Creativity can be a blessing and a curse; for some, it's a cathartic outlet to express and explore, for others it's an unavoidable necessity, like an elusive oxygen for the soul. But amid the cacophony that can accompany the creative realms and music in particular, it's not uncommon for artists to sometimes lose sight of the ultimate reason they continue to draw like curious moths to the musical flame: to make art. And while the dazzling Megan Washington, aka the mononymous Washington, has been performing and creating for decades, it's on her third album Batflowers that this Aussie music fixture strips to the core of her creative purpose and prowess, unveiling a groundbreaking take on genre-blurred pop and an audacious amalgamation of who she truly is as an artist.
Taking the reins for every facet of the process, from art direction to photography, hand-assembled animation and hand-picking producers, Batflowers is a celebration of autonomy, collaboration and an inadvertent challenge to the oft stagnant realities of operating in the volatile music industry. But if you strip all the inspiring backstory away, the end result for this new album is still equally impressive, as Washington invokes a suite of tunes crawling with chaotic beauty and unbridled frivolity that burrow and frolick with verdant ease . And just before she unleashed her new creation to the world, Tiana Speter grabbed a moment with Ms Washington amid construction work noises to chat creativity, innovation and finding her way in a pandemic world.
Go grab a listen, interview below!
WASHINGTON'S BRAND NEW ALBUM BATFLOWERS IS OUT NOW VIA ISLAND RECORDS AUSTRALIA.
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BY TIANA SPETER