Tori Forsyth – Australian Country Voice at Laurel Cove

When you lose your [Applause] love, crashing, hearts get broke, tables turn, you lose, you learn. This is the Rugger Revival podcast, the home of the UK's country Americana roots music community. I am one of your hosts, Ronnie. And joining me tonight on the rugged revival is my brother from another bad decision. He's the kind of guy who's seen it, done it, and broke it and come out laughing on the other side. He's got a heart of gold, or gold where one would be if he had one. Uh, and a mouth that sometimes needs a warning label and enough wild stories to make a campfire jealous. The rugger revival himself, Mr. TJ. Hello, mate. You got to stop having GPT uh write your jokes and your your intros, mate. Never. I don't need that. I don't need that. One, I wouldn't know how to use it. And two, I don't need it. Um anyway, now Tori, I have to say that I've been ill recently. Um and I'm waiting for the a No, I didn't think you were going to do that. Um and I've obviously been inundated with cards and flowers and as you can imagine, which I haven't. Um and you know what TJ's done for me? absolutely nothing. So, on that note, I'm thrilled to introduce the incredibly talented and inspiring Australian singer songwriter, Tori Forsythe. Uh, now, if I've done my maths right, it's about 6:00 a.m. where you are. Is that right? Correct. He is very correct. We are incredibly grateful uh for you to come on so early. Uh, and we'll try to ease you into the day with a few laughs. Um, but this podcast is all about Tori and how great you are. Um, so welcome to the Ruger Revival, Tori. Um, please can you just introduce yourselves and tell the listener yourself, sorry, and tell the listeners uh how you describe your style of music? Well, firstly, thank you so much for having me. I'm up early usually, but today I was like, okay, this is early for a for a chat, so I am hoping that you guys aren't going to throw me any uh, you know, left field questions, but uh, so yes, Tori here, one of me. And um I my music is uh it's it's always such a hard question and I know it should be easy especially having done this for like over 10 years now but it always stumps me. I can never eloquently articulate what what music what style of music I do because I feel like it's such a mismash of different genres but at its core it's country music. Um, and it has t tinges of different influences. So, um, I have rock songs, I have more folky songs, but at the core it's lyrics, it's storytelling, it is country music. Brilliant. Tori, thank you very much. And again, welcome on to the Ruger Revival. Uh, you're a bit like us where we can't really work out what we are. So, that's why we've got the longest intro uh for any podcast that you've ever seen. So, um, anyway, so as with every show, uh, on the Ruger Revival, uh, I love to ask artists some questions about their backgrounds and where you started life. So, if you wouldn't mind sharing with us, uh, where you grew up, what life was like for you as a child, um, and up to your teenage years, if you wouldn't mind sharing that with us. Yeah, sure thing. So, I grew up, um, on the central coast in New South Wales. I grew up um my parents split pretty early on. So I had kind of uh suburban life and country life growing up. So my dad bought um maybe I can't remember was between 10 and 20 acres and we had horses. Um and I grew up riding horses. that was very much a big part of my childhood was riding horses and um I feel like that was pivotal for the way that I view the world. I feel like if you're growing up in that environment, the world looks a little different. Um particularly in a suburban area, so it wasn't exactly a country town. It was a coastal town, but I grew up very much um you know with country values I guess because my parents had us out of bed very early as which is why I wake up really early to feed the horses, do the chores, all that kind of thing uh before we went to school. So um my childhood was pretty straightforward. Um, and then I hit high school and I wasn't exactly academic, so I didn't exactly thrive in high school. Uh, I was a creative person and I think, um, when I was in high school, they didn't really cater for creatives. Um, it was very much an academic school and I did not I did not do well. Um, and so that yeah, brings me into teenage years and I was kind of a [ __ ] Fair play. Brilliant. That's it. Um, right. I thought there was more to it. Yeah, I was waiting. It's fine. That's great. So, how did how did music come into your life? How did you What What did you start listening to? What did you What did you start getting involved in? When did you know that music was was here for you? I feel like I started writing little songs in my head quite early. Um, I remember just singing to myself little songs and I was a very shy kid, so I didn't share that I was that I could sing for a long time. It wasn't until I I did music in high school and um it was the only subject I got a C in it. I didn't exactly do well in music either, but um it was the only subject that I did okay in. And um I I did this school concert and I faced the back wall and sung a paramore song and my dad was like, "Oh, okay. She can sing." So that's where I kind of um showed that I had an interest in it and started to uh kind of explore what that looked like for me. So I started getting singing lessons and just not really taking it very seriously. Um but as far as influencers, I my family are very big music lovers. They're not musical. Um, my dad can sing, but they're not exactly part of creative um industries. Uh, so I grew up listening to a lot of country music. A lot of um a lot of the more like ' 90s poppier country music like G Brooks, Faith Hill. Um, and then I was heavily uh Fleetwood Mack was quite prominent in in my house growing up as well. um and artists like Jewel and um Elvis was huge in my house growing up. So, it was kind of a bit of a a melting pot of genres, which I think is why I've got such an interest in so many different um sounds. That's such a diverse mix and it's uh it know it's incredible. I know that a lot of people when they come on they say, "Right, these are the two people that I used to listen to. These are the people that inspired me." Um so, it's so good that you've got such a diverse mix on it. Um, so I know that I've seen you obviously playing the guitar. Is there any other musical instruments that you can play? Is there any you sort of got a big musical instrument background? Do you Is there something that you would want to play? No. Um, no. I I did grow up uh I taught myself I have this like Casio keyboard. I've still got it, but I taught myself um how to play it first um just through YouTube. Uh, so I would, it was when dialup was a thing. So I would like get on YouTube, pause it, and then wait for it to buffer and then just watch the same video because it was loaded over and over again, which was great because it taught me how to uh to play basics on on the keyboard. Um, that was kind of my first instrument. I wouldn't tell