Since releasing her debut single State of Art in 2016, Brisbane artist Tia Gostelow has moved from strength to strength, firmly establishing herself as one of the Aussie music scene’s brightest emerging acts.
Now, with a new single fresh under her belt, Gostelow is gearing up for a huge performance at Brisbane Festival next month. So we caught up with the artist herself to chat all about it, the supportive nature of the Brissy music scene, what the rest of the year holds.
Before she hits the stage as part of Brisbane Festival next month, we caught up with Tia Gostelow for a chat.
HAPPY: Hey, how are things? What are you up to at the moment?
TIA: Hey! Good, thank you! I’m actually in the middle of moving houses so things are a little stressful at the moment!
HAPPY: Pretty incredible that you were just the first band to play the Fortitude Music Hall. What’s the space like? We’re pretty envious from down here in Sydney.
TIA: I have never seen a venue like it in my life! I feel like it’s one of those venues that’s just so special and unique and it caters for every crew member in a touring party which is so important!! It was definitely a career highlight to be the first band to play there, forever something I will cherish and be grateful I was a part of!
HAPPY: I feel a real sense of community emanating from Brisbane at the moment. Is there anything, in particular, you put that down to?
TIA: I feel like everyone is just super supportive here and I think there is a lot of really cool stuff coming out of Brisbane at the moment. We all just want to support each other and I think that’s really showing at the moment.
HAPPY: How does Brisbane Festival play into that whole scene? Will this year be your first time playing the event?
TIA: Yes it is! I’ve only been in Brisbane for 18 months and haven’t been to Brisbane Festival yet but it’s obviously a very important part in the city’s music & arts scene. Most people I know in the music industry here have something to do with Brisbane Festival so I think it all intertwines with each other. I’m stoked to be apart of it this year!
HAPPY: You shared a pretty great post the other week about how relentless performing can be. What have you learned about dealing with burnout as a musician since you started out?
TIA: Thank you! That tour was brutal for me and a really big eye-opener I guess in regards to looking after yourself and making sure you’re a priority too. It’s so important to talk to someone that you feel comfortable with, most of my problem was that I was struggling so much but kept it all to myself and no one around me knew I wasn’t coping well. In the end, it made it worse because I had so much built-up emotion that it affected me physically and I ended up losing my voice. Just talk to someone, I know it’s not always easy but it’s what’s best for your mental & physical health.
HAPPY: Have you found a lot of people in the music industry get caught up without taking a break?
TIA: After my post I had so many other artists reach out to me that I’d always assumed were doing great and from what I saw on social media, were living a really amazing life and had a great career. It really made me feel less alone and realise that I’m not the only one going through this and that most people in this same industry have felt like this before. So yeah I think they do get caught up!
HAPPY: You’ve said Get To It is the “start of something new for me“. How has your approach changed since releasing and touring Thick Skin?
TIA: I think so, I’m a lot more sure of myself and more confident in what I’m doing and what I want. In saying that, I’m still learning but I feel like I’m becoming more comfortable in showing people who I am.
HAPPY: What else is coming up for the rest of the year?
TIA: A little bit of touring and I’m recording album #2!
HAPPY: Thanks for the chat!
TIA: Thanks so much!
Catch Tia Gostelow live as part of Brisbane Festival on September 21st at The Courier-Mail Spiegeltent. More info here.
