When you don’t have a job but want to audition, there’s no shortage of good options
Updated April 20, 2019 12:20:22After a string of bad gigs and an unexpected change of job, a young Australian singer-songwriter is turning to his music to get his act together.
Key points:Troy Huntley has performed with his band, The Gifted, in Melbourne and Perth before moving to SydneyThe singer says the biggest challenge was being able to stay focused while performing live in a bandWith his band and songwriting, the 28-year-old is finding a new life and he’s confident his career will bounce backHe’s now on his way to Sydney to play with The Gifts for the first time.
“It’s a big change of pace for me.
It’s a bit of a different life now,” Mr Huntley said.”
When I first started out, I was just doing gigs.
I was living off my mum, and my mum was just living off the money I made from my band, so I just was living my life off of my mum.”
The Australian singer had a good time on his first gig, which was with the band The Gives, and has performed in venues across the country before.
He said he felt the biggest change was that he was now playing with a band instead of just sitting on a stage, and he was able to get away from the crowds and focus more on his craft.
“There was a lot of stress in my life,” he said.
Mr Huntley had to change his life after the gig.
“I had to move out of the house, I had to get on the road and I had a couple of jobs and I didn’t really know where I was going to live for the next couple of years,” he told ABC Radio Sydney.
“But I did it because I was getting out of my band.
I had nothing left.”
Mr Huntly said he had to adapt his approach to the gig environment.
“The biggest challenge of that was getting away from my mum and my dad, so it was just a big shift of mindset to be able to be myself and focus on what I was doing,” he added.
“That’s where the biggest struggle was for me.”
After a few gigs, Mr Huntly moved to Perth and started writing his own music.
“Once I got there I started really writing, and I started putting together the songs and writing them and I was able now to really get out of there and play the songs in my band,” he explained.
“My band really is a lot more relaxed now, and we just do more shows now, like I did a couple years ago in Perth, just a few more shows and that’s where I’ll hopefully be in a couple more years.”
Mr Harwell said it was important to be realistic about his career, but the music was good.
“At the end of the day, you have to be in your comfort zone and do what you want to do, and be comfortable in your life,” Mr Harwell added.
“And if you’re a musician and you’re happy doing it, then you can do that as well.”
What I’m trying to say to people is just because you’re performing doesn’t mean you’re doing anything.
“You’re performing to entertain yourself and people who like music, that’s all it is, and you can have it too.”
You can make more money if you write music, you can make a living if you are performing and you just have to live your life and go to gigs and play and make money.”‘
I love being a musician’Mr Huntles mother, Susan Huntley, is thrilled with her son’s career, which is now on track.”
He’s really happy doing what he does and I think he’s going to be fine for the rest of his life,” Ms Huntley told ABC radio in Perth.”
All of my thoughts are with him, and it’s all positive for him, really.
“The couple are also preparing to have a baby, and the couple is expecting a second child in the next two months.”
We are really excited about it,” Ms Harwell told ABC Sydney.
Topics:music,music-industry,arts-and-entertainment,arts,music,perth-6000,sydney-2000,actFirst posted April 19, 2019 15:27:18More stories from Western Australia