A Quick Chat with Shumo AG

Shumo AG is proving age is just a number with Iron Veins, a powerful bilingual single that sees the 14-year-old Queensland artist join forces with Indonesian band Batas Senja. Blending emotional balladry, melodic rock and indie folk, the track explores the tension between strength and vulnerability, building toward a soaring, cinematic crescendo. Already boasting a global audience, major international performances and an impressive catalogue of original music, Shumo takes another major step forward with this cross-cultural collaboration, bridging two musical worlds through one deeply personal song. We caught up with Shumo to talk about Iron Veins, what's next and more.

Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?

“Iron Veins” means a lot to me, first because the guitar work is such an important part of the emotion. For me, the guitar almost says things that the lyrics and vocal line cannot fully explain by themselves.

The title also means a lot. Veins should carry warmth and life, but in this song they carry something cold and heavy, almost like armour. The song is about the walls we build when we go through difficult experiences. At first, those walls protect us and help us become stronger, but over time they can become so strong that we struggle to feel joy, vulnerability, or even love.

The song explores the moment when someone realises the armour that once protected them has become a cage. It is about choosing to open up again, allowing yourself to feel, and reconnecting with the world around you.

I was also really happy that a huge band like Batas Senja connected with my original version and wanted to collaborate on the song.

Who are some of your influences, and why?

As a guitarist, I've been heavily influenced by Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Jason Becker because they combine technique with real emotion. They can play incredibly difficult things, but it never feels like showing off. It feels like they are telling a story through the guitar.

Later, when I discovered Freddie Mercury and Queen, I was completely blown away by how much emotion, power and vulnerability Freddie could put into a performance. Even today, watching old Queen concerts still inspires me.

I also listen to a lot of older music. I grew up learning songs by Metallica, Journey, The Police, The Animals and many other classic artists. I think great songs last for decades because they connect with people on a deeper level, and that's something I always try to achieve in my own music.

What's the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?

My creative process started with something I learned from St. Vincent's songwriting MasterClass. One lesson really stayed with me, her idea of “nun mode”, where you shut out distractions completely and focus only on the song for many hours.

She explained that for her, it can take around eight hours of deep focus. I started applying that idea in my own way. I go into my studio room, close the door and focus only on one specific song idea for hours with a guitar in my hands. After a while, everything else starts to fade, the room, distractions, even time, and my brain becomes fully focused on the mood, melody and emotion of the song.

It doesn’t always work. There have been many sessions where I spent several days in the studio and came out with no strong melody, riff or song idea. But I think that is part of the process too.

Usually, I start with a mood, object, image or story first. Then I find the melody, often through guitar. The lyrics normally come much later, when the song is almost finished and I finally understand what it is really trying to say.

What do you think makes a great song?

I think a great song makes people feel something real. It doesn't have to be technically difficult or have complicated lyrics. Some of the most powerful songs ever written are actually quite simple.

I listen to a lot of older music, and one thing that always amazes me is that songs written 30, 40 or even 50 years ago can still connect with people today. For me, a great song is one where the melody, lyrics and performance all work together to tell a story or create an emotion. If people still remember how a song made them feel years later, then I think the songwriter has done something special.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

If I could collaborate with any artist, I think I would choose Eminem. He was one of my inspirations from early childhood, especially because of his storytelling. I even tried to study how to write rap lyrics in his style, and I found it extremely hard because he uses so many rhyme patterns, internal rhymes, cross-line rhymes, syllable counts and small details that most people probably don’t notice at first.

What I admire most is that his songs don’t just have a huge vibe, they also tell real stories. I think a collaboration with him would be amazing because rap can mix beautifully with emotional singing and melodic rock when it is done well. Songs like Love the Way You Lie show how powerful that combination can be.

When not working on music, what other creative outlets do you have?

Besides writing new songs and practising guitar and vocals, my other main creative outlet is producing music content. I spend many hours doing live recording sessions from my studio or sometimes from my garden, playing guitar, covering songs and performing my originals.

My parents manage my social pages, so we usually need around four or five music videos each week. Because of that, creating content has become a big part of my creative life too. During school holidays, I also usually have concerts, collaborations or live performances, so even when I’m not writing a new song, I’m still finding ways to create and share music.

Who are some local bands we should check out?

Powderfinger is definitely one local band people should check out. I love many of their songs, especially These Days. Even though the song came out a long time ago, I remember hearing it many times on Saturday nights from neighbourhood parties, and it always felt like one of those songs that everyone somehow knows.

I think that is what makes a great local band special. Their music becomes part of people’s memories, not just something you listen to once. Powderfinger have that kind of connection with Australian audiences.

Winter or summer and why?

Winter, definitely.

Partly because I have a lot of great memories of winter from visiting Ukraine when I was younger. But I also find winter much more creative. When it’s cold, rainy and the days are shorter, I naturally spend more time with a guitar in my hands, writing songs or working on ideas.

I also love snow. Living in Australia, you don't get to see it very often, so it still feels special every time I do.

What else do you have planned for 2026?

2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years of my life so far. I'll be travelling to Jakarta to perform Iron Veinslive with Batas Senja, which is something I'm really looking forward to after spending months working on the collaboration together.

I'll also be attending Prodigy Camp in the United States in July, where I'll have the chance to learn from mentors and work with other young songwriters from around the world. Beyond that, I want to keep releasing original music, performing whenever my school schedule allows and continuing to grow as a songwriter, guitarist and vocalist.

I'm also starting to think about bigger projects like my first EP or album. I still have a lot of stories I want to tell, and I think people will hear some new sides of me in the songs that are coming next.

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Interviewsaustralianmusicscene5 June 2026