A Quick Chat with Chloe Violette
Chloe Violette steps into a new chapter with Colourfast, a resilient and reflective album that blends indie pop and folk with unflinching emotional honesty. Shaped between Melbourne and regional Victoria, the record traces her shift in pace, place, and identity, moving through grief, mental health, monotony, and hope with warmth and clarity. Built on folky acoustic guitars, buttery piano, honeyed harmonies, and steady rhythms, Colourfast balances heartache with optimism, capturing the beauty in small, human moments. It marks not only an artistic evolution but a personal one, as Chloe leans fully into a life centred on music and creative practice. We caught up with Chloe to talk about the album, its journey, and what’s next.
Can you tell us what this album means to you and what you want people to take away from it?
Colourfast feels like a document of a really transformative period of my life. It was made gently and slowly over about three years between Brataualung Country in Gippsland and Naarm/Melbourne, and it was shaped not just by those places, but by a whole community of Victorian creatives who brought it to life with me. The record explores identity, grief, growth, and deep connections to people and places. I hope it offers the listener a sense of solace. A lot of the songs come from very vulnerable places, and if someone feels seen by a lyric or finds comfort in the atmosphere of a track, then it’s done what it was meant to do. More than anything, I want people to hear the care and collaboration in it and feel like they’re invited to be a part of that world too.
Who were some of your influences when making this album, and why?
The majority of the songs that feature on Colourfast were born out of prompts from a very wholesome online songwriting club I joined during lockdown. I wrote a lot of the record while listening to Laura Marling’s album Song for Our Daughter on repeat. I adore her entire catalogue, but there’s something particularly special about the intimacy and the instrumentation on that record that really inspired me. Angie McMahon was on high rotation during that period, as well as songwriters like Adrienne Lenker, Lizzy McAlpine and Phoebe Bridgers.
What’s the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?
It usually starts very privately – voice notes, scribbling down lyric ideas, or humming a melody while walking to the tram. Then I’ll sit with the guitar until something appears. The recording process on the other hand was incredibly collaborative. Josh Walton (producer) and I started recording demos of the songs and then gradually added instrumentation through jamming out with Isaac Bakker (guitar) and Lachy Wyatt (drums). We recorded in 3 main locations, New Market Studios, BellBird Studios (Collingwood) and a beautiful old school hall in Macks Creek (Gippsland). I feel like each space offered a really unique atmosphere to capture specific ideas and in turn influenced the performances and feelings of each track. I love the idea that all of those places now literally live together in harmony within the same WAV files. The recordings are like super special time capsules. I also really enjoyed being in the room and mixing with Josh. The process of adding field recordings, and choosing particular effects felt very creative – a bit like painting, mixing with a big colour palette.
What do you think makes a great album?
I love albums you can listen to from start to finish and feel like you’ve travelled somewhere – where the track sequencing matters and there’s a subtle narrative arc. I’m really drawn to cohesion across different art forms and how the music connects to the visual and emotional world of a project — everything from the album artwork, design, and even merch. That holistic approach to creating an album feels like an offering or invitation for those listeners who are curious to explore an artist’s world.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Ooft. Imagine being in a room, collaborating with David Byrne! I’m still on a high from seeing him live in January. The staging, the movement, the way he treats music as a multifaceted, theatrical experience for the audience is super inspiring. It would be so fun to get an insight into that creative process.
When not working on music, what other creative outlets do you have?
I’m the Creative Producer for Playable Streets, an incredible interactive arts company. We create really cool, participatory works with communities and in public places. I work a lot with young people, creating spaces where they can explore storytelling, music, and visual art. I love observing people’s confidence grow through allowing focus on creativity and play.
Who are some local bands we should check out?
There’s so many generous, talented local artists making and sharing really good music. A few that come to mind are Kelsey Jean and the Bad Health, Hannah Cameron, Field Dream, Gusto Gusto and Ellie Ware.
Winter or summer and why?
That’s a tough one. I love the magic of the snow and cosying up by the fire in winter. But I reckon I have to go for Summer. The season of picnics, gin and tonics, fresh stone fruit, balmy evenings and spending time by the beach. I grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, so I’m always drawn back to the ocean and that salty hair feeling.
What do you have planned now that the album is out?
I’m excited to launch the album with the band at The Grace Darling and bring the songs into a space and celebrate with the people who helped make the record. It feels like we're planning a big birthday party for something that’s been in the works for so long. After that, I’m really looking forward to playing more shows, taking some time out in the countryside, and starting the writing process again.