Adelaide singer-songwriter Paige Court, better known as MANE, has an impressive track record for a 22 year old. Her recent single ‘Tinder’s Flame’ reached number 12 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart, she’s nominated for an SA Music Award, and she’s just completed a tour across the United States with much more to come.
Tell us about growing up and your introduction to music.
I always loved music growing up but I didn’t pick up a guitar and start playing until I was about 16. I come from a non-musical family and for a long time I was a competitive swimmer so that took up a lot of my time. It wasn’t until I quit that I had the time to really indulge in creating music.
Who are your biggest influences as a musician?
I have a lot of different musical influences. It’s hard to pick one in particular because I listen to a variety of different genres but at the moment I’m really digging Montaigne and Meg Mac. The sound of White Album by Missy Higgins really blew me away when it first came out, and it still does, but at the time it really pushed me as a songwriter. I think she’s great!
How has touring internationally shaped you as a person?
It’s a really cool thing to take your music to another country and see how they receive it. I’ve been fortunate enough to play some really cool shows over here with great audiences. Two of the four shows sold out and those two shows in particular were unreal: pin-drop silence and insanely attentive crowds. It’s the perfect situation when you’re playing your own music in a country you have never toured before.
What has been your most memorable performance and why?
That’s a tough question. I’ve played a couple of cool festivals with great line-ups which is always fun but I think it might have to be the show I played in Nashville last week at the Bluebird Cafe. It’s been a venue on my bucket list for a long time!
Did studying media arts give you a clearer view of what you wanted to do?
Studying media arts was great. It’s a very hands-on course and I learned a lot from it. Being a musician it’s pretty useful to do a course that has a lot of relevance to stuff like event management, production, sound tech and performing. It was kind of perfect, really.
If you could have dinner with one musician, who would it be?
I would have to say Bob Dylan. I think he’s a wild songwriter – one of my favourites in fact. I would love to hear his stories throughout his career as I’m sure he has some pretty crazy ones!
What’s your best advice for other Adelaide artists trying to get a break?
My best advice would be to keep honing your craft, write as much as you can, network, be willing to learn about the industry and how to go about things such as releasing music. Also, be willing to invest in your career and take risks.
Keep up with MANE at facebook.com/manemusicoffcial
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