Wow very honoured to be nominated for @apraamcos song of the year for Edge Of Something, a song I wrote with @antonypartos and @matteozingalesofficial for the @abctv drama Total Control. Writing songs for both seasons of this incredible show over the course of all the lockdowns was such a special experience and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. Especially thankful to Deborah Mailman, the lead actor, whose performances made it so easy to write to, I was constantly blown away by her portrayal of her character and could have written a hundred more songs just exploring her complexity and strength. I’m so proud of this song. Thank you to everyone who voted
In my 20s I had a complete existential crisis moment where I lost sight of why i was still a songwriter. I’d forgotten what drove me to write in the first place when I was a teenager holed up for days on end excruciatingly pulling these reluctant creatures out of my soul. Surely it’s a selfish pursuit, a naval gazing indulgence that I’d tricked people into wanting from me? So I quit music. I went to uni. I filled my brain with spread sheets and foot notes and big words I thought would impress myself. But it didn’t work. Some child inside me wanted to dance, she just didn’t know how to allow herself to. Years went by without a song, then one day I found myself reluctantly playing a festival in America. And finally, it was there on that stage that I saw it for the first time. The difference I was making. The difference that music makes. There were people in that audience that had been following my entire career and were ecstatic that I was finally out of hiatus. They’d been playing my albums over again like a spirit guide easing them through the grinding sharp, confusing bits of life. They held on to those lyrics like it was one of the few things that understood them and articulated the things they couldn’t. I could hear it in the echo of my words coming back to me, a thousand strange souls carrying my burdens with me, and in doing so transforming them together into triumphs. It was union. It was communion. After that everything changed. The way I saw my “silly” pop music, changed. It was and is, along with every other genre of music, vital as a tool of human connection. The oldest one we’ve ever had, in fact.
I am incredibly honoured to receive this award, THANK YOU Simon Warrender, all the judges and everyone involved in the Melbourne Prize For Music. Thank you to my record label Eleven Music and John Watson Management who have been the most understanding and incredible partners an artist can have through their career. I just hope I can continue to write from a place of truth, joy, fragility and gratitude for the complications, interruptions and multitudes of every day life here in Melbourne. May music always be a friend to every one of you.
Due to popular demand (vinyl is the THING now haven’t you heard??) The Sound Of white and On A Clear Night are finally being re-issued on vinyl. Pre-order available as of now, get on to it!
What a bloody pleasure and privilege to sing with the Wilcannia Central School kids choir, and their fabulous teacher Sarah. I couldn’t think of a better song to collaborate on than Big Kids, for so many reasons. It’s inspired by a kick-arse Indigenous woman (Deborah Mailman’s character in the ABC drama Total Control) who walks into Parliament and shows them who’s boss. And it’s about showing the rest of the world that they should never underestimate you and what you’re capable of. These girl’s did it proud! Loved collaborating with you all 🖤💛❤️
Had the pleasure of sitting down with the legend Zan Rowe for a chat on her very cool new show (previously a podcast) Take 5. I had to choose 5 songs around the theme of identity and I’m not going to lie, I got emotional. Actually that’s an understatement-one of the songs unleashed a torrent of snotty tears I went deeper in this chat than I’ve gone in a long time, and Zan held me there beautifully. Thank you Zan.
It’s been a big year.
If you’d like to tune in, it airs Tuesday October 4th at 8pm, on ABC TV + iview.
I’m wrapped to announce that the Red Hot Summer Tour have added 5 NEW shows for next year’s run. 💫📍 Hunter Valley, Swan Valley, Cairns, Jacobs Well and Darwin we’re coming your way! ❤️ Grab your tickets early.. a few shows have already sold out.
I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be heading around the country in 2023 for the Red Hot Summer Tour, with an amaaaazing bunch of artists 💃
I’ll be playing alongside Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Mark Seymour, Vika & Linda, Ian Moss & Troy Cassar-Daley, for 18 shows… ! So bloody good to get out on the road playing again. Lots of time to make up for after the last few years of lockdowns!! 🎤 Feeling very grateful for these shows.
Ticketmaster pre-sale from Tues 30th Aug @ 10am (local time).
Tickets on-sale to the general public from Thurs 1st Sept @ 9am (local time).
