[Audio-only version of interview]
When I saw on the Instagram page of Central West NSW artist Chloe Swannell that she was playing a bass – something that I hadn’t noticed her playing before – I decided to ask her about it when we had an interview for her latest single, ‘Loves’ a Lil’ Bit’. There was no way to know the story that would unfold about what led to her learning that instrument in what has to be record time, nor the other stories that would come from asking her about it.
In short: Swannell has had – and continues to have – a life full of rural danger (in this case, a serious hand injury caused by a horse) that is also rich in both creating and teaching music. She learnt the bass quickly because she had to; her ability to do so arose from the fact that she’s a seriously accomplished musician.
Swannell’s passion for music is evident in the music she’s released, including her latest single, ‘Loves’ a Lil’ Bit’, which is about the different ways to love.
‘We all sat there,’ says Swannell about writing with her producer Tarquin Halls-Corbett, ‘and we went around the room and we wrote down what we loved. And for me it’s my favourite farm boots. It’s watching a man in a suit come down the aisle, waiting for his bride on a wedding day. For Tarquin, it’s hanging around the campfire with me and [band mate] Izzy.
‘So we wrote all these things down and we just worked them into the song. And that’s what it’s about. It’s just about what we love. And we hope that you can find what you love in that as well.’
You’ll find out more about Swannell’s music – including her teaching of it – in the chat, and also find out more about her fascinating life. She is clearly not a woman who is deterred by difficulties, driven as she is by her love for music and, fundamentally, making the most of each day.
You can listen to the audio-only version or watch our chat on YouTube (above) or listen on the podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Listen to Chloe Swannell on Apple Music
