Skii Harvey Bound By History

Skii Harvey Bound By History

Australian singer/songwriter Skii Harvey is essentially a storyteller at heart. Using her innate gift to compose what flows through her and turn it into a complete piece of music to reach pure happiness, these stories are a portrayal of her thoughts, experiences and dreams, fuelling an existence sustained only by passion and love for her craft.

Skii's early exposure to music huddled over an old upright piano squeezed into her mother's small semi in the Sydney suburb of Redfern where their tiny porch had been converted into a makeshift bedroom, acted as the bedrock for her future life vocation.

Add to this inherent flair for writing - a voice of a powerhouse mesmerising the likes of musical greats including Sting and the late Ricky May, coupled with a bold and beguiling look that commands contemplation, produces the ultimate trifecta for success.

Skii's distinct vocal range has been compared to the strong styles of Anita Baker, Annie Lennox, Tina Turner and Ella Fitzgerald; fusing soul, jazz, blues and rock to create her own sassy and iconic style.

Her song writing has brought her to the attention of the Billboard Music Awards, the UK Songwriting Awards, Australian Songwriter's Association, Song of the Year and as a Producer's Choice in the LA Music Awards.

Her first album Uncompromising and her critically acclaimed second album Foolish Girl can be found on ITunes while Skii's latest album offering Bound By History is available now.

While Foolish Girl conveys a true journey in music and in life of seeing retrospectively how the roads you could have taken immediately expose you for who you are inside, and the stepping stones to who you have become, her forthcoming album evokes the next chapter in this journey.

'Bound By History is about being strengthened and encouraged by your past as well as cautioned," says Skii. 'We are all made up of our history both singularly and collectively but it is how we step into the future that truly counts."

Interview with Skii Harvey

Question: How would you describe Bound By History?

Skii Harvey: It's a fusion of soul, with inflections of Jazz, blues and rock.


Question: What inspired Bound By History?

Skii Harvey: Bound by History is about being strengthened and encouraged by your past as well as cautioned. On my own journey I have been strengthened and cautioned by love, loss and the people who have joined me on my path. But history is bigger than one person and hence a lot of this album reaches out to wider themes where history continues to repeat itself to the detriment of others.

Question: Do you write your own songs? What's your inspiration?

Skii Harvey: Yes, writing is my first passion. I write both my music and lyrics.

I draw on everyone and everything around me. Like anyone else I am subject to my sensibilities and I cannot help but react to injustice, unfairness, cruelty and denigration that I witness. I use my writing as my right of response.


Question: What was your inspiration behind the track Foolish Girl?

Skii Harvey: The whole yin and yang of love. Love is a beautiful thing but it is also a journey of compromise. Unfortunately, women of my generation have often born the brunt of compromise due to a lack of support in the community and a culture that attributed more power to men. This song toys with the fear of regret and the difficult choice a woman must make to sometimes put herself first for fear that nobody else will.


Question: How would you describe your music career?

Skii Harvey: It has been a journey of self-discovery and a journey in crafting my skill as a musician. It has been a blessed journey as I have been free to make the music that I want to make.


Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Skii Harvey: It is a tough world out there, but the choice to make music has never been tough. When you wake up in the morning and all you can think about is music, you know you're doing what you have to be doing.


Question: How does it feel to be likened to Tina Turner and Ella Fitzgerald?
Skii Harvey: Those ladies are giants and the comparison is daunting but most humbling.


Question: You've won numerous awards, how does it feel to be rewarded for music accomplishments?

Skii Harvey: The awards serve as a validation and remind me that someone is listening out there and liking it. As a writer, I am often working in isolation and feedback is very much appreciated.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you faced release Bound By History?

Skii Harvey: As with any massive undertaking where you don't want to compromise on production, there are multiple hurdles. Finance is the first obstacle and the nature of finance inevitably limits time and unfortunately limited time maximises stress and forces compromises. But as an artist out there on your own it's an uphill journey but it's important to remember that any hill worth climbing is worth the obstacles you face on the way up.


Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

Skii Harvey: It's huge: My family run and own two Art Galleries. I start my day around 7am over a cup of tea with my husband discussing the day's agenda. As one of the directors of the gallery my job is the running order of the business from staff, accounts, artists, setting up the running order of the exhibitions, etc. The gallery closes at 6pm however sometimes I may have to stay back till 8 or 9, depending on deadlines. Dinner then some TV (I admit I am an addict.) Then I get my second wind and I disappear into my music room and work on my music till the wee hours. I am very rarely asleep before 2am even 4am. If I have a gig that night it's no TV. It is much easier now that my children are grown-ups as when they were young I also had to partition extra time to dedicate to them. I am two people in one body and it scares me sometimes, but any woman with a family on one hand and a dream on the other has to be.


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

Skii Harvey: I have quite a list: Diane Warren, Cole Porter, Michael Bolton, Robert Lamm (Chicago) to name a few.

Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Skii Harvey: Please do visit www.skiiharvey.com but also like us on Facebook so that you can keep up to date with new releases and gigs: www.Facebook.com/skii8


Question: Can you tell us 5 things required for a happy healthy & enjoyable life?

Skii Harvey: Ahhhhh, here is what I find works for me:
1. Work on liking who you are and what you are about.
2. Don't expect others to make you happy. Rely on yourself to make that happen.
3. Try your best to be thankful for your blessings i.e. on what you have and not on what you don't.
4. Love your family with enormous depth and vigour unconditionally even when it's hard to do so.
5. Love what you do and take pride. We spend a lot of our lives working so make it count.


Question: What message would you like to say to your fans?

Skii Harvey: Hold onto the little child in you and let him/her come out to play more often. Oh PS please continue enjoying my music..


Interview by Brooke Hunter