Make sure to grab yours early so you don’t miss out 👉 bit.ly/RHST23
Can’t wait to get back out to South Australia on January 21 for @Sounds By The River, which is taking place the bank of the beautiful Murray River, in Mannum.
I’m wrapped to be playing this one alongside my good friends Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Mark Seymour, Via & Linda, Ian Moss & Troy Cassar-Daley.❤️
Tickets on sale Thursday @ 9am (local time) 👉 bit.ly/3QgKD3L
Thanks to everyone who tuned in to my performance of Steer for ‘ABC 90 Celebrate’ the other week! Rungutjirpa (Simpson’s Gap) in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) would have to be the most epic, magical location I’ve ever performed in. Apologies to all the old tourists we had to keep nudging out if the way, haha. You can watch the full performance on YouTube, and you can still see the whole ABC 90 Celebrate on ABC TV + iview catch-up, with heaps of other incredible one-off performances all round Australia.
MISSY TO FEATURE IN ABC’S 90TH BIRTHDAY TELECAST THIS THURSDAY
Missy Higgins will feature in the ABC’s 90th Birthday Telecast this Thursday evening at 8pm with a special performance from the breathtaking Rungutjirpa (Simpson’s Gap). Her appearance alongside an Australian Arts and Culture ‘who’s who’, extends a long association with the national public broadcaster, stretching back to winning Triple J Unearthed 20 years ago while she was still at high school.
More recently Missy composed and sang for both series of the ABC’s award winning political drama, “Total Control”. The program has attracted worldwide acclaim with The Wall Street Journal applauding “…its biting vision of the prevailing codes, and what passes for right and wrong in political society.”Stuff NZ said: “Total Control offers a scathing examination of Australian politics [and] a clarion call for social justice” and said the music was “a magnificent showcase for the songwriting and singing skills of Missy Higgins”.
This week Missy will release the final track from that celebrated collaboration – a song of empowerment called “I Take It Back” drawn from her “Total Control” mini-album. That ARIA Top 3 hit was inspired by musical fragments Missy initially pieced together to fit certain scenes in the TV show. What started as brief instrumentals gradually grew lyrics and some expanded into full songs across 2020 and 2021 as the show’s themes reverberated publicly in the Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins cases. Missy’s unusually deep association with the show included her fierce lead single “Edge Of Something” which featured as the main promo for Season Two and was premiered live as part of the ABC’s 2022 New Year’s Eve telecast from the Sydney Opera House.
“This song is about reclaiming your story, identity and power as a woman. It draws on the history of women being forced into a cultural narrative that diminishes their power. It creates space for all that fury, resentment and uncomfortable emotion to finally rise to the surface. But it’s also a celebration of everything we have inside us and everything we can achieve once we’ve harnessed this power.” Says Missy of the track.
“This song is about reclaiming your story, identity and power as a woman. It draws on the history of women being forced into a cultural narrative that diminishes their power. It creates space for all that fury, resentment and uncomfortable emotion to finally rise to the surface. But it’s also a celebration of everything we have inside us and everything we can achieve once we’ve harnessed this power” – Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins today releases her new mini-album “Total Control” – listen here.
The songs from this new mini-album pick up themes of exploitation and female empowerment that run through “Total Control” and which also dominated real world headlines last year as a string of abuse allegations emerging from Parliament House.
Appearing on the TV show “Q&A” late last year, Missy noted that the strong calls for change by leading voices like Brittany Higgins and Australian Of The Year Grace Tame had been a further inspiration for new songs like “Watch Out” and “I Take It Back”.
The latest single to be lifted from “Total Control” is “The Collector” which is described as Missy as “a raw rollicking, stomping sing-along with unashamed venom. It’s the Kill-Bill-esque revenge fantasy of a woman who NEVER forgets”
The “Total Control” mini-album was inspired initially by musical fragments Missy pieced together to fit certain scenes in the ABC’s Total Control soundtrack. What started as brief instrumentals gradually grew lyrics and some expanded into full songs across 2020 and 2021. Missy’s unusually deep association with the show included lead single “Edge Of Something” which featured as the main promo for Season Two.
