When interviewing an artist for the first time, I have no expectations about how things will go. I have my questions prepared, and that means that there will be some sort of conversation, even if it’s brief. While it’s possible – usually likely – to have a sense of how the interview may go within a couple of minutes, I always leave room for it to change and for the conversation to open up.
So there was room there for Melbourne artist Tom Nethersole to range when I interviewed him for the first time recently. And range he – we – did. Nethersole was an absolute pleasure to talk to – open, thoughtful, gracious and with so many interesting things to say about life and music, including his mental health advocacy and how he has become increasingly vulnerable with his songwriting.
The reason I haven’t interviewed Nethersole before is because he hasn’t released anything in the country music genre before. A pop artist, he has performed at festivals such as Midsumma’s Pride Street Party, Rockhampton River Festival and Always Live. He’s also the creator of his own music videos, and has collaborated with fashion brands such as House of Campbell, Silk Laundry, Van Heusen, and Mimco.
‘Ardmona Rd’
Nethersole’s new single, ‘Ardmona Rd’, was, it turns out, not meant to be a country-pop single. He went into the studio with the makings of it and its country sound evolved during the recording. As Nethersole grew up in the country, outside of Shepparton in Victoria, that seems appropriate.
‘Ardmona Rd’ is gloriously heartfelt and uplifting – a love song that is about the grandest of romantic gestures: showing the loved one the places and people that are most meaningful to you. In the case of this song, that is taking them home to Ardmona Road.
Nethersole says that the song is ‘deeply personal but also relatable, especially for queer listeners who are searching for that fairytale moment we don’t always see reflected in music.’ We talk about that, and a lot more, and I hope you enjoy meeting Tom Nethersole as much as I did.
You can watch our chat on YouTube (above) or listen on the podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Listen to ‘Ardmona Rd’ on Apple Music
