A Quick Chat with Magdalia

What is the message behind the track?

I wrote this always intending it to be a duet with Kaylah Jordyn, and was lucky enough to write with Olivia Regueira-Garcia again. I was Kaylah’s singing teacher, and we worked together until she finished Year 12, then I trained her to teach her own students. I had heard the song ‘Nothing New’ by Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers, which was discussing how women are often seen as having an expiry date and are replaced by younger women, especially in the music industry, where youth is highly sought after. I really wanted to write something that encapsulated our relationship as teacher and student as well as friends, highlighting how we try to give the best parts of ourselves to those we love.

Can you tell us how this song differs to your previous release?

I think that it’s a much more robust sound, particularly in the chorus, because we’re supported by the choir. The lyrics use a lot more repetition than I’m used to, so that was a fun difference that I enjoyed playing around with. The song is influenced by The Sound of Silence by Dami Im and Nothing New by Taylor Swift/Phoebe Bridgers so the lyrics are always telling a story. It’s a little less dancey than the last song but features a perspective shift that keeps you on your toes.

What was it like working with Kaylah as well as some of your other students?

Kaylah was one of my first students and is someone I’m extremely proud of. Watching her grow into the young woman that she is has been one of the pleasures of my life. I know that I can ask her to do pretty much anything and she’ll be able to handle it. I think that getting to have our students on the track furthers the idea of passing parts of yourself onto people. For a lot of them, it was the first time they’d been in a recording studio environment so there were a lot of nerves, but Seetali worked her magic and made everyone feel so comfortable and confident. There were lots of smiles and excitement on the day, which made it really fulfilling to see.

How has it been having Kaylah as a student, to then be working with her on your music and in your day job?

Kaylah was always so wonderful to teach because she’s super enthusiastic and a really hard worker. It’s a really interesting experience watching someone grow up and follow their dreams knowing that you had even a small part to play in it. Watching her get to have a similar experience now as a teacher and seeing her interacting with her own students is very fulfilling and something I’m very proud of.

What have you got planned next for your music?

I’m super excited to release my debut EP in early 2026, which will be accompanied by a launch concert. I’ve also just released the live video for Pieces of Me, which is something I’m really proud of. I’m hoping to get out and perform my original music a lot more and connect with my listeners in person.

And what have been some of your highlights from this year?

Pieces of Me and its recording is definitely a massive highlight for me because it involved so many amazing people. I’ve also been able to release a couple of other singles that I’m really proud of, and have been aiming to be more consistent in releasing, which is often quite difficult for independent artists. Last year, I was nominated for a Music Victoria Amplify Award and was lucky enough to be invited to participate in Bakehouse Studios’ Artist in Residence Program, where I got to use their amazing Scrap Museum to film two live performance videos, which was a dream come true!