Q&A WITH FELICITY JAYN HEATH ON HER MUSIC PROJECT FELICITY AND THE NIGHT
Felicity Jayn Heath, known for her prowess as a director, executive producer, and curator, emerges as the musical force Felicity and the Night with her single 'Wanted to Die.' We caught up with the incredible artist to talk about music, life, and her upcoming EP ‘Australian Gothic’.
How did you first get into music, what made you continue and decide to pursue it, and who are some artists that have inspired you throughout your life?
When I was a toddler my Mum had a DVD of The Cure music videos. I would sit there and watch them over and over, enamoured with the music and visuals and in love with Robert Smith. He was my first love. My passion for music and the darkness never left; as I grew older I loved pop music, I still do. The first time I saw Gwen Stefani my life changed. A girl... singing rock songs? I just wanted to make it. Be a part of it. I started learning guitar at 12 and taking singing lessons. I’m actually a trained jazz singer, because they didn’t have a rock teacher haha. As a teenager I fell in love with punk, which led me to direct music videos for many of my favourite international bands and ultimately, led me to meet Fil Thorpe (Neck Deep, World’s First Cinema) who produced my EP.
Where did the inspiration for your newest track ‘Wanted To Die’ come from?
I love murder ballads and bush ballads. I wondered why there were so many American storytellers telling dark stories of the night, but not really Australians (anymore). My friend Devora (an American singer/songwriter heralded as the Goth Dolly Parton) and I wrote the song together. I used my past trips to the NSW outback as the backdrop and the story just told itself. I loved creating the drifter; imagining the kind of guy out there, alone. A subtle backstory and elements of his own misery, really cultivate him through the song enough for the listener to understand... he told me he wanted to die.
You’ve said that you fall into a unique genre called ‘Dark Australiana’ which sounds very alluring. Can you describe what dark Australiana is and why you chose that specifically?
I wanted to create something romanticising our land, history and culture. I wanted to create something unique to Australia - not emulate American or UK sounds like a lot of young songwriters feel pressured to do. Dark Australiana is 70,000 years of monsters, lore and mystery. It’s a dark desert road, it’s a beer stained carpet in a beach town pub, it's infinite flames in summer and dry rivers in autumn. It’s the oldest ritualised human remains ever found in the world. I’m inspired by our cities, country towns, stories and the outback.
If ‘Wanted To Die’ had an aura, what colour would it be and why?
Red.
Your debut EP is coming this year which we are very excited for. Do you have a favourite track from the EP and what did the creative process look like?
I recorded the EP in Los Angeles, with my producer Fil Thorpe and his cat Egg. I’m blessed to work with Fil. I send him unhinged emails about how I want the guitar to sound “like skeletons dancing under a full moon” and somehow he makes it happen. I write the songs but Fil, he brings them to life. My favourite song is All I’ve Done Is Suffer, which isn’t out yet. It’s dark and scary. It’s about being fearful of life passing me by while I continue to inflict my own suffering on myself through social isolation. The EP is called Australian Gothic.
Let everyone know where they can find you online, and what you have planned next!
You can follow me on instagram @felicityjayn and hopefully I’ll have lots happening this year! Live shows, music videos and lots more as well as my other creative work as a director!