showcasing Shelley’s lead guitar finger-picking and haunting vocals alongside a captivating mix of strings, lead violin, trumpets and electric drums, Mother is a powerful and honest outing that also affirms Shelley’s own eclectic musical influences, ranging from Ani DiFranco to Ben Harper, as well as more recent inspiration from Phoebe Bridgers and Tiny Ruins.
Mother is out now
Interview by Geoff Jenke
Connect with Shelley Segal
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Spotify
