Tiger Tales

Sarah Blasko

The pop wonder’s new album, As Day Follows Night explores vintage pop, rock and jazz, cementing her place as one Australia’s fifinest songwriters, says ADAM BAIDAWI

First thrust into the limelight thanks to a string of ARIA award nominations and an eventual win in 2007 for best pop release for her second album, Sarah Blasko’s whimsical musical efforts have won hearts across Australia.

It’s the first time you’ve written an LP without your usual collaborator Rob Cranny. What was it like working solo?
Collaboration is a really wonderful thing, and I will always want to do it, but I was feeling that itch – I wanted to have my own ideas and pursue them and not have to discuss it with anyone.

Was it refreshing for you to go beyond your past guitar-driven arrangements on As Day…?
Yeah! It was really important to me to have a lot of new sounds on the record. I’ve always wanted to make a record that was very simple in nature. I wanted to make oldfashioned pop songs that have that simple charm about them.

How was it working overseas with the brilliant Björn Yttling (of Peter, Björn and John) on this album, as well as with an array of other Swedish musicians?
It was pretty scary – writing the whole record myself in a completely different country. It was a pretty big challenge. It’s amazing how different your songs sound when you’re in a another place… hearing what people from very, very different backgrounds think of what you’re doing and how they perceive it.

You must be pretty excited to be playing the Falls Festival again…
Yeah! I’m looking forward to playing a few festivals over the summer.

Any fond memories from past visits?
I remember spending New Years one year in Tasmania and enjoying the fireworks on the harbour in Hobart. It was a really fun night. All of my friends and the guys in the band were lying down in the park and chatting. It’s a really nice memory.

Your favourite getaway in Australia?
It might be Melbourne. I always love a good trip there, I’ve got to say. I often wonder why I don’t live in Melbourne – it’s such a great place. Great food, music, shopping… I just love the trams and the Melbourne vibe.

SARAH BLASKO PLAYS AT PERTH’S QUARRY AMPHITHEATRE (www.QUARRYAMPHITHEATRE.COM.AU) FROM 12-15 NOV, AND AT THE FALLS FESTIVAL (www.FALLSFESTIVAL.COM), HELD IN LORNE, 140KM FROM MELBOURNE, AND MARION BAY, 50KM FROM HOBART, FROM 29 DEC TO 1 JAN.