you I'm a piano player by any stretch. Like I'm not very good at that at all. But yeah, guitar is pretty much my main instrument as far as live shows. Um, but you know, I I feel like at my core I'm a a vocalist. Um, the guitar just helps me write the songs and I get away with it. I wouldn't I wouldn't say I'm a guitar player or anything like that, but I do get away with it. No, it's brilliant. Thank you. And and that's great. Thank you for sharing that. Um, so I just wanted to I know that we obviously we've listened to you on the research we've been doing. We've been listening to you quite a bit. Um, there's a lot of YouTube videos that I love about YouTube. I love I love going through the videos and different recordings that people have got um of the artists that we interview. But can you tell us what do you think sets you apart from everyone else in today's music scene? Quite a few things. I feel like I've always sat a bit on the outside. So for me, I'm kind of stubborn in the fact that I I won't I won't do anything unless I really want to do it. Um I have had moments in my career where I have caved and it's made me feel unwell. So for me where I'm at now, I I think what sets me apart is there's nothing that I'm putting out. I've actually I've never put out a song or anything musical that hasn't been 100% what I want to do at the time. Um, so I think for me lyrics and songs is really important and in the country music world songwriting and collaboration is a huge part of that. And I've always actually really struggled with co-writing. So, you know, I I haven't been stubborn in the way of I want to write my all my music and that's it. I've tried the co-rite route. It never comes out like I I can never express myself comfortably in that situation. So, everything I contribute to for me in my opinion isn't great. Um, so that would probably set me apart as well and and probably takes me out of maybe some circles just because I do better work alone. Um, and I've always said, you know, I'm open to the co-writing thing, however, it's not I haven't been proud enough of anything yet to be able to release it. Um, and I do think that because of the influences and having so many influences that kind of does push me a little bit about side of being able to easily kind of slot me into a place, which I think in a world of social media can make things a little tricky. That's uh that's a great answer to that question. I I've asked quite a few artists that and everybody goes well uh uh so well done for six o'clock in the morning and that is great. That's that's an epic answer. Um I'm going to end with one last question which is a bit of a a weird question really. Um but I'm going to answer it anyway. So um if you had to make a motto or a slogan for you and your family, what would it be? That is a You said no left field questions. That was I know that's a left field question. Um a motto. Oh man. Um maybe passion first. I think I was raised to follow without sounding completely cheesy but to follow my dreams and um everything we do I think is from passion. uh that's definitely been passed down to me and is definitely something that I carry on. So yeah, passion first and uh logic later. Amazing. I love it. Thank you so much for that. TJ, I'm going to hand over to you. Yeah, I don't have left field questions. I'm kind. So uh sort of left field, is it? Or is it just different? If you think about it, you could put that on merch, couldn't you? So uh Ronny's giving you some merch ideas at the very least. Thank you so much. Absolutely. So, uh, no, sometimes we get a bit nervous when when guests come on, particularly when, uh, they're quite articulate. So, it's surprising to hear you say you didn't do too well at school because going through your socials, you know, you're into your poetry and you you articulate yourself very well, unlike me and Ronnie. Um, so, thank you. I appreciate that. We've had some guests on before and they've said some words and Ronny's face has just gone blank and like big ones like that. He's he's secretly googling what what the what the hell they've said. Um and you've got your own podcast as well. So um you know you're obviously a good aator. Is that the right word? Um so you've got your podcast called In the Thick of It with Tory Fight, which people should check out. And uh I love the bio on it. Made made us think that we should improve our bio, but it says it's about cultivating wellness, doing business, and maintaining inner peace as modernday creatives. So, um, I like that and I thought, yeah, ours is a bit [ __ ] Ronny. So, blown it out the water. I think we need to drop the mic slightly. So, before we go into the music, what what is your podcast primarily about? Obviously, you mentioned those few things, but who have you had on and what you kind of speak about? I kind of started it out of feeling like there was a bit of a gap in between uh just for as an artist resource. I mean, I have I've been to a few and I've spoken at a few different kind of retreats. I've spoken at a few different panels for uh you know, creativity, songwriting. Um I've spoken at mental health panels before because of my history and my I guess my openness about the topic and and things like that. Um, and I just felt like there was a bit of a gap for artists having an actual resource for information. And I kind of I jumped I jumped straight into it. I didn't think too much about it because I was like, if I'm going to do it, I'm just going to have to start and then, like I said, figure it out later. Um, but I wanted to have deeper conversations with people within the Australian music community to be able to unpack what what we're dealing with here. um because there are particular challenges in Australia that I feel maybe the you know other parts of the world don't generally um face because we are quite far away and um the culture here is is part of I guess navigating the industry right now and um I wanted to have those conversations in a a deeper way not just that I feel everyone's very surface level very careful what they want to say these days. And it, you know, you show up to these panels or in these rooms and you want to learn something and you walk away going, "Well, I'd learned nothing that I didn't already know." And everyone was just being very careful with the information they were giving cuz I don't want to get in trouble or step on toes. I wanted to kind of try to sit people down and drag things out of them that we have in private conversations mostly with a lot of everyone on my podcast is a friend of mine that I've known for a long time that works within the industry. So, it was easy for me to be able to kind of dig out some gold from them. So, I wanted to just have that side of it, but also health and wellness and uh mental health have been huge factors over uh my life. And I've had health issues. I've had mental health um come up over the course of um my life as well. And navigating that can be really difficult. Um, and I think sharing it from the very specific perspective of a creative trying to navigate