Q&A: WENDY MATTHEWS

Meet Wendy Matthews, much-loved singer and Australian music icon

NAME: WENDY MATTHEWS

OCCUPATION: SINGER-SONGWRITER

COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA

INTERVIEW BY: EMILY HUMPHREY

This will be your first Big Red Bash. Have you seen much of outback Australia?

I haven’t been to the outback for quite a few years. Visits and exploring trips used to happen every few years. There’s nothing like sleeping under the outback stars.

You’ve been in the business for many years. Does performing still excite you today as it did in the early days of your career?

Not in the same way but yes, it still excites me. It’s a different kind of excitement to learning things and finding your way than it is to bring years of experience and knowing your craft.

Favourite holiday destination?

Barcelona or Edinburgh. Or home. I live on 10 acres with my dog and love time here.

Best place you’ve ever performed in?

Some amazing old theatres in Europe, the rock gorge in Tasmania with an orchestra, on a pontoon on a lake under a full moon with swans swanning around in the water.

You’ve toured a lot. What’s the best way to get acquainted with a new city?

Walk. Everywhere.

You left home at 16 to pursue your love of singing. Clearly it worked! But, what would you be doing if you weren’t making music?

When I was little, and clearly a little confused, I wanted to be a painting, figure skating veterinarian.

Any up and coming musicians we should keep an eye on?

James Bennett is a favourite of mine. He’s done a few tours with us over the years and I had the pleasure of singing on some tracks from his last album which I think was his third.

You have 24 hours to show a visiting friend around Coffs Harbour. Where will you take them?

I am 20 minutes north of Coffs Harbour in the hinterland, and yet I'm on the coast. It’s one of the few places where the rainforest goes all the way down to the ocean. So we’d have to share something amidst the Norfolk pines down at the beach reserve, go to the jetty for fish and chips straight off their boats, to the flora and fauna hiking trail, and down to the Twilight Food Market on the beach for a taste of everything from all over the world. It seems it’ll revolve around food.

What’s next for you?

After such a solitary year, I find myself very busy and not taking any of it for granted. I’ll finish the APIA Good Times tour in August, along with Kate Ceberano, and I'm doing shows in all states with Grace Knight and writing for my next record, along with touring with my own band.

Wendy Matthews will be performing at the Big Red Bash (July 6–8), an outback music festival at the Big Red Dune, on the eastern edge of Queensland’s Simpson Desert. Tickets are available here.

PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Williams