The Buckleys Best New Talent Interview

Meet The Buckleys

The teenage trio have firmly made their mark on the Australian music scene in just 6 months. The unknown band from Byron Bay were discovered by record company mogul, C M Murphy earlier this year and have gone on to achieve a number 1 record with their debut single, Daydream on the Australian country radio charts and The Buckleys celebrated their first Golden Guitar nomination in the 'Best New Talent' category.

"It's unbelievable to think we've grown up coming to Tamworth, being so inspired by musicians and songwriters we started busking on Peel Street back in 2011. Molly was 9, Lachlan was 10 and I was 12.

This is a dream come true, thank you to our Mum and Dad and everyone who has helped us along the way. Chris Murphy and the team at Petrol Records / Universal Music - it is an honour and exciting to work with you. Also, thank you Dan Biddle for helping introduce us to the right people. A very special thanks to our Nashville family who have been so supportive over the past 3 years. It's a 100% Daydream. We love you Australia!" Said, Sarah Buckley

The Buckley's have been making waves through Australia and the USA and recently announced their signing to LA based agent, Randy Salcedo. Currently recording in Nashville, the band will be returning to Australia at the end of the year to release a follow up single in early 2020.

The Northern Rivers siblings were signed to Petrol Records earlier this year after fellow local and Label Chairman, C M Murphy recognised the band's potential.

"I'm saying this in print – Sarah Buckley will be one of the greatest songwriters to come out of Australia. Ever!" Says, Murphy

On their Golden Guitar nomination, he added "who needs a talent quest TV show to be discovered when you have real talent… The upcoming documentary Meet The Buckleys discloses the extent of their talent to the world."

Interview with Sarah Buckley

Question: Can you tell us about Daydream?

Sarah Buckley: Daydream we released as our first single earlier this year! I wrote it with some friends of mine, Kelleigh Bannen and Phil Barton in Nashville. I had just graduated high school and jumped on a plane headed straight for Music City... the inspiration for the song actually started from the simple line "walking these backstreets of my head". I had been playing with that idea and thought it was a cool visual way to describe "thinking" or dreaming about someone/something. The rest of the lyrics kind of grew from there. It was really fun to write!


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Sarah Buckley: I love writing songs. It's my favourite thing to do... the craft of constructing a song and playing with melodies and rhyme schemes and coming up with quirky lyrics and poetry. The feeling of a really great groove. Melodies are the most amazingly beautiful things to me. I love everything about songwriting and storytelling.


Question: How did it feel to hear of your Best New Talent nomination?

Sarah Buckley: Truly incredible. We've grown up watching the Golden Guitars / Country Music Awards and so many of the acts a part of it are artists who inspired us to first start playing music and write songs. To be recognised by them and the music industry for our music, means a lot.


Question: You recently attended the Country Music Awards in Nashville, what was that like?

Sarah Buckley: Another surreal moment! Just to be there soaking in the atmosphere... I watch the CMA Awards every year on TV back home in Australia. I simply couldn't believe I was really there watching these legends in person. It's still hard to believe!


Question: Can you tell us about Meet The Buckleys?

Sarah Buckley: 'Meet The Buckleys' is a project we're really excited about. It's a story about our journey as a band and as songwriters... I think people will be really surprised by a lot of it and hopefully it inspires a whole new generation of musicians and writers. We had all of this old archival footage of our first few years as a band, playing music, first starting to write songs etc. We were SO young. Just little chipmunks! Looking back, it's really special to watch those early years, when here we are achieving a lot of the goals we were dreaming of back then.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Sarah Buckley: I love performing live, the energy is so uplifting and powerful.


Question: How did the band come together?

Sarah Buckley: We're siblings who grew up playing music together, so it was really a natural progression. It's just what we've always done and loved, as a family. The time when we first started taking it 'seriously' I guess though, was around 2011 when we were busking at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and ended up coming top 10 in the 'Busking Competition' for the festival (not even know we were competing! We were just having fun playing music on the street). That was the first big stage we played, to a couple thousand people.

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

Sarah Buckley: I love pretty much everything - from Alicia Keys to Keith Urban, Frank Sinatra, Beyoncé, INXS, Eagles, Zac Brown Band, Norah Jones and everything in between! Right now, I'm probably mostly listening to Christmas music though because we're kind of almost in the Christmas season?


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

Sarah Buckley: I wasn't so much inspired to go 'into the music industry' - I just loved writing songs and playing guitar and singing all the time. It naturally happened that it turned into something I could do with my brother and sister, and people happened to like it and want to listen!


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

Sarah Buckley: There are so many artists I love and respect so much. Elton John is a massive inspiration for me as a songwriter, so wouldn't that be a dream!


Question: What's a typical day like?

Sarah Buckley: It's always changing... lately especially, there is no such thing as a 'typical day' (which I love!).


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?
Sarah Buckley: Every part of it I love - I am so blessed to be able to do what I love. One thing I will say though...being around really fantastic, creative, positive and incredibly productive people. Being around people who inspire me. Whether they're songwriters, musicians, video directors, business people, actors, publicists etc. I love being surrounded by people who are passionate and inspiring, whatever field they may be in.


Question: Can you share your socials?

Sarah Buckley: www.thebuckleys.net
Facebook
Instagram


Interview by Brooke Hunter