um, the way that we're dealing with everything right now. I mean, the fact that we have to be wear every hat, um, be social media experts, be marketing experts, be the ones writing and creating and putting it out there and, um, just really slugging it to try and get to where we want to go. Um, that in of itself is taxing and then you add the rest of life things that can be really difficult, too. So, just wanting to share tips, things that I've been through, experiences, um, and just trying to to balance it all out. And there's no real perfect balance. I don't think balance is necessarily always achievable but just trying to remind people that you know whilst being a musician it can be um it lends itself to that narrative of like rock and roll let's drink ourselves stupid and um you know have party 24/7 whereas that like we've seen historically that doesn't last that that's got a very limited lifespan as far as being doing that all the time and um just trying to I guess make it not dorky to want to take care of yourself. Um having fun too obviously, but just not making it uh I guess without using a buzz word but normalizing it a little more. And uh hopefully just by sharing these conversations people have like a a thought and then they go okay it just inspire just to inspire some sort of a thought process. That was a really long answer but I hope it answers your question. It it does. No and um that a lot of that resonates with me and Ronnie because you know the conversations that we like to have um go along those lines too. So it's not just about, you know, speaking at you as an artist and we just go for the same kind of mundane questions. We we try to get behind what it's like being an artist, whether you're independent, emerging, or an established artist. And you know, like you said, there's there's intense highs, there's intense lows sometimes. And there's lots of unique uh issues that people face that you just don't see behind the veneer of, you know, social media sometimes. And we've had some incredible guests on that revealed stuff that we never thought they would. You know, we had one one chap on that uh explained he was adopted and, you know, how that kind of impacted his life and and how he became a musician. And so I I think your your podcast is fantastic and I think it's a a great place where people should check out because there's not many of those conversations happening from from how you describe it. So brilliant. Where where can we find it? Is it on on Apple? Is it on Spotify? Yeah, it's on all your regular streaming suspects platforms, uh, Apple, Spotify. Yeah, I appreciate that a lot. And I think, you know, sometimes I think people are scared to to be too transparent, uh, in these conversations as well with the fear of it being used against them. And I I kind of thought, well, if I want to hear it, so if I maybe start doing it, more people be inclined to share those important things. Absolutely. No, good on you. And uh you touched upon the Australian scene as well, so it's kind of a good segue. Ronny loves that word. Um because I don't know what it means, but but um it sounds good though. But um it's a good segue into the Australian scene because normally we have I mean we said you were the very first Australian artist to come on. So it's really great to speak to you on in that sense. Uh, normally we ask UK artists or US artists what what the scene is like there and what their kind of personal experience of it is like. So I'm going to ask you the same question cuz the Australian scene is quite unknown to us. We we we know there's a lot of good artists there and um historically over the years you've had some amazing bands, you know, like AC/DC and the usual kind of uh stuff and I know punk's really taken a resurgence in recent years with bands like Amile and the Sniffers who are a favorite of mine going off piece from country but uh but yeah, what's what's your kind of interpretation of the Aussie scene? It's interesting because because we are so far away, we kind of get information last. I feel like we're all just not in music, but with the world, we kind of take we're the last to know, I guess. Um, even with social media, it does feel like we catch on a bit later uh for for what's going on around the world. But it's it's been very interesting to navigate particularly since co people uh I don't know if this is I do think it might be a global thing but people are less inclined to leave the house but with live music and and supporting live music and that kind of thing. Um but I think the biggest sort of thing we face here is the tall poppy syndrome. Have you heard of that before? No. So tall puppy syndrome is like um people if you're doing well, people tend to want to cut the poppy off, like cut you down. Um and they want to knock you down a couple of pegs is kind of what they say here. Um so it it does have that and that kind of bleeds into small things. So in the States, I know that I I see a very stark difference in celebrating yourself and celebrating other people. here. It's a bit more difficult for that celebration because it's kind of it's so ingrained into us as Australians to not want to gloat or speak out about our accomplishments or um it it's like humble to a detriment uh down here. So, I feel like that in the last few years, I've realized that's such a huge issue here because that kind of keeps everyone at this um I guess like watered down version of of what could could be of an industry. Um and but on the flip side of that with country music, it's in the last five years grown exponentially. um fans are cottoning on to it a bit more um different with Zack Bryan and and things like music like that. It's grown the genre and the audiences that are able to go out and see music and things like that. So, it's kind of like yes, it's growing 100%, but I still feel like it's got that real tall poppy thing going on. um which I hope I hope it just kind of goes away eventually but it is very ingrained in us as Australians. So yeah, I I think you guys are very similar to to the Brits in that sense in that uh yeah you you it's almost like you can't promote yourself too much otherwise it seems like an egotistical thing whereas the Americans don't seem to care and I love that we we kind of latch on to that confidence and that you know who gives a [ __ ] attitude. Let's just put it out there and if you like it you like it. If you don't like it, it's fine. You know, go and find your own kind of crowd and your own people. You you'll find them eventually. But, uh, no, it's really interesting to kind of hear about that scene. And, you know, we we first were introduced to you for a mutual friend, um, and fellow music geek or afficionardo as we like to be called. But, um, so he he yeah, he introduced us, which was great. And um I'm I'm glad because the the music and the stuff that you've been putting out is fantastic and I think it's worthy of being platformed and talked about and celebrated regardless of the tall poppy syndrome and all of that stuff going on. Um which I think is another good