Interview: Melbourne Singer-Songwriter Karen Harding Talks About Her Debut Single "I Didn't Realise"
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“The creation of my song, ‘I Didn’t Realise’ was interesting, in the fact that I never created the song with the intention of sharing it with anyone. At the time, it was purely me.. at home.. alone in Covid-19 lockdowns...”
Congratulations on the release of your debut song "I Didn't Realise"; tell us about what initially inspired you to write it and your creative process for its development.
The creation of my song, 'I Didn't Realise' was interesting, in the fact that I never created the song with the intention of sharing it with anyone. At the time, it was purely me.. at home.. alone in Covid-19 lockdowns.. sitting in front of my piano and exploring and reflecting on a breakup that I had experienced some time back. It was a song to help me process the way that I was feeling and to acknowledge how far I have come since that time.
The amazing thing about songs that you write for yourself, is that they just flow out of you.. there is no structured creative process.. it was as if the song were written for me and I was just playing it, as I was hearing it for the first time.
When the song was complete, I began sharing with a few people and saw that the song was resonating with others. That's when I decided to share the song.
From there, I worked with an amazing producer, Josh Hennessy from Pivotal Music, to bring the song to life.. this is the finished product you can hear when you listen.
Do you have a music video in development for the single and will it be featured on an upcoming EP or album this year?
I do have a music video, coming out on Friday, 15th May 2021. The video was recorded at a country property that my parents own in a small country town in Victoria, Australia called Laanecoorie. It's surrounded by beautiful Australian bushland and wildlife. A stunning set to record a music video!
It's amazing that you mention an EP.. I am in the initial processes of putting together an EP, with the aim to release on Vinyl down the track. I don't think that 'I Didn't Realise' will end up on the EP, but I do have some new tracks that I have written on my guitar and cannot wait to get them out and share with the world!
You began playing piano at the age of 6; were you self-taught and what about the art of music creation drew you in closer as you got older?
I did begin playing piano at the age of 6.. when I started, I was having classical piano lessons, which I continued until I was about 17 years old and completed all my piano exams. After that time, I stopped playing for a long while.. What I didn't realise at the time, was that those piano lessons set a foundation for my music that is now allowing me to create the music that I do now.
I was always a person who loved to create.. I loved ideas.. music.. art.. exploring.. but I also struggled a lot with self belief.. I was very shy and would have a hard time sharing my creativity with the people around me. As I have gotten older, I have put a lot of work into discovering myself and starting to work through some of these challenges. I would say that the art of music creation has always been there for me, but I have now come to a point where I am so excited to share my creations.. That I see my music as an opportunity for others to see and feel something that they may not if they never heard what I shared.
How would you describe the music scene in Melbourne for emerging artists? Is there a huge network of music fans who seek out new music and are there a lot of venues to perform at?
The Melbourne musician scene is amazing.. During Covid-19, I set up a platform, called Sounds On The Couch (www.soundsonthecouch.com), to enable artists to perform online during lockdowns. This platform became such an amazing way for me to connect with so many artists, particularly those around Melbourne. It inspires me so much to see how all the Melbourne emerging artists do support each other; there is such an incredible close knit community, that network, play together and encourage each other through their journeys.
In regards to venues, there can always be more venues for live music to be played, especially original music, but there are quite a few that do allow artists to play their own music. As venues are opening up again, it's amazing to see so many shows happening around Melbourne. I think we definitely have a much greater appreciation of live music since it was taken away for a time.
With "I Didn't Realise" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2021?
I have another single, which I plan to release in the next couple of months, which was also written during lockdowns. I am really looking forward to getting this out and sharing the cover art. During lockdowns, I was also doing a little painting; I am planning to share one of my paintings as my cover art for my next release.
I am also beginning to work on an EP, with the songs written on guitar and then to release on vinyl.
Beyond releasing, I will see where the wind takes me, but I am looking forward to exploring more gigs, connecting with more amazing artists and maybe some collaborations. If you're an artist reading this and you would like to consider a collaboration, definitely reach out to me!
You mentioned that you've performed in a duo and band; how have those experiences helped to mold you as a solo artist?
Working within the duo was an incredible opportunity for me to grow. I experienced a lot of performing and developed my songwriting skills; it also helped me in working as a team.
I believe that everything that you do is a stepping stone to whatever you do in the future and working in this duo really helped me develop as an artist.
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