Samantha McClymont Interview

Samantha McClymont Interview

The McClymonts have come a long way over the last few years. They have now released three albums, with their newest offering – Two Worlds Collide – taking out the ARIA Award for Best Country Album 2012, just as its predecessor - Wrapped Up Good - did in 2010.

The group has also put in an amazing effort to take their music to the world over the last few years with constant touring in the USA. They have earned the attention of many of America's major promoters who have supported The McClymonts by booking them on to all of the largest festivals in the USA. This led to the group sharing the stage with some of the world's biggest acts including Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryant, Ronnie Dunn, Darius Rucker, and on one occasion, the girls supported Ozzie Osbourne at a biker's festival. The huge crowds were blown away with the amazing harmonies and showmanship of the three sisters from Australia.

The word got out about The McClymonts and they soon found themselves invited to perform at the holy grail of country music – The Grand Ole Opry. After their first performance at the Opry they were invited back to perform again just 2 weeks later – an honour rarely bestowed on any new artist. Their live show has won them a legion of fans on both sides of the Pacific. They have amassed an amazing seven number one singles in a row from the last two albums in Australia and two Top 30 singles in the USA in 2012.

An executive from CMT (Country Music Television) in Nashville said 'These girls are amazing. There is no way you can manufacture a sound like theirs. They have a gift, I call it 'Blood Harmonies" and theirs is one the best of I have ever heard".

After a live radio interview on America's National Public Radio, to an audience of millions, the host invited the girls to perform a song acoustically in the studio. At the end of the performance he said "You know, great groups like the Beatles, no matter how much they sang together were still four separate voices. There's something about the three of you together, which is quite haunting." [Scott Simon, National Public Radio]

There is no doubt that one of the main magical elements that makes The McClymonts a world class act is their world-class harmonies. So after touring Australia extensively on their Two Worlds Collide Tour during 2012, and after being awarded their second ARIA, the girls have come up with a new show - something different and something very special for their fans around Australia. For a limited season, Brooke, Samantha and Mollie will present a one-off series of very special intimate shows - The Acoustic Harmony Tour 2013.

The Acoustic Harmony Tour will be a showcase of The McClymonts songs and harmonies, presented with all musicians playing acoustic instruments, in an event unlike any McClymonts' show fans have ever seen before.

'We want to create a more intimate vibe," says Samantha McClymont. 'People always tell us they just want to sit back and listen to our harmonies, so that's what we're doing. We are going out with just our guitars and singing everyone's favourite songs from the last three albums. Our musicians will all be playing acoustic and unplugged."

This will be a rare opportunity for audiences to experience the girls' live show in a never before seen setting. The emphasis for this show is on the trio's extraordinary harmonies and the girls will take the audience on a musical journey through their career that will include some very funny stories about their amazing ride to date. 'We've been touring non-stop for the past six years and it's always been a high energy show," says Brooke McClymont. 'We thought we'd change it up a bit by stripping everything back and letting people hear our three voices in a more personal setting."

Don't miss these special and exclusive performances by The McClymonts and experience their world-class harmonies in a way you have never seen or heard before. These events may never be repeated again so book your tickets now for The McClymonts' Acoustic Harmony Tour.


The McClymonts' Acoustic Harmony Tour


March 2013:
Friday 22nd March 2013: Bankstown Sports Club, Bankstown NSW

April 2013:
Friday 12th April 2013: Mathew Flinders Hotel, Chadstone VIC
Saturday 13th April 2013: York on Lilydale, Mount Evelyn VIC

Thursday 18th April 2013: Hallam Hotel, Hallam VIC
Friday 19th April 2013: Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster VIC
Saturday 20th April 2013: Gateway Hotel, Corio VIC
Friday 26th April 2013: Dapto Leagues Club, Dapto NSW

May 2013:
Friday 3rd May 2013: Dee Why RSL Club, Dee Why NSW
Saturday 4th May 2013: Wenty Leagues Club, Wentworthville NSW
Friday 10th May 2013: Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton QLD
Saturday 11th May 2013: Redland Bay Hotel, Redland Bay QLD
Saturday 11th May 2013: Racehorse Hotel, Booval QLD
Friday 17th May 2013: Wests Leagues Club, Newcastle NSW
Saturday 18th May 2013: Hornsby RSL Club, Hornsby NSW

For more information, please visit www.themcclymonts.com

Interview with Samantha McClymont

Question: What should audiences expect from the The McClymonts' Acoustic Harmony Tour?

