In the Green Room: Sister Moonshine

How did Sister Moonshine first materialise?

Back in 2024, Claudia was looking to form a band in Adelaide, so she got on Vampr, which is a sort of Tinder for musicians, where she met Jake, who had just started working on original tracks. Claudia, her partner Titan and Jake met up for a jam, and it was all magic from there! We immediately connected over our love for old-school prog, like Supertramp and Steely Dan, hence the name. We've been through a couple changes with members, but when we heard our Eyre Peninsula mate Josh was keen to get on the kit alongside bassist Arthur, we sealed the deal.

Are there any musical or creative influences that helped to shape Sister Moonshine's sound today?

Together we initially bonded over a love for '70s prog. Our sound comes from a huge range of creative influences, from Jeff Buckley and Radiohead to more groovy stuff like Steely Dan and Supertramp. We love to start with a straight-sounding song and see how strange and chromatic we can get it, it's that out-of-the-box but still melodic kind of music that we find so interesting. Josh and Arthur both studied Jazz, so they've got plenty of knowledge on how to fit interesting ideas together whilst still keeping it catchy. We try to blend this with Claudia's huge voice and Soul influences to get our sound.

You released your first single 'Everybody Wants You' recently; tell us about why this was chosen as your debut track?

Something about 'Everybody Wants You' felt like the perfect introduction to our sound in a way- it's a nice combination of more easy-listening smooth soul with groove which slowly builds into something more expansive and dynamic. Plus, there's nothing sweeter than a good 'ol pentatonic riff and some big harmonies! :)

How did 'Everybody Wants You' start, and how did it manifest into what we can listen to today?

Jake teased the hook out of something Titan was riffing on during rehearsal one day. It has a catchy, kind of tongue-in-cheek quality, and Jake wrote the lyrics based on Claudia speaking about watching a mutual friend slowly seething as he watched his girlfriend get hit on by others at the bar. The song has certainly evolved over time, but the main motif was there from the beginning. We were lucky enough to have local legend Dusty Stephensen along for the ride as producer who has added some VERY tasty touches to really help this thing fly!

Can you describe how your debut track is going to set the precedent for the music that is to come for Sister Moonshine?

'EBWU' (yes, we've got an acronym for it already!) treats the listener to a taste of all the juicy bits of Sister Moonshine. A fat groove, guitar solos, big vocals, hot harmonies, organ licks, guitar solos, plenty of chorus effects and did I hear someone say guitar solos? - Seriously, we get it Titan, you listened to Satch once! Guitarists… smh. Seriously though, we think this track really helps showcase our sound in the upcoming EP where we aim for soulful melodies and big instrumentation with that sorta-new yet sorta-old-school vibe!

READ MORE: In the Green Room: Broken Waves

What more can we know about what to look forward to for Sister Moonshine towards the end of 2026?

We're looking forward to releasing a couple more singles from our debut EP Mercurial in the coming months! We're all set for a final mixing session with Dusty soon and are more than stoked to finally have a completely finished product that we get to share with all our mates and fans! We'll also get to play a show back home in Port Lincoln this December. It's always great coming home and reconnecting with all the people you grew up jamming in back sheds with and being able to share your music. It's a bit of an adult "Look Mum, I knew I could do it!" moment.

What is something you love about being a South Australian Artist?

We feel very lucky to create and play music in the festival state. Adelaide feels like a big city and a small town all at the same time. There's such a huge number of insane artists coming out of this place it's hard to keep up; yet there's also this really sacred feeling of community which is what makes it so special. Everyone's friendly, laid-back, and just wants to support each other no matter the genre :’)

The band is a part of an incredible lineup for Space Jams this year; can you tell us about this achievement?

Yes, how cool!!! Attending Space Jams has been a true highlight these past few years, so we are literally pinching ourselves to have this opportunity to be a part of it. We were literally just saying at last year’s festival that if we were to have a shot at playing Space Jams, we could die happy. And to be joined by some of our biggest idols and friends of the band?? It’s going to feel like some kind of crazy dream for sure!

Space Jams is an incredible part of the South Australian music scene, why do events like this hold importance for the band and the scene as a whole?

It builds community! It's a big camping trip in a pretty valley, and all your friends are there, and then your mind is blown by all these incredible artists who are also all your friends?? Space Jams brings everyone together in a laid-back and scenic af location and gives local artists that important opportunity to play a festival stage in a truly supportive environment. Literally everyone is there to have a good time and connect with each other and Country. It's just so cool to see what everyone’s been working on and to celebrate each other's achievements and to drink and dance and laugh and cry.

What is everyone most excited for in being a part of Space Jams?

Ummm definitely the no skip line-up!! Closely followed by the local food and bevs and the chance to do it all surrounded by the beautiful natural valley and people. We're in awe and hold so much respect for so many of these artists and have been binging their music and live shows for a long time. We can't wait to see and hear what everyone's been doing; we'll never cease to be amazed by what our friends can cook up. Also shout out to EP locals - dangerfog!! They know how to get a New Year's party going, iykyk!

Catch Sister Moonshine jumping on the Space Jams lineup from October 9-11. Tickets on sale now at spacejamsfest.com.au.