Lenka – Looking For An Orchestra

By Dan Hutton on July 22, 2015 in Arts

Australian songstress and Randwick resident Lenka is truly a citizen of the world and her work has touched people in every part of the globe. Having forged a career as a film actress and television personality in her teen and early adult years, she went on to become the lead singer of the Australian seminal rock band Decoder Ring for two albums before moving to America to launch a unique and successful solo recording and songwriting career. She recently released her fourth album, The Bright Side, and The Beast was lucky enough to get a few minutes of time to fire some questions at her…

If I had to describe myself in one sentence… I’d say I’m a singer/songwriter, wife, mother, nature-lover and traveller who also dabbles in acting, craft-making and other creative pursuits, but really just prefers to be at home.

My first memory of music is… my dad and his mates playing jazz in our South Coast NSW country home. They’d jam by the fireplace and my brother and I were supposed to be in bed, but we’d stay up and listen.

Growing up my parents listed to… Trad and Dixieland jazz mostly, but they had a wide record collection with lots of 60s pop. The Beatles box set was my fave.

My dream gig… would be playing with an orchestra. Or a choir. Or both. Outside preferably, like the Hollywood Bowl if I’m really dreaming big. Or the Opera House, of course.

If you come to see me play, you can expect… to leave feeling happy.

There was one time when I was starting out… when I was sitting in a corner office of the Sony building on Madison Avenue in New York thinking ‘What am I doing here?’ while telling these big-wigs how they really should sign me and put out my records! It worked, somehow.

If I could have chosen one song to have written it would have to be… ‘Come Together’ by The Beatles (which means I would have been on acid in the 60s, I imagine). The lyrics are so random and the groove is just the coolest.

My favourite song to perform would have to be… my song ‘Trouble Is A Friend’. It’s just fun and liberating.

The best thing about the local music scene is… you don’t have to go online to access it. Most of my fan base is spread around the world so I do a lot of online activity as well as travelling. Sometimes I just long to stay close to home while still being able to continue my career.

I’ll know we have made it when… I turn back and see that orchestra!

Lenka’s new album, The Bright Side, is out now. To find out more about Lenka, please visit www.lenkamusic.com.