segue um to talk about your own music and then we'll go into some of the things that you're doing this year because there's some really exciting things uh for you particularly going on and we'd love to kind of explore that. But I think I'm going to hand over to Ronnie to talk about it because he's got a particular favorite song as well uh that he was telling me about before before you come on. So, uh so shall we talk about the music somewhat and then uh Ronny will explain his uh his favorite song. So, I know you've been making um you know putting out music since your Blackbird EP. It's around 2015. So, about 10 years now, wasn't it? Yeah. Does it feel like 10 years? No. Yes. said, "No, it's like, you know, when you're working towards when you're passionate about something and you're doing this thing for for that period of time, it does feel like you've been doing it a long time, but at the same time, I feel like I blinked and I was 30. I'm like, you know, I turned 30 this year. I'm not 30 yet, but I was just this year, I'm like, wow, this is crazy. I've been doing this as a career for 10 years this year, and that's wild. That's brilliant. And you know, at the beginning, you you talked about being a real kind of mixture of genres and, you know, the stuff we were listening to, I mean, throughout the the early stuff you put out up till more recently, you know, there was sad songs on there. Some emo country, I think they call it now. There's so many kind of subg genres. I I get lost in the source. But I've heard that term, emo country. Emo country. Yeah, it's a big thing, especially in Texas. Yeah, they love emo country. Uh, we got outlaw vibes. We got and the heavier stuff, which is really cool. So, it it's a real good listen. Um, and there was one album I couldn't pronounce the name of it. Problems. I was just about to say that. Can you please tell me how to pronounce it because I tried to mention it, but sure. So, it's called Problepsus. Um, and that means predictions in Greek. There you go. We were close. Sort of close. So, do you want to do you want to talk to us a little bit about what it was like kind of putting out the early music and and how you've kind of your sound might have evolved or how things have kind of progressed since since then until more recently. Yeah, for sure. So, um firstly I appreciate you deep diving the entire catalog that I really appreciate that a lot. Um, yeah. So, with I really kind of when I released Blackbird, it was very much a case of, well, I'm doing this and I'm just going to see what happens. And I was so naive. I didn't grow up uh, like I said earlier, I my first kind of singing in front of people was staring at the back of the wall. So, I I was very shy. So when I started doing this and realized that I had to do it in front of people, um that was an adjustment for sure, but I kind of just threw myself in the deep end and I was like, well, I've decided I'm going to do it, so let's give it a crack. Um, growing up on the Central Coast was a really good place for music. I had a lot of great there was just a lot of musicians there that I respected. um particularly like Casey Chambers and I one of the first people I met was Shane Nicholson and if you haven't heard of Shane Nicholson um definitely go and have a look at his entire catalog because he's one of my favorite songwriters and I met him when I was uh I think 19 and he engineered my first EP and that was produced by Trent Crawford who I met uh he taught me some guitar lessons and then he produced it but he knew Shane And it it was kind of you pull a thread and you meet a bunch of really cool uh pluggedin musicians. And because I had zero experience, I was so green and so naive and I was like, let's make a EP. And I was like, here's my songs. And uh I remember just sitting in the studio being like, I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know what any of this means. I hope they don't think I'm an idiot. Um, and it was such a a crash course into being a musician. Uh, so, you know, I I started in in the it it's a very much more stripped back EP um because I was 19 and saved for that uh at my hospital job, hospitality job. So, you know, we had a budget and um we made something really special out of that and that evolved into uh a more I feel like it was very much a similar vibe but more fleshed out album which is Dawn of the Dark and that was produced by Shane Nicholson and you can definitely hear his musical influences on that as well. Um and I really didn't think much about what I was doing um at this point. I just I knew what I wanted uh very intuitively and I just kind of did it. I instinctively built out what sounds I wanted to make sure were included. Um making sure that it was a diverse range. So from the get-go, I I knew that I wanted diversity on each project because I wanted to express different versions of myself. And then you go to Provpsis, which was the rock album, and I really fought for that. It was not an easy sell. Um, they didn't I I don't think they liked it, and I had to really push for it. Um, and the reason I wanted to do that is because I felt like at that point I was playing in pubs. That was what we were doing. We were showing up to pubs. and I I wanted a heavier I wanted the ability to to put on a real pub show. Um and so I wrote a record for it. I was listening to a lot of Nana, Sound Garden, um whole veroo assault, all of those kind of 90s grunge bands, a lot of audio slave. Um and that really influenced that record. Um, particularly there's something special about that ' 90s grunge era with the way that they express emotion and I was just fascinated. I I went down so many rabbit holes just picking apart that scene and I think it's such a scene for a reason. It's it's so interesting. So that influenced that. And then going into um my latest record, All We Have Is Who We Are, same kind of uh approach. I just I knew I wanted to hear a diverse range of sounds on it and um Scott Horsoft produced that and did an incredible job. It was the first record I did with my band. Um so we went into the studio, we recorded it in 10 days. It was very much a like, okay, we're here. We got to smash this out. And I love how it turned out. It feels like you listen to that record and then you come and see us. It's exactly the same. So, yeah, I'm very proud. I'm proud of every chapter because they represent such a strong part of me. I'm I'm definitely the artist that's like, I don't have a favorite kid, you know? I don't have a favorite. Yeah, we ask that a lot. What's your favorite one? And people just can't choose. And and rightly so. You know, it represents a different time in your life and how you were feeling. And, you know, it's it's great that you put it out like that. And you know, it's interesting you say it was a bit of a panic at the beginning um going into the recording studio for the first time and we had was it Summer on on the previous show? I forget. Um but uh she she explained how she just broke down in tears, didn't she? Uh it was just so intimidating once you get into the studio