Velvet Bloom: In Season
Emerging soul pop group Velvet Bloom are celebrating the release of their self-titled debut album with a monster 23-date Australian tour. Ahead of their Adelaide appearance in July, we caught up with vocalist Maddy Herbert and chatted about the making of the album, signing with Yama-Nui Records and the band’s approach to songwriting.
Words Tobias Handke // Image Valentina Moroney
Let’s take things back to the very beginning. What are the origins of Velvet Bloom?
I have been writing music for as long as I can remember. I met our drummer, Nic (Morton), at school, and we have had various instrumentalists performing with us since. We were lucky enough to find our guitarist and co-producer, Alex (Marko), in 2018, and our keyboard player, Miggy (Miguel Hutton), in 2021. While touring in Tassie we met Jay and he has just started playing live with us.
Your first EP, Glimmer, is a great introduction to what Velvet Bloom is all about. What lessons have you learned from that experience that you’ve taken into the recording of your debut?
We learned so much through the recording of Glimmer. We were lucky enough to record that body of work with one of our good friends, Quin Grunden. That was the first recording where we were able to refine and take our time during the recording process, and we discovered that this was the best way of doing it for our band. So Alex and I decided to start doing everything in-house for the album; that way we could really spend time refining the music.
When it comes to your first long player, what can you tell us about the writing and recording process?
This album has been over three years in the making and a couple of the tracks were even written before songs on the Glimmer EP. Writing, recording and mixing everything at home made this process so enjoyable for us. We were living on a farm in Moorooduc throughout this process, and I think that all the physical space allowed us lots of room for creativity. We are so proud of the album and it is definitely our favourite release to date.
Having been lucky enough to listen to the album, it’s a real sonic playground encompassing a range of genres and influences. Is it tricky to incorporate so many different sounds and still make a cohesive collection of songs that flows seamlessly together?
We all listen to a pretty varied array of music, which (I think) helps us to blend genres in our own way. We take inspiration from all of the music that we hear, and the goal is to write songs that make people feel deeply. Some songs were harder to achieve in terms of production, but Alex did an incredible job at mixing the album in a way that sounds super cohesive but still gives each track its own sound. I think we found ordering the tracklist to be the most difficult!
Speaking of Alex, he handled the majority of the album production. Does having someone who is part of the band and understands where you are coming from in terms of the sound you want to create help with recording and what does he bring to the table as a producer?
Alex has given so much of himself to this album. He knows my writing and understands how to contribute to a song without taking away any of its original essence. He has such a nice feel on every instrument that he picks up and always serves the music while writing, performing, recording and mixing.
Alex and I have been making music together for over seven years, and although our tastes can differ, we are usually able to find a sweet spot where we are both really happy. Alex learned how to record and mix through experimenting with his own project and Velvet Bloom. He listens to hours of podcasts like tape notes and watches countless videos on achieving desired effects, mic recording techniques, how his favourite artists achieved sounds on albums that impacted him, etc. He is committed to learning and has a natural producer's ear. I really love Alex’s awareness of space and ambience in his mixes and believe that our album shines because of him.
When approaching songwriting, how do you go about it? Does the band come up with melodies and you write the lyrics, or is it more of a collaborative process between the four of you?
Through this album, we experimented with different ways of writing. Usually, I will write the vocal melody, lyrics and chords before bringing it to Alex or the band. Sometimes the songs come from a jam and we flesh them out as a group; other times Alex and I write and refine them before bringing them to the rest of the band. Other times Nic has a groove that he would like me to write to, Miggy or Alex have a riff that they bring in, or Jay and I work on some vocal ideas together. It really depends on the day, but there's not just ‘one formula’.
We all have different strengths when writing in a room together. Miggy has endless ideas and is incredible at refining. Nic often contributes unique song structures and accents. Alex is so musically versatile and usually makes choices with a vision of the finished song in mind. Although Jay has only been with us for a small amount of time, we love writing with him. Jay contributes both musically and vocally, which I love because I’m usually the sole vocalist and lyricist.
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One of the highlights of the album is the recent single ‘Time’, which explores themes of personal growth and change. What can you tell us about this song?
This song was born out of frustration. In order to create positive change in ourselves, we have to recognise unhealthy behaviours and actively drive that change. I had gone to visit my friend and was staying at her apartment in the city when the melody came to me. I picked up the guitar and started writing the chords. I pretty much wrote the bones of the song that day. Alex added the triplet feel that comes in throughout the chorus and our vision for the song was realised quite quickly.
Another standout is the jazzy ‘Nobody’, which reminds me of peak Nelly Furtado. Can you expand on the meaning behind this tune?
This is a song that came from a writing session we had back in 2023. Miggy brought a riff to the group that is no longer in the song but played a massive part in its creation. Lyrically, I wrote ‘Nobody Else’ as a part two to ‘Run’, a track from our Glimmer EP. ‘Run’ is still my favourite track from that body of work. It’s about being afraid to let yourself love someone again and creating distance to avoid developing feelings.
