A QUICK CHAT WITH WOODES

What is the inspiration for your new EP Hibernation and how does it sit alongside or differ from your earlier release Kingdom Come?
This is the darker side of Woodes. Feels like a Star Wars moment for releases this year haha. My Kingdom Come EP was more Elle and Hibernation is 100% Woodes. Leaning into the more cinematic world. I see it fitting alongside my songs “Run For It” and “How Long I’d Wait”. I have always wanted to be able to make music for film and trailers, and this was me exploring that more in depth. Woodes has always been a stronger version of myself and this was an opportunity to see how big I could make her.

Is there a theme or central point within this record? Where did it grow from, and how did it come about?
Pursuit of a dream. Finding internal strength. Anger. Letting go.

What was the creation of this record like? Take us through the process!
It was very intuitive. Lots of experiments with sound design and dark bass sounds. “Heavenly” was pulled from the bridge of “War Cry”, where I felt like it needed to be a full song rather than just a moment in a song. It felt playful to be able to create reprises and really take the ideas to their full potential.

What is your favourite memory from writing and creating the record?
We went all in with sound design, strings and choirs. We recorded layers of cello called ‘shit cello’ where we recorded it through distortion. “Heavenly” was a great moment too, it’s one of my favourite Woodes songs. We made the film clip just last week, when I got back from the Mallrat tour. I’d just flown from Vancouver to Sydney to Melbourne to Brisbane to Perth and then back to Melbourne in five days and I was feeling pretty delirious and grateful being back home. We went down to Mornington Peninsula, found a beautiful beach with black stones and without much planning we set out into filming a one-take clip. There were just four of us watching the sunset. I loved watching Nikki dance out of the corner of my eye – I didn’t see the full thing until we had the edit back. We all were just trusting in each other.  Everything around that song has been my favourite. I really believe in it. It all felt natural.

Who/what are your influences/inspirations? (don’t have to be just musical)
Danny Elfman. Caroline Polachek. James Blake. Star Wars. Horizon Zero Dawn. Valentino. National Parks. Earl Grey Tea. Big feelings.

What do you love about making music?
Creating new worlds and converting life experience into timestamps. This EP stems from my move to America and my love of film music, and I can hear so many of my big influences and adventures in the songs. I love music.

If you had to summarise the record in one-sentence, what would you say?
This EP is the dark side.

You’ll also be heading on a national tour in November – what can the audience expect from these shows?
I’m doing two special headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney, which will be full band. I’m putting together a cinematic show with interludes and special moments. Alongside these two dates, I’ll be doing some intimate Sofar Sounds shows in Queensland, New South Wales, and Canberra, which I will be doing solo. This is my first time doing solo shows in a while and I'm pulling apart some favourites and new songs from the EPs this year. It’ll be a night with stories and new arrangements. I’m loving preparing the two shows side by side. It’s really cool to reimagine my songs like this.