The program has attracted worldwide acclaim with The Wall Street Journal applauding “…its biting vision of the prevailing codes, and what passes for right and wrong in political society.”Stuff NZ said: “Total Control offers a scathing examination of Australian politics [and] a clarion call for social justice” and said the music was “a magnificent showcase for the songwriting and singing skills of Missy Higgins”.
Over coming months Missy Higgins will headline two separate touring festivals at once – the beachy “Summersalt” and a new all female event called “Wildflower”. The beloved singer/songwriter will also play gigs in cities from Darwin to Torquay, from Birdsville to Broken Hill.
Aptly enough Missy ushered in 2022 with a pre-fireworks performance of the title track on ABCTV’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza – literally starting this busy year with a bang.
“Like lots of people I guess I’m trying to make up for lost time”, Missy explains. “The last two years made me realise how much I missed playing music for people so I want to get out there and do it while we all can. I’m not taking anything for granted anymore.”
Want to ✨WIN✨ framed + signed handwritten lyrics ✍️ to ‘Edge Of Something’? Order any item from missyhigginsstore.com, and fill out the competition form at missyhiggins.com/competition before March 10 to enter the draw.
Those who’ve already pre-ordered a Total Control mini-album (download / CD) OR a Total Control signed merch pack from missyhigginsstore.com, are also eligible for entry via missyhiggins.com/competition.
Missy’s new mini-album ’Total Control’ is out next Friday March 4.
Missy Higgins today announces the release of her new mini-album “Total Control”set for release on Friday March 4 and available to pre-order now.
The songs from this new mini-album pick up themes of exploitation and female empowerment that run through “Total Control” and which also dominated real world headlines last year as a string of abuse allegations emerging from Parliament House.
Appearing on the TV show “Q&A” late last year, Missy noted that the strong calls for change by leading voices like Brittany Higgins and Australian Of The Year Grace Tame had been a further inspiration for new songs like “Watch Out” and “I Take It Back”.
The mini-album’s title track – a cover of the Motels’ 1980’s classic – takes on a whole new meaning in light of this backdrop and is sure to be a live highlight of Missy’s forthcoming shows.
The “Total Control” mini-album was inspired initially by musical fragments Missy pieced together to fit certain scenes in the ABC’s Total Control soundtrack. What started as brief instrumentals gradually grew lyrics and some expanded into full songs across 2020 and 2021. Missy’s unusually deep association with the show included lead single “Edge Of Something” which featured as the main promo for Season Two.
The program has attracted worldwide acclaim with The Wall Street Journal applauding “…its biting vision of the prevailing codes, and what passes for right and wrong in political society.”Stuff NZ said: “Total Control offers a scathing examination of Australian politics [and] a clarion call for social justice” and said the music was “a magnificent showcase for the songwriting and singing skills of Missy Higgins”.
Over coming months Missy Higgins will headline two separate touring festivals at once – the beachy “Summersalt” and a new all female event called “Wildflower”. The beloved singer/songwriter will also play gigs in cities from Darwin to Torquay, from Birdsville to Broken Hill.
Aptly enough Missy ushered in 2022 with a pre-fireworks performance of the title track on ABCTV’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza – literally starting this busy year with a bang.
“Like lots of people I guess I’m trying to make up for lost time”, Missy explains. “The last two years made me realise how much I missed playing music for people so I want to get out there and do it while we all can. I’m not taking anything for granted anymore.”
Well, yet again, god it’ll be good to get this year behind us, huh. I hope you can all find some joy and connection with each other finally over this holiday season. It’s so hard to know what we can look forward to at the moment and what the future holds, but I have a feeling we can safely say that things ain’t going back to what they were. These shows next year will be our chance to dance, sing and shake off the shit show that has been the last two years! To quote myself, the Machine has Started up again, and it ain’t stopping till us ladies sing, and not even then damnit. I’m so bloody excited to get out there and play for you all. I’ve missed it terribly. There’ll be plenty of new songs being played, like my latest single Edge Of Something, as well as of course the good ol’ hits from days of yore.
Below are the show dates (so far) booked for next year, hopefully there is one near you (unless you live in Timbuktu) and I will see you there!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all you lovely people. And on the theme of being festive, my good friend Ben Abraham and I have recorded a little ditty to soundtrack your bon-bon popping and pudding scoffing. If you’d like to check it out here’s the link: https://benabraham.lnk.to/HYAMLC
Sending love and can’t wait to see your faces next year.