Samantha McClymont: The McClymonts' Acoustic Harmony Tour is a very different tour for us because for the last six years we've been going out with a full band for a big show and one of the main comments that stuck out to us was people wanted to hear just our voices which is why we decided to mix it up and do something different. The tour is just the three of us, with our guitars playing all our favourite and new songs from the Two Worlds Collide album, acoustic.


Question: What are you looking forward to most about this tour?

Samantha McClymont: We're really excited about doing something different. I'm looking forward to the audience's reaction to this new tour as it's very different. It'll be nice to go back to the basics of how we started out, which is the three of us and our guitars.


Question: How do Australian and American crowds differ?

Samantha McClymont: The crowds are very different. In American country music is one of the number one genres and often the audiences are bigger - the country music festivals have 70-80,000 people in attendance. They have more people in America, so it does make sense. The Americans definitely get into it a lot more and make a lot more noise but that's not to say the Aussies don't get into it too, the American's are a little bit louder!


Question: Which song do you enjoy performing live, most?

Samantha McClymont: I love performing Little Old Beat Up Heart from Two Worlds Collide because it is a fun one to play and it has beautiful lyrics, people seem to really enjoy it. Little Old Beat Up Heart is also our new single as we just released the fourth single from Two Worlds Collide.


Question: What is a day like on tour?

Samantha McClymont: It's very busy! We're generally up pretty early to travel somewhere and then once we arrive at a town we may do interviews before we setup for a sound check and after that it's pretty much dinner, get ready for the show, play the show, in bed and then up a few hours later to start all over again!


Question: Do you think it's an advantage being sisters?

Samantha McClymont: It's definitely an advantage because you know each other so well that if one of us in a bad mood we know what to avoid, what to say and do. We also don't hold grudges when it comes to sisters and we get along pretty well. We have all done music as a solo career and we know that it's a lot lonelier when you're on your own so we appreciate having each other out there, as well.

Question: What was the biggest challenge for Two Worlds Collide?

Samantha McClymont: We haven't had too many challenges when it comes to making albums because we always work with amazing people who are easy to work with and talented at what they do. The process is great however the hardest part is picking the songs, choosing the music you want to create and what path you want to go down with the album. As soon as we pick the songs it is such a wonderful process because we do work with best of the best, we are so lucky and it's fun!


Question: When you first started playing music, did you play country music?

Samantha McClymont: We loved turning on Rage and Video Hits but when we came down to signing 95% of the music we played was country. Brooke entered her first talent quest at 11 and she sang All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You and although that was pretty inappropriate for an 11 year old, it was the only song she knew from start to finish!


Question: Did Brooke inspire your musical journey?

Samantha McClymont: Mollie and I were the younger sisters following what our older sister, Brooke, was doing. If it wasn't for Brooke getting into singing, we might not have done it.


Question: Who would you say are your music influences?

Samantha McClymont: Growing up we listened to The Eagles, Cheryl Crowe and Keith Urban which was a mixture of old and new music. Our Dad loved older country whilst Mum listened to modern country music.


Question: What message do you hope Two Worlds Collide says to your fans?

Samantha McClymont: I hope fans notice the change in our music, the progression of Two Worlds Collide shows how far we have grown from the last few records. We started music in our early twenties, six years ago, and we've grown as people and women; we've gone through so many more experiences and changes and we believe audiences will be able to connect more with the lyrics and emotions of the songs because we have got a lot more to say. I hope people can connect with Two Worlds Collide.


Question: Do you use your life experiences as an influence when writing?

Samantha McClymont: Yes, absolutely! Sometimes it's not intentional either; you can sit down and want to write a song but because you're the only one who knows yourself well and when you're writing feelings come out, a lot more. You draw off your own experiences and things around you, such as experiences your friends and families have gone through. Experience makes a song more real and that's what makes fans connect which is important to us for our music.


Question: Did you have any preconceived ideas about the music industry?

Samantha McClymont: When you first start out, when you're quite young you're just enjoying it and you may win a few talent quests but once you make it a full time job you realise it's not just getting up there and singing. There is so much more to the industry than performing music, there is so much work behind performing, you have to run a business. It is interesting because you don't expect to be running your own business when you're a young teenager performing in talent quests. It has been quite an experience to run a business as a part of the music industry; I learn something new every day, which is really exciting.

It is always a lot of hard work but the reward that you get at the end of the day, is pretty amazing. We don't have to sit inside all day, we get to travel and play in amazing cities around Australia; we also get to hang out together and write songs. The reward is large for all the effort you put in, it's a lot of fun!


Interview by Brooke Hunter