Interview with Pop Artist Angelina Curtis

MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?

Angelina Curtis: Thanks for reaching out. I played piano and sang from as early as I can remember, but at 10 years old my parents gave me a guitar and I wrote my first song on that. We entered it in the West Australian music Song of the Year awards youth category and it actually got shortlisted, so I released it. That’s the song ‘Fire Between’, and even though it’s basic production and clearly a very young Angelina voice on it, I quite like seeing it on Spotify as evidence of how far I’ve come.

Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?

Angelina Curtis: The big names like Elton John, Queen, and ABBA were a huge influence on me initially, and I still play a lot of their music for fun or at gigs. But as I’ve evolved, my original music is more in line with Lizzie McAlpine (I’m a huge fan), Olivia Rodrigo, JVKE, and I’m also really influenced by music of beabadoobee, Laufey, Sarah Kinsley, Phoebe Bridges, Hozier and Radiohead.

What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?

Angelina Curtis: I want my music to reach a global audience – and I guess it already does through Spotify and DSPs but I want to connect with that audience myself, so I want to tour and really share what I love with fans and grow a bigger fan base. Ultimately I just want to earn a living off doing what I love.

The message I want to send is that with enough hard work, ‘luck’ should come your way, so be ready when it does; be ‘match fit’ in case you’re called up to play. My great grandfather was known for saying ‘it’s funny how the harder I work the luckier I get’ and I really follow that motto.

What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?

Angelina Curtis: In the audience, the Queen & Adam Lambert concert was incredible! I got to meet him a few years later doing Australian Idol!

As a performer, two highlights. The first being on Australian Idol, singing The Only Exception, and getting Harry Connick Junior’s ‘Touchdown’ to fast track me into the Top 12. That was insane and a highlight of my life so far. The other performance I’ll never forget was singing at Perth’s RAC arena to an audience of 10,000 who all sang the lyrics back to me. It wasn’t my own music, that’s the real goal, but it was a cover of Best Day of My Life and it was a real thrill.

Your latest releases are ‘Chaos’ and ‘Rescue Me’; what inspired these tracks?

Angelina Curtis: I wrote both during the filming of Australian Idol. What a wild time that was! Based on the titles, I was clearly feeling out of control and under pressure. I find songwriting really cathartic. My sad, angry, angsty songs enable me to process those negative feelings so I can be a more bubbly happy person in most aspects of my life. ‘Chaos’ was reflecting the chaotic year that it had been, with the audition process for Australian Idol, then getting so much further in the competition than I ever expected meant it just kept continuing. I missed so much school as well, but it was worth it. In the lead up to the live performance shows rather than rehearsing I was having knee surgery and soon after that I nearly chopped off my finger. It was chaos! I had hurt my knee a year before while rehearsing for Mary Stuart, the play I did with your lovely and iconic Kate Walsh (that was such an honour). Soon after my surgery I walked into a glass wall and nearly cut through the tendon in my finger – my piano hands. This was only 3 weeks before filming the top 24 episodes of Australian Idol so it was a miracle I made it through in one piece!

Rescue Me is a much more emotional track. It reflects on the process of being on a TV show like Australian Idol and how out of control it can feel. Such crazy filming schedules and editorial decisions being made about you and how you’re portrayed. In hindsight, once I got into the top 12 the production really overtook us and our artistic instincts and choices. I think I came across better when I was in full control of my musical and creative choices.

You finished in the final 8 on Australian Idol. What was that experience like for you? What did you learn from it?

Angelina Curtis: I already knew I loved performing but that really cemented it. The adrenalin rush and the nerves, the cameras and lighting and the opportunity to play with a live band was more than I’d ever hoped for! It felt like a dream. At the same time, it was really full on with crazy pressure and filming schedules in and around hair and makeup, fake tans, off-site filming and interviews and on-stage rehearsals and sound checks. There wasn’t a lot of time to rest, reflect and question any of it, hence why you feel quite out of control. I value the experience so much and it has certainly helped open doors for me in the industry. But it doesn’t define me, and I’m glad I didn’t get too much further as I want to be known for my original music.

At such a young age, you’ve already found so much success in your music career. What’s it like balancing your music career with still growing up? What advice would you give to other young artists looking to achieve their dreams as an artist?

Angelina Curtis: Harry Connick Jr said to me ‘even if you did nothing for the next 15 years you’d still be ahead of most people’! And encouraged me to not rush my career. People always tell me to slow down, but you can’t when you’re brimming over with ideas and motivation, so I guess I’ve tempered my pace rather than slowed down. I’m focussing mostly on the songs now, not the gigs, while I finish school.

I’d say that if you believe it is meant to be, it will happen, but it won’t happen without hard work and dedication and commitment. But that hard work shouldn’t feel like a drag if you truly love it.

I’d also suggest that every now and then you should reflect on how far you’ve come – don’t just keep moving the yardstick of success further ahead of where you’ve gotten to. And be proud of yourself. It’s not an easy industry to get into or navigate. If you already know what you want to do then you’re halfway there – it will happen, just be patient. I also suggest to everyone to try and find what you’re passionate about as young as you can and work toward that. It’s a luxury and a privilege to be given the freedom to really figure out what you like versus what you’re good at, and I don’t take that for granted.

What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

Angelina Curtis: I’m so excited actually. I have songs going into two films right now and I’ve just recorded 3 tracks in the last 10 days! I can’t say too much more about these films just yet, but I’d love to share that with you again soon.

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