Missy
xx
UPCOMING SHOWS
Sun Dec 19Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point QLD (with Paul Kelly) Sat Jan 29Lighthouse Festival, Norah Head NSW Sat Feb 5SummerSalt Festival, Royal Botanic Gardens, Hobart TAS Sun Feb 6SummerSalt Festival, Royal Botanic Gardens, Hobart TAS – SOLD OUT
Sat Feb 12 By The C, Torquay Common, Torquay VIC (with Icehouse) – SOLD OUT Sun Feb 13Stomping Of The Grapes, Gerringong NSW Sat Feb 19SummerSalt Festival, Coffs Harbour NSW Sun Feb 20SummerSalt Festival, Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta QLD Sat Feb 26SummerSalt Festival, Stage 88, Canberra ACT Sun Feb 27SummerSalt Festival, North Gardens, Ballarat VIC – SOLD OUT Sat Mar 5Castelli Estate, Denmark WA Sun Mar 6SummerSalt Festival, The Esplanade, Fremantle WA Sat Mar 12Wildflower Festival, Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley VIC Sun Mar 13SummerSalt Festival, Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla NSW Sat Mar 19Wildflower Festival, Riverstage, Brisbane QLD Sun Mar 20 By The C, Keirle Park, Manly (with Icehouse) NSW Mon Mar 21Great Southern Nights, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul NSW Sat Mar 26SummerSalt Festival, Mildura VIC Sun Mar 27SummerSalt Festival, M.O Moran Reserve, St Kilda VIC Sat Apr 2Wildflower Festival, Roche Estate, Hunter Valley NSW Sat Apr 16Bluesfest, Byron Bay NSW
Sat May 7 Munro Martin Parklands, Cairns QLD Sat May 28Darwin Amphitheatre, Darwin NT (with Icehouse) July 5-7Big Red Bash, Birdsville QLD Aug 18 -20Mundi Mundi Bash, Broken Hill NSW Sat Oct 29Wildflower Festival, Craigmoor Winery, Mudgee NSW
This was such a wild experience. Not only to play live music for the first time in ages, but to do it in such a magical zen kind of a place: The Peninsula Hot Springs. In one of the songs I’m literally performing on top of a hot springs bath with my feet in the 45 degree water (!!), while watching the sun going down and a 360 degree view over the velvety rolling hills. It was other-worldly. @thesoundau just make the coolest live music videos, I love this show so much. Tune in this Sunday to see my performance and heaps of other great artists perform in crazy beautiful places.
I really loved singing this duet with Mark Seymour, a song from his brilliant album Slow Dawn, called The Whole World is Dreaming. Mark and his band filmed a live version of the whole album during one of Melbourne’s many lockdowns, (shot exquisitely in a very empty Forum theatre), which is airing on @abctv Plus soon. And we are releasing the live recording of The Whole World is Dreaming. Please enjoy and I *highly* recommend checking out his album if you haven’t already 💚
The video to ‘Edge Of Something’ is here! Live footage of me singing this song (at home in my study because, well where else would I possibly be right now?!) woven through footage from Season 2 of Total Control by the genius ABC editor Hilary Campilan, makes for such a powerful video for this song.
Writing for Deborah Mailman, Rachel Griffiths (and many more amazing women in the show) and the fierce and complex characters they all portray was truly a bloody joy. Watching their faces on the screen in front of me every day on repeat as I was writing felt incredibly relevant. Like I was watching unfold all the impossible predicaments that women – especially women of colour – are forced into these days if they manage to claw their way into the arena. These women were choosing to keep fighting despite knowing full well that the world wasn’t set up for them yet. Elbowing their way to the front, bruised and broken but grabbing the microphone anyway. Truly an inspiration.
I’m so proud of this song and this project. And seeing as though album sleeve credits seem to be a thing of the past… I’d like to give some big shout outs to: Total Control’s producer Darren Dale at Blackfella Films, the amazing music production duo @sonarmusicofficial whom I wrote the short version of this song with for Season 1. This full expanded version featured in Season 2 features Leigh Fisher on drums, Cameron Deyell on guitar and Brendon Love on bass (who also co-produced the track, and he and I are currently making more songs together so stay tuned there!). Engineered and mixed by the magician Nao Anzai at Rolling Stock studios Collingwood.
