Granite Island Discs: Millah Hansberry
The new print editor of The Note, Millah Hansberry, opens up about her favourite songs, albums and musical highlights.
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What five songs would you take to a desert island?
1. Ball Park Music – ‘Coast is Clear’
2. The Fuss – ‘Bee Song’
3. Panic! At The Disco – ‘Northern Downpour’
4. Amyl and the Sniffers – ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’
5. The Tullamarines – ‘Lying’
Ask me tomorrow, and my answer will be vastly different! In a lot of ways, songs are like seasons to me; I create a playlist, THRASH it, and then move on. Always seeking new music, especially from the locals.
If you could only pick one, what would it be?
Northern Downpour. The song is absolute nostalgia in a bottle. Growing up I was very into literature and poetry and was obsessed with finding the ‘deeper’ meaning in everything. To be honest, I’m still a bit like that now. When I discovered early Panic! At the Disco, I was hooked on their poetic lyricism. The reality is, they probably took a bunch of drugs and strung random words together, but I was convinced Ryan Ross was a genius. “Diamonds do appear to be, just like broken glass to me” still carries with me today. I’d spend all day stranded on that island dissecting those nonsensical lyrics.
What’s your favourite album?
Ball Park Music’s self-titled comes to mind quite quickly; It is a no-skip album in my eyes. The title of favourite album is a hard fight across their catalogue as it’s all pretty brilliant. Sabrina Carpenter's Short n Sweet also had me hooked on first listen and would be a top contender at the moment. If I’m in a punk mood, NOFX’s Wolves in Wolves Clothing is a mainstay and is so politically relevant right now (although it’s a 2006 record). Even Ed Sheeran’s X would be a favourite as I grew up adoring it – the first album I ever bought on CD.
What’s your favourite song by an SA artist or band?
Local indie rock troupe The Fuss’s ‘Bee Song’ is top of my list right now. The five-piece are a group of mates who make fantastic music, and their love for each other manifests so beautifully in their music. Bee Song’s honesty astounds me.
Favourite music-related memory?
This is hands down the hardest question! There are so many festivals, local, and international acts I’ve seen here in SA, and I’ve been lucky enough to go on tours across the country and through Europe!
If I had to pinpoint one, The Sounds Sick ‘Sickest 100’ show at the Unibar in 2023 is a memory that gives me the warm and fuzzies. It was a gig that me and some mates put on after broadcasting our own SA version of Triple J’s Hottest 100, the ‘Sickest 100’ (we only included SA artists in ours and cast the vote across the local music scene). It was one of the first big shows I’d evet managed, with a lot of help from the wonderful team at Unibar, support from the local music scene and a scrappy DIY attitude. Molly Rocket, Mums Favourite and Looch were on the bill, and played their guts out to an audience of about 300+ locals who lived and breathed the SA music scene. It was a moment that really solidified to me the sense of incredible community music can bring us, and the whole room was buzzing with energy and celebration. It’s a feeling that’s hard to beat.
