Locals Only #1 - Australian Capital Territory

Our chats with ACT-based musicians, emerging and established! Hear from atmospheric indie hip-hop act CJ The Sophomore, indie guitarist Lee Elliott, Zambian Afro-soul vocalist Sakaal, Filipino-Australian R&B artist gavino and beats producer basic?

Words Jay Abrokwah

CJ The Sophomore

What to expect: Atmospheric indie hip-hop tracks from CJ (18), fresh out of high-school and guided by the sounds of the city.

Image: David Reyez, Milli Fisher

Tell us about your history with music and when you realised you wanted to take it seriously.

I started getting into music ever since my mum put me on the guitar. I started at a very young age going to lessons. Other than that, growing up, most of my relationship with music was in church. Music was a big thing in church, particularly with praise and worship. I'm still on the journey of figuring out what I want to do with music. Once I started to make music in year 12 with my first mixtape, I really saw the effect that it had on the individual person. People coming up to me telling me how much they listened to my music and how much they appreciated it.

How does your environment, friends, city, and your scene influence your sound?

The thing that's become kind of signature to my production is the environment. It plays a massive role in my tracks to the point where I'm sampling sounds of the city and conversations with my family and all that sort of thing. I'm really weaving the environment into my music, whether that's my past or present.

Tell us more about your creative processes.

When I started making a mixtape in year 12, that was the first time I was putting a body of music together. I got my MacBook and learned how to use GarageBand, and that’s what I’ve been using ever since. There’s always a point of improvement; I’d probably want to expand my horizons in making more cohesive projects and exploring more sounds in production.

What do you want to see more of in the industry?

I’d like to see more performances. With the rise of artificial music, people are questioning the relevance of having organic musicians when you can just patch up instruments with AI. Someone was saying to me that live performance is the core of humanity in music. And I really think that’s facts. I want to see more artists performing in Canberra in general. It’s what’s the city needs. And I think that’s what Australia needs too.

What can we expect to see from you in the near future?

I’m working on a small EP called Solana. Every now and then, I’ll post small tracks and snippets on my Instagram. I’ll also be working on my third and last installation of my BLUEAPPLES series mixtape.

Lee Elliott

What to expect: Lee Elliott (19) is a Canberra-based indie guitarist known for his collaborative approach, playing in bands while working across other projects.

Through music, you’ve collaborated with many artists including Adam Schranz, Alex Rose, Nevermind and Romilda. What skills do you apply to ensure you’re a good collaborator?

I’m not very proficient at all things and there are a lot of advanced techniques that I could do, but I've traded that for being able to learn things pretty much on the spot. I can work very quickly and efficiently. In that sense, everyone's a bit time poor, in Canberra, at least, so being able to pick things up really quickly is a useful skill [when collaborating].

What advice would you give to someone trying to book their first gigs and break into the Canberra scene?

If you're trying to be a session player, my approach of trying to get into other people's bands has worked well for me. If you're doing live stuff, “perfect” is never going to happen. I would focus on getting good enough, fast enough and getting efficient. If you're trying to go your own way, that's honestly still something I'm trying to figure out!

How important are physical spaces like venues, studios and community hubs for developing artists?

It's key. For years now, a lot of the groups I've been involved with are just rehearsing out of their house. It’s good once or twice, but you make a habit of it and it becomes a strain on everyone else who also has to share that space. In general, not even just in music, we're seeing a decline of accessible third spaces. A lot of those third spaces moved online, they are being sort of curtailed as well, especially for young adults and children.

How would you describe your music? What do you want people to take away from it after listening?

My music now is much rarer; I've been recording using less conventional techniques. I'm more interested in capturing the mood and energy more than I am capturing perfection. I found myself wholly unsatisfied by my attempts to attain that rare quality. So, my music is a lot more personal nowadays. It's a lot more emotional, a lot more stripped back and a lot more raw.

Sakaal

What to expect: Zambian vocalist Sakaal (23) blends Afro-soul and R&B, finding her home two years ago in the Canberra music scene.

Image: Will Ellis

How did you first get into singing and performing?

I first got into singing in church, where I really developed my voice and confidence. From there, I started getting recognized by some well-known artists in my home country, which opened the door for me to become a backing vocalist. That experience taught me a lot about performing, professionalism, and stage presence. After spending time supporting other artists, I began stepping into my own lane and started doing my own gigs, which helped me grow as a performer and connect directly with my audience.