‘Nobody Else’ adopts some of the lyrics from ‘Run’, but there is a feeling of comfort and security. This song feels as if you have gotten through the hurdles and now have a deep love that is rooted in trust. As I said before, I love music that makes people feel wholeheartedly and I feel like this song and storyline progression made so much sense to have on the album.
Velvet Bloom ends with ‘I’ll Love You Tomorrow’, a track that features your friends and family singing. It acts almost as a thank you to the people that matter. What role have those close to the band played in your success and how important have they been on the journey?
Our friends and family are the ones who support us through music and creation from the sidelines. They help us to see things clearly and constantly show up for us. Not only do they come to the shows, buy the records, stream the music, share the music, assist on the shoots etc., but they also check in consistently, cook dinners, give flowers, bring coffee, bake cakes, get us out of the house, embrace us and SO much more! They make all the highs and lows better and we are incredibly lucky to have the people in our lives who are close to us.
Do you have a favourite song on the album, and if so, which one and why?
This is a hard question because I feel like it changes depending on which song is resonating with me most at the time. At this moment, ‘My Love’ is my favourite track from the album. I love performing this song live because the vocal melodies are so much fun to sing and we all really feel it when we’re on stage!
The band recently signed with Yama-Nui Records. How did this come about and why are they a good fit for the band?
I met Matt (Commonfolk Records and now Yama-Nui Records) at BIGSOUND. He was super genuine and really interested in the album. Matt introduced me to OJ (the owner of Yama-Nui Records) the next day and we chatted online after BIGSOUND.
I really love what OJ and the Yama-Nui Records crew are doing – they’re only six months in and already having lots of success. Our values are really aligned, the team is so knowledgeable and supportive, and they really believe in our music.
I’ve noticed during the rollout of the album that the visual side of things is an important component, whether that’s the single artwork, music videos or the band’s press photos. Is there a concept or theme behind the designs and photo shoots and what role has co-creative designer Joshua Davies played in this?
Josh is a good friend of mine and I really love his creative projects! He has such a good eye and I was super excited to work on the aesthetic vision with him. The album has such a vast sonic soundscape and we wanted this to be reflected in the visuals. There are themes of growth in various stages and in some tracks on the record, it's raw and gritty, whereas others are more lush and vibrant.
We wanted each single to feel tied to the album but also reflect the song's individual emotion. Josh and I wanted to create an otherworldly garden scape and a narrative where we were the keepers of this sanctuary. We wanted the setting to reflect the love that we pour into our music and make the landscape the feature.
Josh, Gretel (shoot assistant) and I spent weeks creating the set and the attention to detail in this shoot was honestly amazing. Valentina Moroney’s photography and edits really brought this shoot to life, as did the hair and makeup by Erika and the costume by Catholic Guilt and Chou Chou. Josh and I wrote a poem about the visual concept and narrative below:
The Garden blooms.
With soil of satin and pebbles of pearl
Droplets of diamond and fragments of flora
Precious jewels; not for sale.
The clam clasps life on her tongue.
She bestows the gift of soul to this sanctuary.
When nurtured, her oasis blossoms
When neglected, her oasis withers
The Keepers tend to The Garden,
Pruning gently, treading softly
Giving love and receiving life,
Supporting a perfect symbiosis.
Our world entangles us in its’ beauty,
We are inseparable, working as one
Blissfully drowning in its abundance
Shimmering in sweet humidity.
Is this visual aspect something that will be part of your live show?
At this point, we are pouring all of our energy into the music and logistical components of the national tour. We are ensuring the show can reach the most places and be as accessible as possible. We have had set design as a part of hometown shows, but you’ll just have to wait and see what the live show entails.
Speaking of performing live, the band is embarking on a monster 23-date tour taking in all seven states and territories. Is it important to perform in areas where many bands don’t visit?
YES! We are so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to do this album tour. Growing up in a place where live music wasn’t very accessible to me, I have a really big desire to bring our music to as many places as we can. Regional shows have been some of our absolute favourites and it’s always exciting to play in new places.
How pumped are you to perform songs from your new album live for fans?
I love this live show so much and can’t wait for people to see it! We are so proud of the music and it feels amazing to have people from all over Aus telling us how connected they are to the songs.
The band ends the tour in Adelaide at the iconic Grace Emily. Have you ever visited the pub before and what can fans expect from the show?
I have heard that the ‘Gremily’ is loved locally and can’t wait to play there! This will be the last show of this tour so we will have to turn it out! We have the wonderful Ms Chipeta supporting at this show and I have really enjoyed listening to all of the locals who sent their music in. What a talented bunch of people you have living there!
Lastly, sum up Velvet Bloom in three words.
Lush, Gritty and Powerful.
Catch Velvet Bloom at The Grace Emily on Saturday, July 12. Tickets on sale now via oztix.com.au.
