One Night Only Charlee Watt Presents ‘She Rocks… Love, Lyrics And Legacies’

Fresh from her standout performance in Caffeine Fiend – A Coffee Cabaret at the 2025 Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival, Charlee Watt is riding a wave of powerful momentum.

The award-winning vocalist and regional creative is now fronting She Rocks: Love, Lyrics & Legacies, a high-voltage celebration of iconic Australian women in music. In this interview with Anita Kertes, Charlee shares her thoughts on bold moments, backstage hustle, and what it really takes to bring a cabaret vision to life.

Let’s start with the moment that is fresh on everyone’s minds—how did it feel being pulled on stage by Clare Bowditch to close her show at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival?
I honestly can’t even explain it. “Surreal” doesn’t come close. It was nerve-wracking, electrifying, and one of those “is this real life?” moments. I went from singing one of her songs in my show to singing with her, onstage, at my favourite festival. Wild. And just… so, so, so, cool.

You co-created, co-wrote and are performing in She Rocks: Love, Lyrics & Legacies at The Gov this weekend. What can audiences expect from this powerhouse celebration of Australian women in music?
They can expect something bold, loud, fierce, and fun. This show is a passion project for me, I grew up obsessed with Aussie music, and this is my way of celebrating the incredible women who helped shape it – especially when they’re often overshadowed by the (also brilliant) men in the industry. It’s my way of paying my respects and putting the spotlight on their legacy.

The show features a live band of mostly teenage musicians from regional SA. How did that collaboration come about?
It came from personal experience. I didn’t really fit the mould of what a “singer” was meant to be where I lived, and there weren’t many opportunities, especially in regional areas. So I had to create my own, which wasn’t always easy. Now, with shows like She Rocks, I get to offer those opportunities to the next generation of regional musicians. Honestly, if fifteen-year-old me had been asked to go on tour, I would’ve lost my mind. So being able to offer that to someone else is really special.

This project spans five decades of iconic Aussie music. How did you choose which artists and songs to include?
It was hard, there’s just so much to choose from! We tried to strike a balance between recognisable hits and less known tunes that deserved a spotlight. We really wanted to span generations and show the breadth of talent. One of my favourite parts is that it’s an evolving show. As we discover more music, we can add to it.

You’re not just centre stage; you’re often behind it too. What draws you to producing your own shows?
Such a great question. The kind of work I do, cabaret, doesn’t really exist off the shelf, you can’t just license a cabaret like you would a musical. You have to build it from scratch. That means writing it, shaping it, designing it, and doing all the work behind the scenes.

Producing is basically doing all the jobs no one else wants to do, often without knowing exactly how, but you learn fast. It helps you understand the industry, how to work within a tight (or non-existent) budget, and how to keep things running even when it’s chaotic. Plus, it’s setting me up for what’s next. Later this year, I’m touring Beating Up The Beatles with Country Arts SA, and Caffeine Fiend is heading to Melbourne and Sydney. So the producing side is really what makes all of that possible.

How does show producing shape your approach as a performer?
It changes everything. When you’ve spent months writing, marketing, wrangling tech, promoting, and solving a hundred problems behind the scenes, it makes that one hour on stage feel sacred. I show up more as a performer because I know what it took to get there. And when you’ve built something from the ground up, you give it absolutely everything once you’re onstage.

Your performances are known for their emotional range and storytelling. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by cabaret from a really young age, I was 11 at my first proper cabaret show, which was probably a bit rogue for a kid, but it totally pulled me in. From that point on, I don’t think I couldn’t make work that wasn’t vulnerable or emotionally truthful. For me, everything I make has to come from some kind of truth. Even if it’s theatrical or embellished, it needs to feel real. That’s what connects with people—and what keeps me grounded. People often tell me they cry during my shows, and while the work can be emotional, I’ve also learned how to share that vulnerability without burning myself out.

You’ve carved out a strong creative identity here in South Australia. What is it about the local scene that feeds your work or inspires your performances?
I mean, have I? That’s wild to hear, but very lovely. Thank you. Growing up in Port Lincoln, you realise pretty quickly how rare it is for shows to come through town. So getting to be someone who brings those shows is really special. People still come up to me and say, “I was at your first show out at the winery in 2022,” and that means a lot. There’s such a strong sense of community around my work, and without that, I’d just be performing to an empty room.

When I perform at home, it’s wild to look out and see people who’ve known me since I was a baby, or taught me music, or sat next to me in school. I probably take that for granted sometimes. Even though I live eight hundred kilometres from Adelaide, the scene still feels incredibly welcoming. It’s tight-knit, generous, and full of people I admire, learn from, and get to perform alongside. I’m really proud to be part of it.

What advice would you give to young performers, especially those from regional areas, who are dreaming of taking the stage like you have?
First of all, if you’re dreaming of creating and performing your own work, especially in cabaret or independent theatre, study business. I wish someone had explained to me that there’s no business like show business… and that it’s literally mostly business. Honestly, about ninety eight of what I do is behind the scenes, and only two percent is actually performing. That was a shock when I started out, and I’m still learning and failing and figuring it out.

But my biggest piece of advice? Say yes. Say yes to opportunities, especially if you’re from a regional area. They don’t come around often, and sometimes the ones that feel a bit scary or random lead to the best stuff. That said, listen to your gut. If something feels off, trust that too. And finally, don’t take access for granted. Most Metro kids have access to drama classes, school musicals, choirs, jazz bands, weekend theatre programs, songwriting workshops, touring artists, festivals, dance schools, and just about every creative extracurricular under the sun. Whereas opportunities like that are almost non-existent in most regional areas. So when something does come along, don’t let it pass. You never know where it might take you.

If you could collaborate with any Aussie music legend, who would it be and what song/s would you want to sing together?
That’s such a tough one. Okay, I’m gonna cheat and pick two. From She Rocks, I’d love to sing with Deb Conway. I saw her live and she was just formidable. I think we’d sound great doing Get Happy/Happy Days are here are again together. I can already hear her belting out Happy days are here again, it’d be epic, and I’d probably cry. And then there’s Paul Kelly. I jokingly call him my second dad because I was practically raised on him. I’d love to do Deeper Water, with a massive choir behind us singing those backing vocals with some harmonies. That would be a dream.

Interview By Anita Kertes

Tickets for Charlee Watt Presents ‘She Rocks… Love, Lyrics And Lyrics’ from The Gov and is on Saturday 5 July…