What’s has your experience been with the gig scene so far?

Honestly, the gig scene has been a big learning experience for me. Every performance feels different, and I’ve grown more confident each time I step on stage. At first, it was a little nerve-wracking, but once I started seeing people connect with my music, it became really rewarding. I’ve met a lot of talented artists along the way, and being in those spaces has pushed me to take myself more seriously. It’s helped me find my sound, build my presence, and really understanding the kind of artist I want to be.

What do you enjoy most about performing live?

The energy and emotion I get to share in the moment. I love being able to really feel the music and let it come through naturally, it’s very soulful and personal for me. There’s something special about locking in with the crowd, seeing them sway, sing along, or just connect with the vibe. Live performances let me express the raw emotion behind my songs, and I think that’s where my R&B sound really shines. It becomes more than just singing, it’s a feeling we all share together.

Are you currently working with a band or collaborators? How has it been finding musicians to work with?

I’m currently collaborating with a few artists and bands while working on my EP. I’ve been working with Gavino on a single, as well as a remix of one of his songs, and I’m also developing another single with the band Reserve Skank of Australia. It’s been a really creative process, and I enjoy how each collaboration brings a different sound and energy to my music.

gavino

What to expect: Filipino-Australian R&B artist, gavino (19) brings a retro hip-hop and dance twist to modern production and songwriting  

Image: Gavin De Guzman

What’s your earliest memory of making or discovering music?

My earliest memory was piano class as a full intro to music. 2020 was when I wrote my first lyrics and attempted to make and produce my first song.

What does a typical session look like for you. Are you more structured or just vibes?

It really depends who I’m working with. But when I’m by myself, I usually work really structured and I get very critical about my process and my music.

What’s something you’ve learned recently that changed how you approach music?

I’ve learned recently that I should never be scared to expand my versatility, as well as being courageous to fuse different ideas together.

Do you feel supported by other artists around you?

I definitely feel support from fellow artists, but not as much as I would hope, especially here in Canberra. I don’t think I’ve found my people yet. The artists here in Canberra, especially in my niche, I feel try too hard to emulate other authentic sounds, and I’m trying to follow a path in which originality and creative vision lead the scene.

Do you feel like you need to leave your city to grow as an artist?

Yes. I’m strong on this. I feel I will need to leave Canberra to grow. There’s a drought of R&B artists and creatives so there’s not many people to connect with. Too much business, too much rap, not enough authenticity.

Where do you see your sound evolving next?

I see my sound evolving towards a wide variety of sounds/genres. Whether that would be rap, funk/disco, club music or experimental. I love versatility and I want to grow that.

basic?

What to expect: basic? is Dan (19), a Canberra-based producer and artist working on regular beat-tapes for his himself and other artists

What does a productive week look like for you in the studio?

If you can get to the end of the week and have either a demo or some material that you're happy with and you put the effort in, I would call that productive. I would say if I'm in there with a goal in mind and I'm making music and stuff, then by the end of the week, music is made and it sounds good, it's good enough for that week. I call it productive.

How did you land your first few gigs as a producer/artist?

One of my friends was playing in this performer’s show that had artists like Tino and JP, and he needed a drummer, so that's where I came in and did his first three gigs. That’s how I landed my first view. And that is how I know a couple of people around in that era of my life.

What do you think matters more today: online presence or real-life presence?

For me, it's real life. I mean, I am now more online and doing stories but I would say an in-person presence definitely is more impactful. It’s good to do snippets and stuff online but I don't really have that ambition to be always posting reels and trying to get the most popular reel. For me right now, I'm more of a live, in-person experience. I want to do shows and get people to come down to the studio and make music with me. I feel there's a disconnect online, because you can put so much effort into the online space and then get nothing.

How has your sound evolved since you started? What have you learned?

You can definitely hear it. In the early days, I used loops. Drum loops, melody loops; I wasn't really much of a producer, I was just putting loops together. And then you get to my early beat tapes when I first got FL Studio, I was using SoundCloud and BandLab. I think I've definitely gotten more confident in my style. I've learned a lot and I'm able to look back at my music and see how different it was sound-wise. Like you could send this to someone and it’d be a big hit. Just to see the progression in less than a year for me is crazy, you know?

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