Jayne West

t's almost unheard of to come across an artist who is quite literally new on the scene without prior experience, contacts, previous bands or recordings. Until October last year, not even her family had heard Jayne West sing one of her original songs. In fact, West herself had never intended for anyone to hear her music. But after a home recording won her the Mental Health Week 'Hear Me' songwriting competition, the 19-year old finally emerged choosing to share a selection of her very personal songs on a hastily recorded demo entitled 'One More Day', a release which sold over 50 copies to a room of complete strangers after her first performance.

West has now been invited to play as a part of the Shimmering West Music Festival showcase in Light Square, and it will be her most significant performance to date, billed alongside local heavyweights of the calibre of Special Patrol, Poetikool Justice and God God Dammit Dammit. Upon hearing her demo, there is no doubt that West will fit in very well amongst such notable company - with a past experience in opera, she may very well have one of the most dynamic vocal ranges of any local musician. Coupled with an impressive composure considering the private content of much of her music, playing shows should only help to harness her potential.

West was candid when she chatted to dB about her music and motives as a young musician. "I started writing songs during my last year of high school and had I intended for them to be performed, I think they would probably have turned out very differently," she begins. "I was a pianist at school but I couldn't play it at home because the piano was in the lounge room and there were always people around. That's why I started playing guitar, because I could do it in my room. That's when the music became something that people wouldn't hear, because I was on my own. Then I got to the stage where I thought 'what's the point if nobody's going to hear them?'

"99% of the time the songs are about someone or sometimes about how my friends feel about someone," West explains. "I think songs have to be about someone or an experience; you can't write about something you make up. You need a song for every sort of emotion so people are able to find a place for the song amongst the sound track to their lives"

Despite her ability as a multi-instrumentalist, writing lyrics is the more natural part of songwriting for West, who confesses that her repertoire with guitar is something she is very eager to improve. "After the last show people were saying some of the songs sound the same when it's just me and the guitar. Then again, I've played with the band once and a lot of people who were there said they prefer me just on my own because then they can listen to the words. It's hard for me to say which I prefer because I feel more comfortable on stage with the band because there is less focus on me, but then I like the more intimate setting because I want people to hear the words of the songs.

"I'm open to anything musically and I think I need to get as much practise as I can before I decide how I feel about it. What I'd really like to do though, is take more time to develop my sound. The demo was such a rush and the drummer was a ring in who made up his parts. I kind of wish I'd thought more about that before we did it."

With a complete set of songs good to go and positive words stalking her few performances to date, it seems that Jayne West is set for an inevitable introduction to the local music scene. Where she will slot in will be decided by time, but until that happens the sheer raw nature of her talent is more than enough to get excited about. Watch out for her name in the coming years.





Jayne West plays at Shimmering West on Wednesday 3 March alongside Bearded Gypsy Band and Spencer Jane.





- dB Magazine

If you're one for looking for fresh new talent around town, then jot down Jayne West in your spotter's guide to Adelaide original music. Having said that, given a more intimate environment I'm sure that we would see an even more assured performance for being first up West not only had to battle a few nerves, she had to compete against a steady inflow of people arriving and rudely talking aloud amongst themselves. For the attentive however, we were treated with an artist that's definitely not easily pigeonholed. Sounding like many others, but no one in particular, West's vocals switched from a warbled whisper to great heights in a whisker. If one had to tag her, then alt-folk may sum her up with her stripped back, lo-fi take on MJ's Billie Jean affirming that suspicion.


- dB Magazine