Bri Clark Waiting Interview

Perth singer songwriter Bri Clark has just released her new single 'Waiting', enveloping her impeccably agile voice, Bri weaves emotionally wrought alt-pop marvels about love, heartache, and the corporeal grind of living with chronic illness.

'Waiting' was written in spring 2019 following a turbulent breakup, the release sees the emboldened balladeer honing her most honest and raw offerings to date. Accompanied by intelligent dark-pop nuances and slick, hard-hitting production throughout, the lyrics are presented as first-hand narrations of chapters in an audiobook as Bri Clark goes through the grieving process of a dysphoric relationship.

Speaking on the track, Bri said."You know when you've been lied to and ghosted and love bombed and then lied to again, and then you end up waking up in the morning to a cold, distant stranger? That's Waiting."

Now with the healing passage of time on her side, Bri Clark is eagerly waiting in the wings to unveil her emancipating debut that chronicles the exquisite ache of love lost and acceptance gained in an emotional yet necessary purgatory catharsis.

Speaking on the music video, Bri said, "We wanted to capture the loneliness and fragility of a relationship at its breaking point, and the resilience it takes to pull yourself away from someone that's hurt and continues to hurt you. It was quite a heavy video to film, and even more uncomfortable to watch, but nothing about this record is easy and I want people going through this to know they're not alone."

Bri Clark has rapidly earned her status as one of Australia's most enthralling artists on the rise, releasing her breakthrough single 'Giving Up' in 2018 after emerging from a two year hiatus spent focussing on her health after being diagnosed with Lupus; an unpredictable and enduring autoimmune disease. This time away from the regular artist's cycle not only provided Bri with a newfangled appreciation of self-care and accessibility in the music industry but also an invaluable period of creative incubation, where Bri found herself writing incessantly as a means to process her emotions and the constant changes within her body.

In 2018 Bri was selected for the APRA AMCOS SongHubs initiative, performing an exclusive songwriters showcase at BIGSOUND and attending a series of intensive songwriting boot camps curated by the likes of Robert Conley (2018), Georgina McAvenna (The Tower, 2019), and PJ Harding (The Tower, 2021). She was the first ever recipient of the APRA AMCOS Female Mentorship program, being mentored by Mark Lizotte (Diesel) in the songwriting category before becoming a mentor herself in 2021 for APRA's inaugural SongGeneration program. In the last year alone, 12 of Bri's songs have been released by the likes of Dami Im, AYA YVES, and Sarah Saint James for her TikTok hit 'Mad at God'. She has had four Vanda & Young shortlisted songs in the last three years, and has confirmed songwriting credits on the upcoming sophomore record from indie-pop heavyweight, Vera Blue.

As a live act, Bri Clark is utterly breathtaking and her transcendental performances often leave audiences agape with awe. She has supported the likes of Middle Kids, Ainslie Wills, Holy Holy, Ben Abraham, Clare Bowditch and Airling, and has headlined her own shows in Perth and Melbourne. After spending the past few years living in Sydney, toplining for national and international artists such as Meduza (ITA), Jax Jones (UK), Pacific Heights (NZ), Josh Fountain (NZ) and more, Bri is thrilled to be back on Western Australian soil.

Interview with Bri Clark

Question: How would you describe your music?

Bri Clark: Raw, cinematic, exploratory


Question: Can you tell us about Waiting?

Bri Clark: Waiting is literally those first moments when you realise the other person in the relationship knew it was over before you did. The moment you realise you've been intimate for the last time. The moment you realise you've been lied to. The cowardice in lying to your partner to be intimate one last time, there's dishonour in that. There's disrespect in that. There's a little emotional manipulation at play when you don't share all the information. Waiting is about every detail I remember of being at his place for the last time, the towel on the bedroom door, the alarm blaring, the shower running. It was the beginning of remembering everything that happened in those last few weeks and weeks proceeding in ridiculous minute detail.

Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Bri Clark: That you'll be okay - no matter what happens - eventually you'll be okay.


Question: How has your chronic illness influenced your music?

Bri Clark: Lupus has been my constant companion especially over the last two years navigating a pandemic. Lupus doesn't necessarily influence my music, but it does influence the choices I make regarding my career. As a piano player I use my hands quite a lot, and it's been a really challenging process accepting that I can't use my hands/wrists/fingers to play anymore. We've made some changes in the live setting so that I'm singing and not playing the entire gig. But I might also need to think about a wireless headset microphone set up if I can't hold the microphone for so long *cue my Lizzie McGuire movie moment*

I've actually really enjoyed the access that Zoom co-writing has given me as well! When I was living in Sydney and working in studios all around the city, I was travelling so much and if I was in a flare I needed to cancel sessions and let people down, which I absolutely hated. So Zoom has meant that I'm a lot less worried about my ability to show up when I've committed my time to write with someone. The fatigue can get me though, so it's also great that you can work in 2hr bursts and have a lay on the couch in between sessions.

Lupus also means that I can't do the crazy red eye flights and sleeping on floors and couches when I'm touring. A slow touring program is great for me but not so good for the bank account. Ultimately lupus hasn't stopped me from doing anything, I've just got to work around things and plan everything out a little more than an able-bodied musician. I am worried about leaving my little Perth bubble though.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Bri Clark: When I'm writing for myself, experiences motivate me to write. If I'm struggling to process things and it all just feels a little too heavy I'll do some writing and get it out of my body. It's just like journaling but with melodies and a bit more gibberish.

When I'm writing for other artists, I'm motivated to write something that they love and is as close to what they're envisioning as possible!!


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?
Bri Clark: I love experimenting in the studio. I love recording. But my favourite part of music is the writing.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Bri Clark: I'm currently living in my 2008-2011 indie music dream, so Jack's Mannequin, Taylor Swift, Damien Rice, Eisley, Bertie Blackman, Sia, Bon Iver, The Chemist, Half Moon Run, The Art of Sleeping, James Blake, Jonsi, Soley, Gotye, William Fitzsimmons etc.

When I listen to current music, my brain is in too much of a critical space, like analysing lyric choices and melody changes, and so the only music that I can listen to joyfully is music that I loved when I was younger.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Bri Clark: I LOVED Sara Bareilles, A Fine Frenzy, Imogen Heap, Rosi Golan, Eisley, Bat For Lashes, just incredible storytellers, I just love women that sing. That's what got me into music, I didn't really care about the industry side of things. I just wanted to create the songs that hit people in the guts like the songs I listened to did to me.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Bri Clark: There are too many, but I'd love to work with BANKS, Justin Vernon, Julia Michaels, Imogen Heap, just so many.


Question: Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the music industry?

Bri Clark: That everyone cared about the art - that's not always the case.

Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Bri Clark: Working with some unbelievable talent. Waiting was written with Ilan Kidron (The Potbelleez) and Cam Nacson, and it was one of my favourite days writing this song. We started the day with a ten minute meditation that Ilan led us through and then he told me to get behind the mic and free sing - I was like uh what? When they came back into the room five minutes later, I had that hook and most of the words in it too. They both pushed me so hard to be as open and vulnerable as I could be, and it shows. The creation of music is always my favourite part.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Bri Clark: Navigating a schedule of co-writing, admin, artist "stuff", and making sure social media is looked after - my not so favourite part of the expectations that artists have on them now - everything needs to be content.


Question: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

Bri Clark: Work really hard, collaborate, find your community, grow together, get into a good habit of writing down the songs you write with other people in a big spreadsheet, I tried to sort out my back catalogue and I've just all but given up. Get on it early!!!


Question: What's next, for you?

Bri Clark: An album, more collaboration, and I really want a dog.


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Bri Clark: Instagram 
Facebook 
YouTube 
TikTok 
Twitter 


Interview by Gwen van Montfort