Get to know Rachael Comte, who just dropped her tender debut album, Where I've Begun

Where I've Begun is the debut album from Melbourne-based singer/songwriter Rachael Comte, and it's a warm, gentle offering that offers a beautiful, honest insight into her world. Although her she's relatively new on the scene in terms of her solo career, her delicate brand of solo acoustic with some gentle productions flourishes finds her comfortably sitting alongside contemporaries such as Stella Donnelly and Angie McMahon.

We sent Rachael a few questions to find out a little more, so grab a cuppa, hit play on Where I've Begun and learn a little more about her below:

Tell us about yourself?

Whoa, hefty question! Well, I love making music and connecting with people through music. One of my favourite things of all time is community choirs. I run one in Thornbury and love singing with lots of people and creating spaces where people feel safe enough to experience something new through engaging with music. I hope that my original music is an extension of that.

What kinda tunes we talkin’?

Jazzy, folky, heart-wrenching, singer/songwriter vibes.

Production/writing process:

Most of the songs I wrote on guitar either in my bedroom or on solo retreats with my dog in various AirBnBs across Victoria! The songs all came pretty naturally and wrote themselves which was nice, they didn’t require a lot of time editing or mulling over lyrics.

In terms of the production, Andy and I recorded all of the tunes as demos in November 2017 and I was going to release them in their raw form, but after listening to them a few times, Andy was convinced we needed to do it properly. The production is still very minimalist and acoustic, with few instruments and really focused on the voice and guitar. Andy has added in some subtle effects in post production, but the emphasis is really on the voice and guitar to let the songs speak for themselves.

Can you tell us about your new album, Where I’ve Begun?

Well, it’s my first solo album and I’m really proud of it! It captures a few heartbreaks and a lot of learning. I’d also made albums before with different bands, my own and my friends, but this one is really honest and exposed, and feels like it’s a starting point for the type of music I want to keep making.

Any shows coming up?

Yes! I’ve got my Melbourne album launch coming up on December 14th at the Wesley Anne. I’m also playing a few regional shows, one in my home town Seymour that my Mum has booked for me! Mum the band manager! But that will be great too. Following that I’ll be doing a few support acts here and there.

What’s the rest of the year have in store?

Album launch, a few more shows, and then some serious down time over January with my family, friends and my dog Milla!

Where can we hear more of your music?

It’s available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube. I’ll also have my records available for sale through my WEBSITE, and stocked at Think Thornbury.

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