Singer making her mark

Nineteen-year-old Eatons Hill singer Zoe Quinn has known she wanted to perform since she first danced on stage in the Chai Tent at the Woodford Folk Festival.

Quinn, who released her latest single, Walking Away, on New Year’s Eve at Woodfordia, remembers the moment vividly.

“When I was four, I was dancing out the front of the Chai Tent and the artist invited me up on stage to dance. I knew from then that I wanted to be up on stage and perform,” Quinn recalls.

While most of her music to date has been what she describes as “Indie/Folk/Pop”, Walking Away, produced at Camp Mountain’s Airlock Studios – founded by Powderfinger lead guitarist Ian Haug – takes things up a notch.

Originally penned as a song about a friendship that didn’t work out, Walking Away has evolved in to an upbeat tune about relationships in general, with a dash of anger thrown in for good measure.

“It started out as being written about a friendship not working out and having realised that they weren’t really a real friend,” Quinn explains.

“The song has grown and become a lot more angry. This song was very different from my previous songs, which were more folksy – it’s more upbeat and energetic.”

Live drums change the beat

Quinn juggles working as a performing artist across the region and beyond with fulltime study for a dual degree in Design and Business at QUT and says the recording and development of Walking Way were boosted by a Moreton Bay Regional Council Regional Arts Development Fund grant.

Working with producer Cody McWaters of King Stingray fame, Quinn played acoustic and electric guitar and sang, with McWaters adding bass guitar and Finn Polbodetto the drum beat.

“It was the first time I had live drums and you can really hear it build,” Quinn says.

The release of Walking Away followed the success of her debut EP Hearts on Sleeves in 2020 and follow-up single Strange World, ahead of a year of live gigs in 2021.

“I’ve had a really great response since I released it and I’ve gained a lot more performing experience,” she says.

“I’ve spent more time writing more songs and doing more recording. Now, I’m aiming to focus more on writing a lot of songs and working on production skills as well.”

Last year Quinn graced stages at Redcliffe Kitefest, the Caboolture Festival and Suttons Beach Pavilion at Redcliffe as well as the Anywhere Festival, Woodford Bushtime and Bar Wunder in Toowoomba.

Catch her at Suttons Beach Pavilion on Sunday, January 30 from 3-6pm.

Read more local news here.