Missy Higgins is leaving her mark all around the world, with her home and family in Australia, a new album being recorded in Nashville, and a headline show in Santa Monica next Thursday. That event, “Australia Rocks the Pier,” is set to entertain thousands with a trio of talent from Down Under, including the lovely Miss Higgins. The busy singer/songwriter took the time to respond to a few questions via e-mail. Check out our preview of the big show right here!
Do you see yourself as an ambassador for your country when you play events like Australia Rocks the Pier, as it's such a huge compliment to be selected by the Australian Consulate to represent Australian arts and culture?
Ha, I don't think I could ever see myself as an Australian ambassador, as much as I love my country that's too big a responsibility! But I am proud to represent it, and it is a big honour to be headlining this event.
Are you still an LA resident? How's life here compared to Melbourne?
No, I moved back to Melbourne a couple of years ago when I finished touring my second album. I really enjoyed living in LA though; it was the first time I'd ever actually lived in another country. And the area that I lived in, Silverlake, was full of musicians and artists which made it really inspiring. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that people there are as obsessed with coffee as I am!
Your voice has been described as “tailor-made” for Summer. Do different seasons influence your songwriting or singing style?
I've never heard anyone say that actually! I guess that's nice. Well I'm in Nashville at the moment recording my album and it's ridiculously hot so I'd have to say that yes I'm probably writing slower songs and singing kinda lazy in this heat. My song-writing probably chances with the seasons if my mood changes with the seasons. The winter tends to make me more introspective and dark, and in the spring there always seems to be more optimism in the air.
What’s the most surprising aspect about touring in America?
I can never quite believe how big America is, population wise. In Australia there is so much space in between the cities. The people are kind of spread out, and there's a huge expanse of desert in the middle. In America, I feel like I can just tour forever and probably hardly touch the same city twice!
Are there any cover songs that you play live and if not, which would you like to?
I often play a Patty Griffin song live, she's one of my favourite song-writers of all time. Sometimes a Tim Finn song called "Stuff and Nonsense," sometimes a Roxy Music song called "More Than This." I'm not big on cover songs unless I feel I can really bring something different to them, and do them justice, otherwise leave them as is.
You’ve won quite a few awards in a really short time. What motivates you to continue writing and touring?
I took a break from writing and touring recently, and after a while I found I really craved it. There's something about playing new songs to new audiences that gets my blood flowing, and makes me feel alive. It's something so instinctual that feels so therapeutic, I figure I may as well keep doing it if it's working.
Why did you choose Nashville to record your next album?
I stumbled across Nashville accidentally really. I met Aussie musician/singer-songwriter Butterfly Boucher while playing Lilith Fair and asked her if she wanted to collaborate. She said "sure, come to Nashville it's where I'm living!" So I did, and we ended up not only song-writing together but she co-produced my album as well. It was the best decision I ever made, this town lives and breathes music.
Do you see yourself continuing the same themes you’ve explored in your prior work?
I always write about whatever is affecting me most at that moment. At times it is love, or life's struggles, at other times it is war, or politics, or industrialization. I plan to just continue writing about whatever moves me.
Will fans get a glimpse of songs from your forthcoming album during your headlining set on July 21st?
I'm going to be playing a handful of songs of the new album, yes. I wanted to play more but apparently I have to keep some as a surprise!!
Your albums feature dozens of other musicians. Is it your task to corral them into a unified sound or does the producer take care of that?
The producer and I usually have discussions about what kind of sound we are looking for before we start a song. Usually the musicians we pick are chosen because they have a style we know will fit with our vision. If not, we get there eventually. I also like to just let the musicians interpret the song their own way first, as a lot of the time, if they're good enough, they'll hear things that were much better than you could have imagined yourself.
Do you listen to the radio? If so, where you do you find the dial landing most often and if not, why not?
It's hard when you're travelling, to listen to the radio, as you never know the cool stations in every city! More often than not I end up on a classical station, as I love driving to classical. Especially piano classical.
Do you think it’s an artist’s responsibility to endorse a certain charity or use their influence to help a cause?
I don't think it's an artist's responsibility to do anything they don't want to do. There's no point endorsing something because you think it's your duty to and not because you believe in it. That sets an unrealistic example, pretending to be someone you're not is not helping anyone. If you feel it in your heart though, fame can be a very powerful tool to harness.
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