A Holiday's As Good As A Change

Once a humble internet sensation posting covers she had recorded in a makeshift home studio on YouTube, folky songstress Emma Russack is now bona fide, critically acclaimed artist — something she has achieved at least in part thanks to a fairly rigorous schedule.  

Since her full-length debut, Sounds Of Our City, Russack has released a new album every two years without fail; "2009 - 2016 is pretty blurry and my performances were probably sub-par," allows Russack, looking back on the time.

With her latest, fourth LP, Russack has managed to break that cycle - new album Permanent Vacation only took 12 months. However, despite the hastened release time, Russack says that the experience has been a return to her more relaxed roots.

"I wrote the majority of the songs over summer at my parents' house in NSW," shares Russack. "I was in a pretty carefree state of mind at the time and I think the songs reflect that." That vibe seems to have carried over to Phaedra Studios with producer John Lee.

"When I was a teenager I had a bit of a home studio set-up," tells Russack. "I'd just get lost in there for hours on end. The recording process was very spontaneous and I felt very free. Then I became an adult and I got all uptight. Recording music became a serious thing - and the songs, I think, suffered. This latest recording experience, however, was a return to teen-Emma, so it's a lot better.

"The only challenge I can think of was deciding what to make for lunch every day. We usually settled on rice with some tuna."