After enduring Melbourne’s lengthy lockdowns Missy Higgins is about to start making up for lost time. She’s dropping new music tied to the acclaimed TV series “Total Control”, she’s guesting on a hip hop track by Birdz, and she’s announcing lots of summer shows including headlining the beach concert series “SummerSalt” and the new all-female festival, “Wildflower”.
“It’s been lovely to get so much ‘quality time’ with my young family over the last 18 months”,Missy explains, “but if I’ve learned anything it’s that making music keeps me sane!”
The first fresh challenge the beloved singer/songwriter set herself involved ABCTV’s triple AACTA Award winning drama “Total Control”. Several of her hits were featured in 2019’s first season plus she added vocals and lyrics to some short instrumental pieces in several episodes. During lockdowns this provided a fresh writing challenge as she sought to expand some of those short TV fragments into complete songs.
Her new single “Edge Of Something” – released today – is one of several works born out of this process. Originally an 80 second piece for the TV show it’s now been reimagined as a full song and recorded from scratch with co-producer Brendon Love (from the Teskey Brothers). To bring things full circle this new version is currently being featured in an eye catching promo for Season 2 of “Total Control” and will also make a memorable appearance in one of the new episodes.
“I’m really proud to have my music featured in this particular show”,Missy explains. “It’s a compelling drama about the challenges women face in public life so I think it’s ‘must see TV’ after all the revelations coming out of Canberra this year.”
In addition to “Edge Of Something”,Missy will soon be releasing some other new songs from the show including “Watch Out” which she teased during a recent performance on ABC’s “The Set”. The episode also featured a collaboration with Butchulla rapper, Birdz, who was a fellow guest and that association gave rise to Missy’s featured appearance on his new single “Legacy 2” which is out now.
With the release of all this new music, Missy is also planning a return to concert stages around the country. First out of the gate were announcements last week regarding her headlining some big “SummerSalt” gigs in beaches and parks across the country. More of those Covid-safe events are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.
Last week it was also announced that Missy will headline “Wildflower” a brand new all-female festival which features Kate Miller-Heidke, Kasey Chambers, Sarah Blasko, Deborah Conway, Vicki Thorn (The Waifs) & Alice Skye.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be a part of Wildflower. All the women involved are total inspirations and some were actually really big influences on me in the early days of my career,” There’s something about being on the road with so many powerful creative women, it’s so rare it kind of creates magic when it happens. I was involved in the second round of Lilith Fair in America about ten years ago and it goes down as one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, I made lifelong friends out of it. I have no doubt this will be the same, but this time showcasing to the country the huge amount of Aussie talent we have here. It’s an incredible way to get back in to playing live music again, holy moly I’ve missed it.”
As Missy sings in her new single, “I’m on the edge of something … possibly beautiful”.
Firstly, I’m beyond thrilled to announce that I’ll be involved in Wildflower Festival, touring early next year. Its an all-female line-up and all the women involved are total inspirations, some of which were actually really big influences on me in the early days of my career. There’s something about being on the road with so many powerful creative women, it’s so rare it kind of creates magic when it happens. I was involved in the second round of Lilith Fair in America about ten years ago and it goes down as one of the best experiences I ever had, I made lifelong friends out of it. I have no doubt this will be the same but this time showcasing to the country the huge amount of Aussie talent we have here. An incredible way to get back in to playing live music again, holy moly I’ve missed it.
Secondly… A NEW SONG! It’s called Edge Of Something. I’m very very proud of this song, the theme of which actually is incredibly apt when announcing alongside an all-female tour. It’s a Woman-power song, with BITE. I’ll tell you more about it later but for now I’ll tell you it’s out next Friday October 15.
Can’t wait for you to hear it and can’t wait to see you at a show 🙂
Whoo hoo very excited to announce more live shows! I’ll be playing at Summersalt Festival with a heap of great Aussie artists in Hobart on Sunday 6th February and in Fremantle on Sunday March 6th. Tickets + info: www.summersaltmusic.com.au