uh with your guitar and a mic. It's like go for it. Um, so you it takes some balls to kind of um overcome that and you know to keep going and to keep producing records. So good on you. And I think that's a good time to speak to to Ronnie about his favorite song because you were I say you were telling me earlier but I can't remember the name. Actually, I was going to I was going to come on to something that you've been you've been saying just over the last few minutes, Tori, and something that we we are extremely passionate about here um is around mental health and people's experiences. And there's a lot of questions that we ask that that really sort of dig deep. And I mean, you've just explained it really really well there about your albums and what you're saying about the time and your life and all that sort of stuff. And normally one of the questions I ask is around you know do you feel that your life experiences on your journey throughout your musical journey have influenced your songs and your songwriting everything else and clearly that is but I I am absolutely blindsided uh and in awe of your passion uh for everything that you do. You you just come across as being so confident, so passionate about it and it's so great to see that with an artist. Um, and there was just a probably personal question that I wanted to ask is around I know a lot of artists that will write songs that mean a lot to them that they, you know, they put their experiences in. It's a bit like having your heart in your sleeve. You know, you sort of put that out into the public. How does that feel? Does it feel like, you know, it's like you're telling your life story? You're telling your stories and your experiences. How does that feel for you like putting out there so everybody's listened to it? Well, firstly, I appreciate that. That means a lot. I um I I think once you kind of decide that people are going to hear a song for me, once I've decided that this is going out, um I I've kind of flicked that switch and I'm like, well, this is not mine anymore kind of thing. Um I don't know if I I didn't think about it in that way when I initially did it. I didn't really think much at all. I don't think I just kind of did it. Uh, and then I realized I had to keep singing those songs live and I was like, "Okay, I have to keep digging up all the emotions every every time I get on a stage." Um, but you do kind of you just have sometimes when you're singing a song live, it will hit you. Like you can't really avoid it. Uh, because it is there are everything from writers who sing person from personal experience that's bound to happen from time to time. But I do think um for the most part I do have the capacity to be able to flick the switch and decide that okay I'm performing for these people and um the song is now theirs to interpret as well. So um that's why I tried to not go too deep into what songs mean because I think that that can sometimes tarnish the way people uh hear it. And I've had people tell me some crazy that like they've they've asked me some questions about a song. Um, and I'm just like that is so not what that's about. But if that's what it's about for you, go for it. That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. So I I say yes and no. It can be difficult. Um, but for the most part, you do have to just uh be okay with with with allowing it to not be yours anymore. Yeah. And as TJ was saying, I was talking to him about because I'm I I listen to I try and listen to a lot of the lyrics like in-depth lyrics and I try and read them back and when I'm doing some research about an artist that have come up and um and there was one it was part of the Dawn of the Dark album that from 2018 um and it was Grave Robbers's Daughter. Um, and I was like, "Wow." You know, you just you listen to a song, you're like, "Wow." Um, it's just the the sort of lyrics hit you and it's just I' I was saying it to some of our previous artists, whereas TJ is more like uh the sort of melody and what goes with it and I I try and listen to it and I I'll be sitting there bit of inside information about me. So, I'll sit there listening to it in the car when I'm driving to work. It's about an hour and a half it takes me and I sit there in the car. I'm like that. In the morning, I get up at 5 in the morning. I'm like, "Yes, I love it. Next." And you want to hear more and more and more. And I'll I'll come on to some of the comments that I found. I I love doing some digging on artists around some of the comments that have been made by other people that have been listening to it. Um I don't want to ruin it now. I've got quite a few comments. I want to read it at the end. Um but just how influential your music has been to people. Um and again, it's incredible. So, um thank you. So, TJ, uh sorry, back to you. Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. And just yeah, I think for me the lyrics are so crucial to the to the whole piece of the puzzle. So yeah, I appreciate you listening and and uh hearing it. Yeah, absolutely. Superb. And then I think we got some exciting stuff going on um for for the next few months, haven't we? So, um the starting off with Kentucky um in May uh I believe it's May, isn't it? With Sleeping in the Woods Festival, um with one of our favorite artists, just the legend that is Nicholas Jameson. So, you must be super excited to head out that way. How did that come about? Yeah, I mean it's crazy at like speaking about our mutual friend before, Rob. Uh he literally cold emailed me and he said it was very brief. It was like do you want to go to Kentucky and play music? And I was like you probably yes. Yeah. And um I was like, "Oh." Cuz you know how some of those like fake emails you can kind of like the font goes bigger when it says your name and you can kind of tell that it's fake. This felt legit. I I looked up his company because it was on his signature and it's like, "Oh, this this seems like legit." So I I said, "Yeah, I do actually. That incredible." Um and we just started talking. This was probably last maybe July August we started just chatting about um his vision for what he he was doing what he is doing with his company Jam Nation and uh yeah and for a lot of months I kind of didn't really mention it to anyone cuz I didn't want to get anyone excited like um within my team and eventually it became very real and I was like oh this is this is happening like we're doing this we're going so yeah heading over in May um to do some shows in Kentucky and West Virginia. Um and you know, it's um April now and we're still kind of evolving the the run of shows, but it's such an incredible opportunity and I I would never have guessed that this would be on the cards for me. um you know going to the states and touring is such a a dream for an artist that obviously probably artists in uh in Europe and the UK relate as well, but going over to America and being able to do that is is such a a a dream. So to to for the fact that he is quite literally making a dream come true, I'm I'm so indebted to him. I feel so grateful that he