Independent folk singer-songwriter SUSANNA CARMAN brings songs from her deeply personal album Holy to the Powerhouse this weekend. JOHANNA LIDDLE poses a few questions for the one-time New Yorker, now Byron Bay resident, about her engaging and resonant music.

JOHANNA LIDDLE: Your voice has been described as being deeply rooted within the American Folk genre. How would you put it personally?  

SUSANNA CARMAN: I think Bernard Zuel at the Sydney Morning Herald articulates the feel of my music well, by describing it as, “straying from lilting folk, to gentle country and low bubbling pop.” I believe my influences shine through, giving my music it’s American Folk flavour. Songwriting masters like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and John Prine have been great teachers. Like these artists, my lyrics are the true essence of my music.

JL: What inspired the move from a major city like New York to a little coastal town in Australia?  

SC: Although I grew up just outside of New York City, I’ve always had a more ‘low key’ sensibility than most New Yorkers. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love New York, but it does take a certain mentality to survive there. I’m someone who needs a lot of space, both creatively and personally. Australia provides that for me. I moved here with my late husband, who was Australian. He had property here in Byron Bay, so fortunately for me, it was the first place I landed when I arrived in the country. It is a little coastal town, but with a culturally diverse community of residents. People here are from all over the world, which helps me to stay connected to life outside of Oz.

JL: Has this change of scenery affected your music?

SC: Strangely enough, I feel more in sync with my American musical routes than I did when I lived there. Something about living so far away enables me to appreciate the depth and scope of American Folk/Roots traditions, and to allow them to permeate through my songs. There is also that vast and ancient quality of the Australian landscape. For me it is energizing. I feel it the moment I set foot on Australian soil. It is both foreign and familiar, and provides me with a sense of safety that allows me to express myself authentically. 

JL: Have you found any differences in Australian responses to your music compared to what you were getting in the US?

SC: No, not really.  People everywhere seem to love the songs and the stories that inspired them. Although, I have found that it’s been easier to get noticed here, perhaps because I’m from somewhere else, or maybe because there are fewer people within my genre releasing music here.    

JL: As an independent artist you worked very, very hard on your latest album, Holy, and appear to be reaping the rewards. Did you expect this kind of public response?  

SC: Yes, I have worked incredibly hard on this project. From surviving the experiences, to writing the songs, recording the album and self-managing it’s release. Somehow I was able to present these stories in such a way as not to sound histrionic or self-pitying. Holy is a testament to my ability to transform tragic events into something buoyant and beautiful. It is an intimate and completely human body of work, and for this reason, I am not surprised that it’s been well received. I do feel lucky that reviewers have jumped on board with such enthusiasm. As an independent artist, every bit helps. 

JL: What inspired Holy?

SC: Holy was born out of an extended period of personal bereavement.  My cousin fell in the Twin Towers on 9/11, followed by the sudden death of my husband. Two years later, we lost his adult son to a brain tumour, and my father died that same year. The songs on the album follow the trajectory of my life, finding an optimistic route out each time. I also fell in love and had a child during this period. Holy manages to tackle life’s contradictions in ways that are heartfelt and optimistic.

JL: You have indeed had a very, very difficult few years suffering a lot of loss from those close to you. How has your music been influenced by these tragic events?  

SC: My music has been directly influenced by these events. My lyrics are sharp and truthful, my voice open and sincere. Both speak to the heart of the matter. After having so many people close to me die, I realized there is no time to waste words. I need to say what I feel as succinctly as possible, and to live my life with gratitude in my heart.

JL: Has your music helped you, perhaps come to terms with much of it?

SC: Writing the songs helped me to process my experiences as they were happening to me. Releasing the album has given me the distance I’ve needed to move on with my life. These songs are no longer mine, they belong to anyone who needs comfort and support during difficult times.

JL: What do you hope for your listeners to get out of Holy?  

SC: I hope that people will feel inspired. We are all capable of becoming who we hope to be when the unexpected happens. Expressing ourselves through our creativity has the capacity to offer tremendous opportunities for healing.  

JL: Finally, as a performer what do you hope to bring to your audience at the Powerhouse this Sunday?  

SC: I hope to offer an engaging and touching musical experience.  These songs, and the stories that inspired them, will claim a permanent place in the hearts of all those who hear them.

SUSANNA CARMAN plays Live Spark at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Sunday Oct 26 with Rachael Brady. HOLY is available now through Lulu & Co. Records/MGM. www.susannacarman.com

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