THE BACK STORY: Australia’s Angie McMahon is someone who clearly believes in the virtue of patience. Back in 2013, the Melbourne singer-songwriter, at the age of 19, won a competition for emerging artists – and the prize was to support Bon Jovi on a string of big Australian tour dates.
McMahon, to her credit, felt that the opportunity had come too soon. After those Bon Jovi support gigs, she put her music career on the backburner, concentrating on her arts degree at Melbourne University while honing her vocal talents in a nine-piece soul band called The Fabric.
It’s only in the past two years that McMahon has returned to the spotlight – and, make no mistake, she’s now fully prepared for musical stardom. Her hugely-anticipated debut album Salt, released on July 26, is a work of startling maturity, combining bold indie-rock melodies with melancholic, confessional lyrics exploring that tricky transition into young adulthood. Whether she’s addressing gender roles (brilliant new single ‘And I Am A Woman’) or the trials and tribulations of romance (‘Missing You’), she’s always an engrossing storyteller, offering hard truths laced with poetic insight.
At a time when Australia is producing a wealth of brilliant idiosyncratic solo artists – the likes of Julia Jacklin, Tash Sultana, Kaiit – Angie McMahon is surely the next Antipodean starlet who’ll capture your heart.
KEY TRACK: ‘Slow Mover’ – the track which announced McMahon’s return to the spotlight, this dreamy, elegant rocker provides the perfect showcase for her throaty, distinctive vocals and lyrical acuity.
FOR FANS OF: Lianne La Havas, Big Thief, Joan Armatrading.
