Sui Zhen Uncharted Semi Finalist

Sui Zhen Uncharted Semi Finalist UNCHARTED GETS SET FOR SEMI-FINALS

The Top 10 Artists have been chosen!

For the last four weeks Tooheys Extra Dry uncharted competition 1 2009 round 1 has been live and kickin’, showcasing the country’s Top 50 emerging artists, which were selected by our industry panel and A&R team from over 2,300 entries. Today round 1 comes to an end with the announcement of the Top 10 semi-finalists - as voted by you!

We are proud to announce the Top 6 publically voted artists are (in no particular order) Sydney bands Bridgemary Kiss, The Falls, OnlyTheSeaSlugs and The Deer Republic, Melbournites Foxx On Fire and Perth band French Rockets. They will be joined by the four media pick bands, Brisbane band Ellington (The Music Network), Sydney-siders Death Mattel (MTV), Melbourne outfit Hot Little Hands (MySpace) and Sydney songstress Sui Zhen (Street Press Collective). This fine collection of Australian emerging artists are now waiting for your vote, and each has the chance to strut their stuff at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, as well as winning an artist development package worth $25,000! Visit www.uncharted.com.au to look at and listen to the Top 10, then vote for your pick of the pack.

The voting slates are wiped clean bringing all the artists to the same playing level for this round, so register and start voting to make sure your favourite semi-finalist has a chance of making it through to the Top 3 announced on 16 June. This time around we have SMS voting, an uncharTED mobile site and artists widgets that you can upload to your social networking profile, go to our website for details. You can submit one vote per hour and the more you vote, the more chances you have at winning prizes.


Interview with Sui Zhen

City & State: Sydney NSW Band Members
 Becky Freeman, Vocals / Guitars / Percussion, SYDNEY
Joe Gould, Backing vocals / Guitars / Vibraphone / Synthesiser / Percussion, SYDNEY
Dan Freeman, Backing vocals / Double bass / Electric bass / Percussion
And sometimes:
Preston Peachey, Drums / Percussion, SYDNEY
Dave Keys, Electric Bass, SYDNEY

Do you or your band have an album/EP/demo?

Yes, we have released an album/EP/demo out now, Yes, we have one coming out soon.


If so, what is the name of it?

Self-titled EP, album coming soon!


Genre/Style

Folk / Pop

Musical Influences

My newer songs are influenced greatly by classic singers / songwriters and innovative musicians, such as: Karen Dalton, Hope Sandoval, Beach House, Bjork, Neil Young, Jamie Hutchings, Arthur Russell, Laurie Anderson, Erlend Oye, Gillian Welch, Joanna Newsom, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Matthew Herbert, Paul Kelly, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Stylers, Rita Pavone, John Lee Hooker and many more.


Performance Style

My songs are quite lyrical and story based, so I like to try and quieten the audience with a soft song or interesting melody or harmony to begin. Once I have their attention I try to keep it, by keeping the set moving and shifting moods & tones. A great singer once said 'If you want to be heard, you have to sing softer' so I like to think about that when I perform.


How does the songwriting process take place?

I write all my songs up late at night. Often this means I will be very sleepy at work the next day. I like to finish songs when I start them, so over a few hours. Many get left behind but it's more about the process of songwriting for me. I record my songs using mainly my voice and some guitar or percussion in Garage Band. Then I listen to them, maybe make some changes, then bring them to the band flesh out the instrumentation.


What has been the highlight of your musical career?

The highlight of my career so far would be having the privilege to sing with people I admire, like Jamie Hutchings, Darren Hanlon and the many local Sydney artists I jam with regularly. Supporting Kimya Dawson was great as her audience was so quiet and sweet, like her. Peats Ridge Festival 2008 was amazing, I got to play the main stage facing the river whilst people swam and nursed their hangovers - awesome.


What has been the most interesting thing to happen to you or your band at a live performance?

I have had friends who have had lampshades fall on their heads or stages collapse. I've had nothing dramatic like that happen to me. I have mild revelations about myself or music usually. I'll be looking around the room at everyone thinking wow, they are interested, that is so cool. One time I performed in an art installation at the Sydney Opera House for the Biennale. I was performing in a forest and people were following me with torches, but my 'motive' was to act like a scared animal and never return their attention - all the while singing the same song on repeat for 3 hours. That was weird.


What is the best thing about your current city?

For me Sydney is home, there are few venues I really feel comfortable in and the best gigs I have been to have been in backyards or warehouse spaces. I love the musical community I am involved in, it's taken a little while to find the right people but now that I have I feel so supported and inspired. We all have our lives, our bands, we jam together and we watch each other play, party together and write new songs. It's nice to listen to your friends grow through their music.


What are your favourite live music venues to perform in and watch other artists?

The Hopetoun and The Annandale are where I seem to find myself most. For larger bands or concerts the Opera House is pretty special. I also like the Factory in Marrickville for bigger gigs. Walking into the Hopetoun is very comforting though, it's like groundhog day sometimes - but in a good way. You get to hear & see artists up close and actually engage with them (there is no backstage area) so you get a full experience.


Where do you like to hang out at home?

Some of the band live in the inner west so we are often in Petersham, rehearsing, which means Portuguese chicken burgers. I am often found at Chinese Noodle House at the Burlington Centre eating dumplings alone or with whomever I can drag along, Fatimas on Cleveland Street (Surry Hills) is pretty good after a gig at the Hoey and Faheems at the top of Enmore Road (Enmore) is a new spot for me. In summer I love fish n chips from Mohr Fish takeaway after going for a swim & snorkel at Gordon's Bay/Clovelly. I get my haircut in Chinatown and wonder through Paddy's markets on a Saturday afternoon. Otherwise I generally hang about at home in Redfern with my guinea pigs in the park, watch movies, dance at parties and try to get my ideas out in song or visually.


Other than music, what do you or your band like to get up to?

I love food, so I am often eating or cooking with bandmates, friends or family. I love film and art, so if not music I am mostly trying to make some visual arts. I have been working with stop motion animation lately and I would like to produce a lot more. Most of us work during the week so we are pretty busy most of the time. I love snorkeling and would like to do more outdoorsy stuff to get away from the computer screen.


What are your ultimate goals as a band/solo artist?

I want to write classic songs that people can relate to, and that people might want to listen to more than once. I would love to be able to be active musically or artistically most of the time so that I am constantly learning and growing as an artist. I love collaborating with other people as well as writing as a solo artist. Right now my goal is to finish my debut album as Sui Zhen and release it to the world!


How does it feel to be in Tooheys Extra Dry uncharTED Top 50?

Great! It gives me hope that I may be closer to getting my album produced and released! And I would love love love to play at Splendour in the Grass!


Do you or your band have a blog? If so, what is the URL/account name?

www.myspace.com/suizhenmusic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sui-Zhen/32469752955?ref=ts
twitter: beckysuizhen

Sui Zhen is a singer/songwriter from Sydney and the only solo artist to make it through to the Top 10 semi-finalists in Tooheys Extra Dry uncharTED competition 1, 2009. She will have the chance to win the major prize - a spot on Splendour In The Grass and an artist development package worth $25K..


To vote, or get more information and exclusive content, visit www.uncharted.com.au, or the mobile site - http://uncharted.mobi.