A Quick Chat with Serendipiti

Serendipiti is taking idealist (realist) on the road this August, headlining the 2026 Campus Revival Tour as it brings live music back to university stages across Australia. Fresh from releasing the deluxe EP in July, the rising indie pop artist brings its soaring romantic optimism and heart-wrenching lows to the stage following appearances at BIGSOUND and support slots for Thelma Plum, Infinity Song, Jem Cassar-Daley and Kyle Lionheart. Serendipiti will be joined by emerging local artists for free shows at Sydney’s Manning Bar on August 20, Wollongong Uni Bar on August 21 and QUT’s Botanic Bar in Brisbane on August 27. We caught up with Serendipiti to talk about idealist (realist), the Campus Revival Tour, and what’s next.

Looking back now that the idealist (realist) Deluxe EP is complete, what did the process of making it teach you about yourself as both a songwriter and an artist?

I’m so grateful for the entire process and i truly feel i’ve learnt so much through the trial and error process of it all.

I think i learnt a lot about the nature of building a world around your project as an artist and bringing it to life through this EP. I find I learn the most by doing, so through this creation process i feel i’ve learnt exactly how i want the Serendipiti project to feel and be.

I remember before i started i had this clear disconnect between the songs and ideas i had in my head and how to bring them into existence the way i wanted. But after this EP development - spending hours in the studio with my main collaborator Brian Butcher, learning the language of co-production, poring over reference tracks and pinterest boards and brainstorming live shows and what colours/textures/styling felt right and beyond - i feel i’ve learnt so much about the actual process of just jumping in and doing it and realising you figure it out along the way.

i’ve also just absolutely fallen in love with collaborating, in so many senses. In particular with songwriting and the way working with co-writers seems to draw different corners out of your mind (like when writing ‘Feather’ with Amela). Also getting to shape all this project intention and worldbuilding with my wonderful manager Phoebe Faye. and I’ve adored building the EP music videos - inventing these concepts and having the opportunity to work with such a magic team of creatives in breathing life to them so that they fit exactly into the feeling of the sonic worlds of the songs. I just adore building a project, and getting to collaborate to do so and i think that is what i’ve learnt the most about this whole EP process! That feeling of creative flow is everything and i already can’t wait to dive straight back in <3

The EP explores the balance between idealism and realism. How have those ideas shaped both your songwriting and your perspective as an artist over the past year?

I believe so deeply in the nature of dichotomy - it’s this concept really central to who i am and since i wanted my debut EP to reflect who i am most authentically artistically, i decided i really wanted to lean into this theme.

I truly believe there is as much light as there is dark in this world - and that where we focus our lens that we notice the most of. I think what feels so important about the idealist/realist dichotomy is that it’s about looking for that light, but in reaching that place - it’s so important to also acknowledge the realism, the dark, the hurt that you go through too - and that the two can exist side by side. I’m a girly that has my own little anxiety mental health adventures, so this concept is intertwined with everything i do, and considering i write the most about those big feelings it’s hard to articulate - it translates into my songs. I always try to find the hope in my songs, particularly in this EP - even the sadder/more conflicted songs usually have that bridge moment, that silver lining thematically (for example - within the thematic the heartbreak of ‘Kinda Fucked’ - it also honours the magic that at least i’d let myself fall in love first. A reminder that hurt and heartbreak so often evolves out of love let in, and how magic it is that you got to experience that love in the first place!)

I think because of this, it has inherently shaped my perspective as an artist too - particularly in the really special role you get to have as an artist to hopefully be able to articulate these feelings and concepts into shapes people can connect with too. It is my greatest hope that the Serendipiti project - especially this EP and the songs and live show - can be a place where people feel safe to feel exactly as they are. A place where people feel held and understood and welcome in their biggest feelings, light and dark alike. I hope it can remind people that here’s always light to be looked for, no matter what, even if it’s in the ache itself. <3

The Campus Revival Tour is designed to support emerging artists while reconnecting students with live music. How important are opportunities like this for artists starting to build a touring career?

University and Creative Australia initiatives like this are just so absolutely helpful in supporting artists to help their careers come to life. The reality of building a project and going on tour as a small independent artist is that it can be incredibly difficult, particularly from a financial standpoint - as there are so many different touch points to cover (from band accommodation to session fees to press and beyond). I am just so incredibly grateful for this opportunity and the support to be able to take my whole wonderful band on tour for the first time with this EP <3

I so truly hope that more initiatives like this are able to roll out to support independent emerging artists who may have all the passion and drive, but can so benefit from that extra support to be able to bring it all into existence. As well as that - building a community of people at shows is everything! And initiatives like this concept are magic in that they connect in with this university network (which i was so grateful to know and love when i studied!) and that ‘third space’ community feeling that university venues can have when nurtured!

As an emerging artist, what have been some of the biggest lessons you've learnt about building a sustainable career in music?

Honestly my number one lesson would have to be the power of building a beautiful team of people you trust and who believe in the project as deeply as you. You don’t have to do it all alone!! When i was trying to do it all hyper-independent on my own a few years back i found myself getting so overwhelmed and stuck in the details, but just having a beautiful manager and band and videographers who i know and trust who understand the vision helps so much to be able to collaborate and lift each other up to create the best versions of what we’re creating. It also helps you to be able to create that work/life balance (for all the aspects - admin and creating alike) which is soo important when you’re a creative outputting work all the time. (also speaking of which - something i am still learning is that rest is good and necessary for sustainability!!!)