sent me that random email last August and yeah, we're very very excited. Sorry that we're we're not jealous at all. Honestly, yeah, Rob, come on. Come on, Rob. Bloody hell. Honestly. Um, but that's why we got on quite well because I say we're just just music geeks and he he talked about his app and his background and I think he got a bit pissed off with the Australian scene and trying trying to get tickets to see one of his favorite artists which was Jesse Daniel which uh by chance you are you are going to be supporting as well uh in October I believe in in Australia. Yeah. And then you get that, you know, and I I kind of I often say to him, "Do you sleep? Like, who are you? Are you really like um he yeah, he he shocks me on that tour as well." And I mean, Jesse Daniel is such an incredible songwriter and he's really blowing up right now. Like, it's pretty awesome to to witness. But yeah, he's coming in October and get to jump on the road with him and and his crew and it's it's going to be awesome. Um, I think what Rob's doing for Australian music culture is important and it's necessary and it's going to take someone like Rob who uh is passionate about music and about that genre to to really pull it off. And I mean, I believe he's already starting to really shift things around the way uh things are done down here. and um I'm really looking forward to to seeing it grow uh and be impacted by by his vision. Yeah, I I I think it's going to be very impactful on the scene um not just in Australia, but hopefully in the UK and across America. And I think it it just ties it all in nicely together. We're we're going to be one big community almost to to kind of, you know, elevate each other and support one another. And that that, you know, it doesn't stop there. You're also at Laurel Cove um in June, which is one of our favorite new venues. So again, we're not jealous at all. Uh it's sold out. Um I mean, the the roster this year is just incredible like it is most years. I think you got old 60D, Caitlyn Buts, and Ian No, I believe off the top of my headlining. Uh and then we've got some our mates um performing as well. Of course, we got Jack Browning who's on the show. Uh the guys from Kindred Valley, Hunter Flynn, you know, it just goes on and on and you know, to see your name on there, it's just incredible. So, you you're in good company. They're good people. I know they'll look after you when when you're out there, but uh that must be one to to look forward to as well, the old Laurel Cove venue. It's Yeah, it's incredible. I mean, to be able to have my name on, you know, amongst those artists is is incredible. And I think from what Rob talks about with the Kentucky music scene and and community, it really is a community. And I would really love to bring that ethos of well, firstly, I'm excited to experience it. But the way he talks about is it's just it's built on passion. It's built on um people just loving music and and loving stories and um kind of banding together to celebrate it. So, I'm really excited to get amongst that. Um, it sounds like an experience, not just a music festival, but but a real kind of experience. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. That's great. Yeah. And so, we've got some good friends over in Kentucky, and they they really helped the podcast. So, again, it's it's a community. People kind of help each other, and I think, you know, we would have found it probably more difficult if those guys hadn't kind of supported us in in those similar ways. So, uh, brilliant. You know, what what a year. Honestly, I don't know how you're going to find time to write new songs and do anything else, but uh you'll you'll be on cloud n um you know, after all of that, which is fantastic. So, uh I will stop waffling for a bit. Um and I will hand over to Ronnie because I know you've got some questions that you want to ask. Jealousy has taken over. I'm not asking any more questions. That's me done. I'm only joking. No, no. Honestly, it's uh I I am so looking forward to to seeing you and and seeing, you know, how it all goes um over there. It would be amazing. Um so, well done. Um so, I've got some light-hearted questions to me to ask you uh cuz I know I've done a little sidewinder earlier. Um but we started a playlist uh which is exclusive to our podcast guests and our artists that we meet on the road. Um what two of your songs should we add to this that reflects your work so that our listeners can check you out more? Oh goodness. What's the vibe? What's the playlist vibe? Wherever you want. It's all over the place. It is because I don't want to give you something that's kind of going to people be like, "What's that doing here?" Um, I mean, this is a hard one. Kidding me? Um, from the most recent record, maybe All We Are. Um, and then made your bed. I feel like they give you a good idea of what what you're going to get if you go further. Magic. TJ's going to add them. That would be amazing. Thank you very much. Um, so what's the best album or single you've listened to in the last Let's go five years. I always do. Either five or 10 years. I'm going to go five years. And what makes it stand out to you? Oh my goodness. I'm kind of when it comes to like knowing albums with new music, I'm I have to say I am a a product of this generation of not being able to quote. However, I do have So, I buy CDs. I buy a lot of CDs. I'm a dork for CDs. I will go diving in the bins at Vinny's and and the op shops for CDs. Um, so for me as far as like albums, I have been on a real jewel collecting tangent. I I will if I see it and it's got Jewel on it, I'll buy it. And even if I've already got I've got multiple of the Spirit album. So for certain artists I do get a little little weird about because I just love it so much. So uh yeah probably I mean Pieces of You by Jewel is for me one of those records that from Go to Wo it is just perfect and you feel it when you're listening to it. Um, it's it's it's argue. It's folk, but it's you could get away with country these days. Um, but yeah, maybe Pieces of You by Jewel. Yeah. Brilliant. It was uh it was quite funny you just mentioned about CDs because I was clearing my car out the other day and uh I still listen to CDs in my car and I actually found a CD of Charlie Pride and Elton John that was in the car. So why not? So I'm with you on the CD collection. Why not have another disc? So I know we've talked about it um a few times. The word's been mentioned quite a few times around community and uh the way I like to describe this question uh is around the ruger revival community and what we try to do and try and give any emerging talent, any emerging artists a bit of a shout out really. Um and it's about how we can help each other. you know, we want to try and keep it uh, you know, try and help you out as much as we can um and try and help anybody out who's who's struggling a little bit, you know, um, at the time. So, is there any emerging musicians or bands um, that you've been following that you would recommend our listeners to look out for? Yeah, definitely. I I