Kate Ceberano mentors Mackay artists at Whitsundays Youth Literature Festival
Music icon Kate Ceberano speaks at North Queensland literature festival about what made her spread her wings outside singing with the hope of inspiring the next generation of Hemingways.
Mackay
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Australian music icon Kate Ceberano visited regional Queensland ahead of her next tour to talk about her book and why literature is so vital.
For Ms Ceberano, the transition from songwriter to author came about during the Victorian Covid lockdowns.
“I just felt like all of my freedoms were evaporating and I thought, what a ridiculous career to have,” Ms Ceberano said.
“I can’t sing to anybody and can’t support my family.”
This desperation led to an “awesome creative pivot” where she began to lead Friday night sing alongs to raise money for the music industry charity Support Act, led exercise classes in her back yard and started to make guitars.
“I just thought, while I’ve got all this time on my hands let me just put some of my life into words,” she said.
“That’s how the book began.”
Ms Ceberano visited Mackay to talk about the experience of writing her book Unsung, as well as inspire regional youth at the Whitsundays Voices Youth Literature festival.
“Words are powerful beyond measure,” she said.
Ms Ceberano highlighted the importance of reading, hoping that she can pass on her passion for classic literature to Mackay students.
“I particularly love Oscar Wilde,” she said.
Her overall message to young writers and artists was for them to take themselves seriously.
“Don’t let yourself be nibbled away at the edges,” she said.
“Try to reach for something really bold.
“We need more Hemingways.”
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