Personal politics.
Lake South: "I’m passionate about writing pop songs." Photo: Cole Eastham-Farrelly/RNZ
Lake South is philosophical about his music career, so much so that in some ways it's almost a miracle his debut album exists at all.
"I basically gave up music after I dissolved my last band Urban Tramper but I guess the art game pulled me back in. I did a web development course and I moonlight as a web developer but I’m not really that good at coding.
"I mean it’s not my passion and it’s hard to be really good at something you’re not really passionate about. There are lots of people who are really passionate about coding and I'm not one of them, I’m passionate about writing pop songs."
If You're Born on an Island, The Ocean Heals You is a collection of songs the subject matter of which ranges from very personal to outspoken and occassionally political. Part of a disillusioned generation, the songs reflect the world he see's around him.
"I was moving up to Auckland to try and get a good job but then I ended up writing a few songs and it’s hard not to write about what’s around you and what was around me at the time was people complaining about high rents and the housing situation and the government and the demise of state housing.
"In some way I guess I’m writing political songs but in other ways I’m just writing personal songs, these are just things that I’ve been thinking about and things that people my age are thinking about."
The song titles alone reflect a love for the geography of Aotearoa and the specificity of the lyrics draw the listeners into Lake's web of insights. "I think it’s really important for artists in any community to reflect the community they are in and the distilled sense of place that they’re in."
Lake South is currently wrapping up his New Zealand tour and is heading overseas.
"After the Lake South New Zealand tour I’m heading over to Nantes in a couple of weeks to record a ‘Wellington Sea Shanty Society’ album in collaboration with some friends. I’ll also do some Lake South shows there and in Belguim and then I’m heading over to Canada to live for a year.”
We wish him all the best and feel sure it will bring about some more beautiful music, he won't be able to resist.
LISTEN > Lake South on Music 101:
