evergreen artists

We recently caught up with unique Sydney Indie Electronic artist STARA to chat about her new single ‘I Like Being Alone,’ and much more.

How did you come up with your unique musical style? 

Dark, eerie and moody sounds have always captured me in a completely different way, and connects with me no matter what I’m feeling. When I started producing music, I knew I had to channel these vibes in a way that is true to my ideas and concepts. I love dance music, I love Rnb, I love Hip Hop, I love Trap, I love dark sounds, I love my cultural identity, I love being me. My musical style is essentially a sonic amalgamation of what I love and who I am – drawing bits and pieces from everywhere to make it just me, and only me.

How long have you been playing music?

I’ve been DJing for almost 6 years and producing/writing/directing/creating for about 4 years!

What inspires your music?

All the strange and weird things happening around me and in my little head. My philosophical beliefs, social rants and observations, the narratives that engulf my dreams, my own growth and personal development. I like writing and conceptualising in ways that leaves you feeling something different, maybe discovering a new side to the world or even yourself.

Do you make any other types of art?

I like cooking up wild vegan feasts at home and making it look pretty to post on my Instagram story. Is that art?

What is your favourite place to play in Australia?

The Roundhouse at UNSW is ridiculous.

Best food to eat when on tour?

Tacos and only tacos.

The best part of being a musician?

Just having an outlet to create and seeing a complex vision ultimately take shape both sonically and visually through a lot of hard work. If it connects with someone else too, that’s just a bonus. Art is so important to me and just makes me feel alive.

And the worst part?

I went from 18 to grandma real quick. I don’t really like partying, I don’t drink and I have a spiritual connection to my bed. But apparently being a muso requires staying up past 9pm. 

Advice for up and coming Australian musicians?

Be authentic. Create art YOU love, sounds/visuals/words that impact you and not just ‘what’s in’ or what you think you should be creating. Plan it all out, take a lot of notes, set goals, develop timelines, go and learn from those who are more experienced to figure out how to best navigate your own way through the industry!

Don’t be afraid to contact people to help you learn and grow – whether it’s studio sit-ins, basic collaborations etc. This is how I personally learnt the most when it came to creating my own music, as I was starting from absolute scratch with 0 knowledge of absolutely anything. Watching others and their creative process is what helped my develop confidence in understanding different production software, song structures, theory, plugins, samples, vocal arrangements and the more intricate stuff too. But most importantly, just spread kindness, good vibes and show gratitude wherever you go!

What is next for STARA in 2019?

My next EP is dropping very very soon! May or may not also be dropping a music video for the lead single off the EP – I Like Being Alone, that I dropped about a month ago. Getting all this music out to the world that’s been sitting on my laptop for a bloody long time is super exciting and also super frightening. Get keen.