mean, as far as Australian artists go, um we have we have some really cool country music coming out and I think um yeah, it's been really cool to see it kind of the younger artists kind of come out with with such powerful voices and stories just off the top of my head. I really like what um he hasn't even released anything yet, but I heard his voice and I melted. He's uh pretty young. I think he might be 19, but his name's Mac Gigger. Okay. I think he's going to be very very successful. He's just got this voice where you kind of like where did that come from? Um I in Australia I think a young artist Tyler Rodriguez, she's going to she's been doing some really cool stuff and she's going to do really well. I think um she she has a really cool voice as well and um you can kind of feel that depth within it as well which I really love to hear. Um you've stumped me. There's probably No, that's brilliant. That's brilliant. That's great. Two artists. That's that's great. We'll definitely have a look at them. Um and and definitely try and post post some of their stuff whenever it's uh whenever they release it. But just talking about emerging artists and just from your experience over the last 10 years, what bit of advice would you give them or or several bits of advice, what would you give the the emerging artists? Um something that you've learned in your journey. I think first and foremost is the way that this career path is now. Social media has such a huge part of it. I would say forget about it until you have until you know who you are as an artist. Don't even try to figure it out in front of people. I think that it's it's a really strange thing to to watch people figuring out who they are in front of lots of people and we've seen that. Um I mean that's not new. Celebrities have been doing that. you know, kid child stars have been doing that for a long time, but it's everybody now and we all have this platform. And I think that there was way too much focus on on social media and going viral. And I mean, one thing I would definitely tell an emerging artist is don't try to create a viral song. uh just right from a place of what like what do you have to say? Um and sticking to that rather than trying to appease certain things because they are constantly changing. you're never going to nail it because by the time if you're trying to write a viral song, by the time uh you've done what you want to do and you think it's kind of similar to another viral song, people have already moved on and you're already late. Uh so and and it it's just empty. I think um trying to obtain that you know for for those reasons people can tell and I think it's just really important to continuously come back to emphasizing why we do this in the first place which is to tell stories to share to to show uh emotion and essentially you know music is a connector. It connects people. It connects people to themselves. And I think just always coming back to to why uh is really important. That's such great advice. And uh so take heed uh as I keep saying all the time on the on the podcast is you listen you listen to it first. So you listen to it here. Um now Tori, we're coming on to my favorite part of the questions and this is the gossip section. If I had a soundboard, I'll be able to do some weird little soundboard thing of gossip. Um, so I've got some random gossip ones for you. Um, if a country song was written about your most embarrassing slashf funniest moment, what would the title be? I feel like I've already written about them. You just go ahead and listen to my album. Done. Right. Um, I have no idea. I can't even think on the spot of an embarrassing moment. Riley a second. Um, how boring of me. I wish I could give you something good right now, but I can't think. Have a think. We'll come back to it at the end. I'll make sure TJ visits at the end. Now, um, the next random question is, you get one chance to fake a tabloid/social media headline about yourself. What would it be? Oh, I've always wanted a mug shot. Nice. So, going to jail, maybe. Nice. I like it. Just for the shot. Just for the Tory jailed. Yeah. Front page of all the newspapers. Do people read newspapers anymore? Don't know. Yeah. NBC. I don't think so. Anyway, um, now last question for me before I hand back over to TJ is, uh, a bit of a personal question around your top three goals. Uh, now they could be, as I say all the time, they could be three, six, 9, 12 months, or they could be for the rest of your music career. What are your top three goals? I would actually really love to tour Europe. Um there are so many places I'd like to go over there and touring is always a really good way to do it. Um and I know that country music is is so big um over there as well. So I think that would be really fun. Um, I think for me as an artist, I I would just, if this is going to sound like a really politically correct answer, but it's true. I I would like to sustain a career. I would like to be here doing this uh for the next 10 years. Um, whatever that looks like to whatever capacity that looks like, I would love to be able to s to sustain a long career. Um, that's kind of the ultimate goal. But I think for the most part, just having people come to shows and tell me that they see themselves in a song is the biggest compliment. And if I can continue doing that, then I'm doing something right. So, brilliant goals and I have no doubt I have no doubt in a very short time that you'll achieve all of them. So, you'll have to come back on and I'll have to ask you that question again cuz I I absolutely think that you're you're smashing that already. Um, but uh, you know, tour in Europe, I'm sure that'll be the next on the list. Um, coming up, especially with Rob. [Laughter] Thank you, Tori. Thank you. Um, TJ, over to you. I've been waffling too much. Yeah. Well, he did say no more left field questions, so he is the biggest liar in There are They're not left fields, TJ. Come on. They're just a bit different. They're just a bit different. Why not? I feel like I could have answered them better, though. So, if I if I could have answered them better, they left. You know, no, I loved it. If it was like 8:00 PM your time, maybe maybe it would be better. But, uh, there you go. Well, I thought they were lovely. Me, too. I didn't say they weren't lovely, but there you go. Let's not fight on the the podcast again. I'm sorry. So, you you mentioned touring being uh one of your goals or objectives. Um, have you ever been to the UK? any any kind of aspirations to come here? