“Unrequited love just has this unique kind of melancholy, torture, and bittersweetness to it,” Velura tells us of her song ‘Snow & Glass’.
On her debut single ‘Snow & Glass’, Brisbane-based artist Velura set out to break old mindsets.
The track, which draws inspiration from 80s dream-pop and more modern infusions, was birthed from one of Velura’s go-to mottos to not “let perfect get in the way of greatness,’ she later told us in a track breakdown.
So infectious was the track that we simply had to catch up with Velura again, this time for a run-through of the single’s creation, getting her start in the music scene, and her affinity for bird-watching.
Catch our full interview with Velura below, and scroll down to listen to her new single ‘Snow & Glass’.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
VELURA: Honestly, not a whole lot today. I was up until 3AM last night at a friend’s place having a deep heart-to-heart conversation, and just gawking at this painful, confusing, heartbreaking, beautiful mess that is being a human.
Young adulthood is weird like that. Today I gave a couple family members a guitar lesson. Guitar teaching is my job, alongside being an artist. After this, I’m gonna go edit some content to post about my debut “Snow & Glass”.
I played my song “Snow & Glass” to a bunch of different animals – chickens, cows, and a cat – and filmed it. It’s super gimmicky, I know, but fun! Let’s see how it fares in the social media algorithm, haha.
HAPPY: What’s the music scene like in your neck of the woods?
VELURA: It’s great! I just graduated from a music-based high school and it’s uncanny seeing my old classmates on gig posters around Brisbane and all that.
I just started studying at the Queensland Conservatorium, and there are plenty of promising songwriters here, studying everything from music technology to classical voice to jazz piano.
It’s certainly a vibrant scene for up-and-coming artists in Brisbane.
HAPPY: What does a typical day look like when recording for a project like ‘Snow & Glass’?
VELURA: When we were working on it, I’d have days when I’d hop on a Zoom meeting with my producer Aaron Shanahan and we’d play around with ideas – chords, structure, drum grooves, synths, and all that.
Each time was pretty chill, and focused on experimentation until we had to lock in the details and final takes.
Now, it’s just about promoting the song and getting it out there – so practising with my band, hunting for gigs, meeting people, putting out social media content, pitching to playlists, the whole shebang.
Being an independent artist is exhilarating, with the sense of following your heart and building your own dream from scratch, but it can get exhausting with the unrelenting self-discipline and self-belief you need for it to work, and all the things you “could” or “should” be doing at any given moment.
HAPPY: Is there a certain level of pressure that comes with making a “debut” with a single? Or are you more keen to just get the music out?
VELURA: Well, it depends. You can think, “this is my debut, it’s the be-all or end-all!” but that’s not really helpful.
For me, music is a career and I want to set myself up for it long-term, like you would if you were working to be a doctor or lawyer or architect or entrepreneur.
You don’t just expect to be successful right away, it takes learning and trial-and-error and apprenticeship.
There are “flukes” who seem to be an overnight success – especially in the musical and creative spaces – but those cases are rarely as simple as they seem on the outside, and not always desirable to everyone who’s pursuing a creative journey.
For me, a debut single is just the start.
HAPPY: The single tackles the idea of unrequited love. Why is this a particularly inspiring topic for songwriting?
VELURA: It makes me think of “Losing My Religion” by REM, which is one of those mega-famous songs from the 90s, and it’s about unrequited love.
Unrequited love just has this unique kind of melancholy, torture, and bittersweetness to it. It’s almost like a metaphor for the way we live our lives – wanting something so desperately and tenderly but never being able to reach it. Locked out of heaven.
HAPPY: There are so many relatable and incisive lyrics in ‘Snow & Glass’. Does it feel therapeutic to translate your emotions into music?
VELURA: Absolutely. The lyrics for “Snow & Glass” came mostly subconsciously; meaning, I was using words to fill in and compose the vocal melody, but the words that came through when I was singing “nonsense” took on a meaning of their own.
Songwriting – and publishing what you write – feels like setting the experience you once had free, in a sense.
HAPPY: ‘Snow & Glass’ blends vintage influences with contemporary flairs. How did you go about ensuring this blend sounded seamless?
VELURA: I do what I think sounds cool. I listen to a whole lot of music but find myself coming back to ethereal, dreamy music that’s super chill but energising.
It’s interesting how your music taste changes over time, because when I was 10 I loved Ariana Grande and hated all that “old people music” (by that I meant 80s and 90s stuff, cuz I’m a 2004 baby).
But now it’s the opposite – I don’t listen to a lot of mainstream pop nowadays, and I love stuff with a vintage, 80s-inspired, and alternative sound.
It’s not that one is better than the other, it’s just about integrating your past and present listening experiences into your musicianship.
HAPPY: Anything else exciting on the horizon that you can tease for us?
VELURA: I do! On the 14th of April (13 days from when I’m writing this!) I’ll be playing a ticketed show with friends at the Black Bear Lodge in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It’s called “Goin’ Solo” and tickets are on sale now. I’m really excited.
Aside from that, I’ve got another single “Breathless” that’s coming out in a month or so.
Since I do my own cover art myself, I’ll tease it on TikTok and Instagram as I show the process of how I create the cover design for “Breathless” in the next week or so. If you love art, design, and indie music, stay tuned!
View this post on Instagram
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
VELURA: I almost didn’t see this question and was tempted to write “nothing”. That’s not true, though. Music makes me happier than anything.
Oh, and birds. I love parrots so much, they’re just adorable. I love watching bird videos. I’m also just really happy that I get to be doing what I love. Like, what a privilege. I actually get a shot at making this music career thing work. Could I ask for more?