Also just the value in being inspired by people - friends and successful artists and creatives in other fields alike. Learning from them will help you learn what you love and how you want to show up! I’ve learnt so much from so many of my closest friends about songwriting.

Also!!! Something that was pivotal to me and that i come back to probably every single day i create or work on anything is finding my ‘why.’ i took some time to journal and be really intentional with what i want my ‘why’ to be in music - writing it out on a sticky note and really getting to know it inside and out. Having that intention and motivation really clear in your mind and heart is the deepest driver with keeping moving and the sustainability of it all.

For me - my ‘why’ is really all about creating music and a project that is a safe space for feeling EXACTLY as you are - a place to feel all the feelings in all their largeness. I want to create a space where i, and anyone who listens, can feel held, understood and connected - a little more human. Coming back to this driving motivator really helps me to think with intention about every action - creating with expression and authenticity and building that space where people can feel engaged in this way, particularly anyone who might ever feel like they’re too much or don’t quite belong. It helps me remain in love with music itself and want to keep going every day <3

Alongside the performances, the project is also exploring the barriers that prevent young people from attending live music. From your perspective, what do you think needs to change to encourage more young people back into venues?

All ages access is the first that jumps to mind. I’m so grateful to have had a lot of exposure to music as young child and it has inspired me eternally in ways deeper than i can describe. Young people LOVE music, it’s so formative to finding out who you are and how you exist in the world. All ages accessibility for venues/simplifying procedures etc feels like something that is really important to look at to make shows more accessible! (I recently played my first official all ages show and it was one of my favourites EVER - there’s such a magic in the passion with which young people show up for the scene!!)

Speaking of accessibility - i’ve seen it happening a lill more in certain venues recently which i love - but creating spaces that are more accessible generally, or at least having clearly explained guides from a mobility/neurodivergence/health perspective so that they’re accessible for ALL young people. A way I’ve been really trying to nurture this has been in creating sensory corners for my headline shows with earplugs/fidget toys/incense etc - trying to create the shows as an engaging experience where people can feel welcome and safe.

Also, always more funding for tours/artists/venues, so that the industry is able to make ticketing prices more affordable and accessible for fans and show-goers without impacting artist/venue profits. In particular - support for small venues - as these are the places where emerging artists find their roots and communities and do all the formative growth!!

Beyond performing, what are you most looking forward to about travelling around the country as part of this tour?

Honestly i’m just so excited to hang out with my homies hehe <3 Very grateful to have an awesome band of rly good friends that i’m so excited to share this experience with. AND my best friends from school live in Syd so i can’t WAIT to see them at the shows. One of my new songs is about my besties so excited to sing that and probably cry hehe. Also i just LOVE being on the road and exploring - we’re detouring via the beach on the way homee!

Alsoo, i am SO so excited to just get to connect with the beautiful people who come to shows. As it may be clear from everything i am writing (lol) community and connection is everythingg to me, so being able to talk with everyone after and hear how the songs might touch their hearts is the most special ever in the world!!!

Australia's independent music scene is full of incredible talent. Who would you love to catch live sometime soon?

YES i love this question i have so many artists always who i am so excited to see. My bestest friend (and one of my biggest inspirations as a songwriter since i was like 12) has just started releasing solo music under her project ‘Vincent’ and it is INCREDIBLE. Like yes i am biased but like i am so serious when i say she is one of the most phenomenal songwriters i’ve ever encountered. I actually cry everytime i hear her songs and her live set is so so special.

There are so many other local artists who inspire me so much as creatives and friends - Neish, Roma, Chloe Jett, Maddison Kate and Effie Isobel have recently released tracks i am ADORING and can’t wait to see live. I’ve also been loving Chris Lanzon and Abby Wallace and Holly Hebe (I could go on and on and on lol the Aus music scene is just magic!)

Outside of music, are there any creative hobbies or interests that influence your artistic world?

Oh yes absolutely! Travel is everything to me. I LOVE the depth of presence you feel when you’re exploring and on the road and making each decision for what to do next moment by moment, especially when solo travelling. I always seem to be the most inspired when i’m on the move somewhere. My family is from Scotland and Norway so i am also incredibly inspired by Celtic and Medieval music and these landscapes in visual worldbuilding concepts. I adore nature and being in nature - particularly the mountains and coastlines and wild beautiful places like that and again they inspire a lot of the visuals and essence of my project. I love to roadtrip and sit with my guitar in the back of my car and it’s where i find a lot of my songs and ideas.

I also just love #hangingoutwithmyfriends hehe. I call my best friends all the time and we talk for hours about everything and nothing. i just love my People with my whole heart and they inspire everything i feel, so naturally also everything i write about.

And i journal a lot, spending a lot of time just thinking aloud onto paper and i find it really helps me to meet myself and re-meet myself all the time, helping me to know how i want to show up creatively. I also love reading and learning, the more i understand about the world the more i feel inspired to make sense of it musically.

Looking ahead, where do you hope this next chapter following the Idealist (Realist) Deluxe EP takes you?

I am already working on what’s next (my manager says i can’t say tooo much about it yet hehe) but i am SO excited about what we’ve got coming up. This first EP has explored softness a lot, i’m really excited to explore the strength that exists alongside softness in new works, with thematically bigger things and more theatrics! I also just so truly hope to be able to keep playing shows to these spaces of beautiful people feeling connected and singing the songs back together! i hope to be able to connect with more and more people who feel held by the songs and to be able to take the music to more places to share in it together. it’s everything to me and i hope to do it always! <3