Megan Washington’s ‘queenly’ tribute to Julia Gillard
‘As my mum would say, she is a credit to us,’ says pop singer-songwriter Megan Washington of former prime minister Julia Gillard.
When Brisbane pop singer-songwriter Megan Washington was asked to perform after an extended interview with Julia Gillard on Q&A last month, she knew she had to rise to the occasion.
“As my mum would say, she is a credit to us,” said Washington of Australia’s first female prime minister. “I wanted to make something that was equally queenly and reverent, to share a show with her. I didn’t want to just roll out of bed in my jimjams.”
The pianist’s performance of Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die — the final track from her upcoming third album, Batflowers — saw her accompanied by vocalists Mahalia Barnes, Elana Stone and Ngaiire.
“I didn’t want any bells and whistles; I just wanted connection,” said Washington, 34. “I wanted other singers and I wanted to blend, because when you sing with other singers you have to listen as hard as you’re making sound. So I rang all the best singers that I know, and they all said yes.”
Since bursting onto the national music scene with her ARIA Award-winning debut album I Believe You Liar in 2010, Washington has established herself as a multi-talented artist across several mediums, from music to stage, screen and podcasts.
Earlier this month, an appearance on the new music television program The Sound showed Washington in a different setting as she sang the uplifting title track from her third album at the Old Museum in Brisbane while backed by a string ensemble, a guitarist, a drum machine and two singers.
Taken together, the performances on Q&A and The Sound offer a window onto the diverse array of styles on Batflowers, her first album release in six years. The work has gone through significant revisions, with the artist deciding to retract an earlier version just days away from manufacture and months away from release.
“I really liked it but I couldn’t hear myself in the music, every second of every song,” she said of the unreleased work. “I just wasn’t terrified about releasing it. I’m terrified about releasing this album. My rule is if I’m not terrified, I’m probably not trying hard enough.”
More Coverage