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think, you know, going over to that neck of the woods, if if that's a possibility, of course, you'd go to the UK as well. Um, so, you know, yeah, I would love to to tick that box. Um, it looks like it's just got a the culture there looks different again and it looks so interesting. I I would love to be able to do that. Fantastic. I'm flipping it on its head. I mean, me and Ronnie are planning to go to America next year. Um, I don't know how we've managed to wangle it with the wives, but we we are getting two weeks uh to go to Texas and places like that. I don't know how we're going to I know. Well, you I might lose you in that time, but I I just thought if we were ever to go to Australia, uh I've been to Australia because I've got family out there. Um and they're they're in Perth. I don't know where that is. somewhere in your country other side of the country. It looks nice from the pictures they post. They used to live in Melbourne and I went to Melbourne and that was good. Um yeah, but if if we were to go out there uh as the rugged revival and to experience country music, where in Australia should we go? What what's your recommendations? I would go to Rob's house and follow him. Has he told you where he lives? No, but I would I would start there because he he tends to have his finger on the pulse with things. Uh I don't know. I mean it Australia really is so when you look at America and you look at its kind of hot spots for music, you think country music, you think Nashville, you think Texas, uh you think, you know, those areas, the South, that kind of thing. As far as Australia goes, because Australia is one large, I would equate it to one large Texas. Um it's kind of like you're going to find the city parts um and then you've you've got the coastal parts which are a little bit more LA and then you've got a lot of land in between. Um so we really are quite a we're a large country town in the way that Australia just naturally is. So as far as finding and pinpointing where country music lives here, it's really difficult. But I think, you know, there's always great bands touring. Um, and Austral, like I said, Australia really is growing for country music. I think it's going to be really interesting to see it over the next few years where that goes. But that's a really difficult question. Again, um, because there isn't really I mean, if you come to Brisbane, I would say go to Lefties. That's an awesome venue because it's got uh it's it's cool. It's a cool venue. It you know it's a honky tonk vibe. Um so I go to Lefty's Oldtown Music Oldtime Music Hall. Um but apart from that we sustain on festivals. So yeah, I would keep an eye out for country festivals. I don't know. That's a shocking answer. Sorry. No, no. It's uh I I think if you asked me the same about England or the UK, it would probably be very similar. Um like you say, America's got those hot spots. We are similar in that way with the UK because um yeah, I feel like from what I've heard of the UK, it is that similar like you said earlier with the tall poppy thing. I think it is that similar vibe and I think that kind of carries out here too. So yeah, it's a tough one. That's the last tough question. You'll be pleased to know. Um that that's everything I I wanted to ask unless Ronnie wanted to to chime in, but normally we hand over at this this time to to you. If there's anything that you want to kind of plug or put out there that perhaps we haven't covered, anything we haven't discussed or just anything in general. Um so yes, it's over to you Tori. Um, well, I'm I'm kind of in the writing phase at the moment, so I haven't really released anything, but if you do want to listen to me, just head to your regular uh streaming platforms and put on one of the records and and see how you like it. Uh, if you do like it, you can follow me on social media and um hopefully, you know, I write another record and I'm recording relatively soon and uh yeah, and and we'll just kind of do it all over again. Well, you're going to have all these new inspirations when you go out to Kentucky and play with Jesse Daniel. So, it'll be interesting to see how that influences your your writing thereafter. Yeah, I'm kind of I've saved myself a little bit for the trip because I know that I'm going to write a lot over there. So, it's going to be cool how it does influence it. Fantastic. We'll be keeping a keen eye on what you do on the socials, but like you say, go and follow Tori on Instagram or whe where else you might be, Facebook, uh all those usual ones, but uh really appreciate you coming on. Um again, I know it's early. Um but it's been a really great conversation, really insightful, and you know, I'm sorry there's been so many shitty questions that we've uh chucked your way, but uh you've you've dealt with them really well. Thank you. No, it's been really awesome. I appreciate what you guys are doing and um I honestly pretty probably very similar to you guys. I don't know much about the UK and England's country music scene. So, it's really cool to chat with you guys and and see that you guys are doing very similarly what Rob's doing here is really starting that culture community and um hopefully I get to come to your town and play a show one day. Yeah, we'll we'll pester the rob and make that happen. So, uh, when you are over here, if you want to share a wine, a beer, or coffee, um, you know, you're more than welcome. We'll show you the delights of England. Um, so if if there is any, I don't know, but there you go. Anyway, um, as Ronnie is so good at doing the final remarks and the final bits and pieces, I will hand back to you, mate. Well, he always takes the piss out of me, Tori, when I say the last the last sentence, but I haven't. I know. It's strange that, isn't it? Um, so I'm just going to I'm just going to end with some of the comments um that people have made. I I always like to to find these and go go searching for them. So, um Tori Foshif has a voice that feels both timeless and refreshingly raw. She doesn't just sing songs, she lives them. So, that's one comment. Um there's a rare honesty in Tori's music. Every lyric, every melody feels like it's been earned through real experience. Tori has this incredible ability to blur the lines between country, rock, and folk, creating a sound that's uniquely her own. Uh, and then there was another one down here. I've got loads here, but there's there's another one that I just wanted to um Tori's artistry is fearless. She's not afraid to evolve, to challenge expectations, or to be brutally honest. And that's what makes her so magnetic. And you know what? Uh, all them comments are absolutely true. you've been absolutely fabulous uh with us today uh or tonight on this show today for you tonight for us. Um again, you know, I've as I said before, I'm in awe of what you're doing um as an artist and as a podcaster. Uh and it's so uh it's so incredible to see your passion uh and your enthusiasm for for everything that you do. Um so it's been an absolute pleasure. So, normally we uh on the last sentence that I normally mess up on, uh if you've got a drink there, soft drink, an alcoholic drink, whatever you've got, anything you can pick up to raise a toast. Wonderful. So, we're going to raise a toast. Got a whiskey. Oh, there you go. I like it. Tiny coffee. Tiny little coffee. Um we're going to raise a toast to the grit, the grind, and to the revival. Cheers to everyone for listening. Cheers, Tori. Cheers. Thank you so much, guys. I really appreciate it.

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