It's My Kind Of Interview - Ella Hooper for MMB

If you're an emerging (or even not so emerging) music act from the great southern state of Victoria, you're going to want to know about the Melbourne Music Bank competition. It's just this little competition put on by the good people from the Bank of Melbourne in which the winner can win some amazing prizes like a film clip and recording time in the swank Sing Sing studios and PR advice your song featured in a TV advertisement and bears, oh my! Well, no bears. But that other stuff is sweet as!


All you gotta do is come up with an original piece of music that's inspired by Melbs. This year, the event has one mighty fine ambassador... ELLA HOOPER!!! Ella has a keen eye for Australian talent and brings a wealth of music industry experience to the role. The lovely Melbourne Music Bank Ambassador took the time to have a chat with us about this amazing opportunity and Matt even managed to sneak in a Q about when we can expect to hear the much anticipated debut solo album, In Tongues. Enjoy!

MELBOURNE MUSIC BANK AMBASSADOR

ELLA HOOPER

Interview by Matt Bond

Ella Hooper, welcome back to It's My Kind of Scene! How are you on this fine day?

Ella Hooper: Well I'm just dandy.. Thanks for asking. Always happy to be chatting to my favourite blog!

It's great to have you back for a chat, this time in your role as ambassador for the Melbourne Music Bank! Can you tell us a little bit about this fantastic opportunity for Victorian music acts and what drew you to it?

Ella: I'm always up for promoting and supporting other musicians, especially aspiring ones, and especially when they're from my own back yard! So when I was asked to be ambassador I checked out the comp and after finding out how bloody good it was I said yes straight away.. and had a little cry that I couldn't enter it myself! (haha)

There are some huge prizes for the winner here including session time at the iconic Sing Sing studios, a Wilk created music video, song placement in a Bank of Melbourne advertisement and even marketing and PR assistance from the amazing team at On the Map PR. Does it get better than this? What could this mean for an emerging artist trying to get their first real break in the industry?

Ella: It's a ridiculously hefty prize package, and it's not just the AMOUNT of opportunities - it's the QUALITY of them that's outstanding. I mean, Wilk, Sing Sing, On The Map.. they're all first class leaders in their fields! An emerging artist ready to take these connections and opportunities with both hands and run with them is going to receive such a massive career boost! It was a free recording session that kick started my career many many moons ago, so take it from me, these things can take you a lonnnnnng way. I can't wait to witness it.

"The music piece should be an affirmative ode demonstrating your fondness for Melbourne." Say Ella Hooper was able to enter into all the fun. How would you go about demonstrating your fondness for the world's most liveable city?

Ella: I think I would TRY to find a unique, personal angle, and maybe steer away from the tourist traps, or hipsters, coffees, or the MCG.. As I think it would be great to express something more personal about Melbs, about the songwriters experiences with or relationship to the city. What it means and feels like, more than just name checking it's (admittedly plentiful) attributes.

Melbourne Music Bank is open to those currently living, working or studying in Victoria. Who would you describe as the quintessential Victorian music act and why?

Ella: Ooh that's hard! We have such a diverse music scene here.. One night I'm off to see an alt country band, the next it's Midnight Juggernauts or some nasty punk band. Can I put the Smith St Band - Paul Kelly - Jen Cloher and Architecture In Helsinki on a blender please and serve you up one delicious (hideous pink) quintessential Victorian music act smoothie??


You can do and say what you want because you said this is your favourite blog. We have it in writing, no backsies! Anyway, as well as being the ambassador, you're also one of the judges! I think this is most excellent, because you've got quite the eye for talent. I've seen you hanging out a bit with Jack Colwell this year! Most recently you collaborated on a cover of Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting' for the mega babes at Music Feeds. What brought the two of you together? 

Ella: Well it's a funny story!

We met through our mutual friend Hayley (who has a fashion label called Serpent & Swan that both of us are obsessed with). She got us together at Homebake a few years ago. We hit it off instantly, then the day was full of weird incidents like Jack lending Kimbra his last $20 so she could buy a sandwich (?!) and us trying desperately to get on a demonic looking fairground ride called 'the gremlin'.. We never made it onto the ride (probably a good thing) so we made up a dance called The Gremlin instead. We've been the best of friends ever since and we like to sing together at every opportunity. Jack is most likely going to take over the world one day. I hope so anyway. He KILLED it at my Red Shoes single launch in Syd recently. Like completely blew everyone away. Completely.

Now, Ella... where's your album, In Tongues at? Getting to hear the tracks live on your 'Low High' tour has made me even more excited about the album and you may have mentioned something about a June/July release and...

Ella: Eeeeeeeep.. You are so nice and patient with me!

There's been a few delays and now I can excitedly say it's scheduled for release early October. I can't wait to let you hear ALL of In Tongues. I'm really proud of it, I'm just sorry it's taken so long!

Bring on October! Thank you so much for taking the time to have a chat with us again. It's always an absolute pleasure! I'd ask you again if you'd marry me, but I've done that before and don't want you to think I'm a total stalker. Because I'm not. Haha. What?

Ella: Stalk away! ;D haha.. Thank YOU guys for your constant support and enthusiasm!

You're the best!

Xx Ella

If anyone's the best, it's you, Ella. Sigh/swoon etc. etc. A massive thanks to the always delightful Ella Hooper for hanging out with us once more. Stop by whenever you want, Ella... our virtual door is always open for you! Now, Victorian music friends... get your butts over to the Melbourne Music Bank site for the full brief on what you need to do to enter into this incredible competition. Don't forget, you need to get those entries in before September 7, 2014! We can't wait to hear some of the entries. Melbourne's a pretty cool place, you know? I'm sure it's going to inspire some very cool music. Good luck to everyone entering! You can also stay up to date with all things Ella Hooper over at her Facebook page! If you haven't already, go and give it a like!