Lily Campbell’s young age belies her experience
Orange is fortunate to have a vibrant and growing local live music scene. So, in conjunction with JAM Orange, we thought over the next few weeks we’d introduce you to some of our talented local musicians. Catch them at Jam Orange’s monthly Open Mic Nights, or at a venue near you!
The 18-year-old first picked up the guitar in primary school and has now been performing in front of audiences for nearly a decade.
“I've been playing guitar since I was five or six I think. I started out on a little $60 purple guitar,” said Lily, who was a reluctant performer at first.
“At first I thought there is absolutely no way that I'm going to sing ever, that is not happening!” she said. “But my guitar teacher on the Sunshine Coast said you're at a point I think you should start singing. I was so nervous, and I pretty much mumbled the whole song, but as I got more into it, I got a little more confidence — although it is still very, very nerve-wracking, no matter how many people you get in front of!”
From school performances, Lily went on to perform at her local club, street fairs and other venues, but after moving to Orange three years ago, she discovered Jam Orange’s monthly Open Mic nights.
“The open mic has been a big thing for me to I suppose getting me back into the public,” said Lily.
“I really like doing them and they are such a good thing for people who are a little bit shy to get up and have a go… my boyfriend is quite good on piano and can sing, so I signed him up for an open mic one time and just told him he was going to do it. He really enjoyed it. It is very nerve-wracking, but once you get out there and heaps of people give you good feedback and everything, so he had a really good time!
“And I've met a lot of other local musicians, which has been a really big thing for me. It's a really good way to meet other people and get some ideas.”
So what can you expect from one of Lily’s sets?
“I've always grown up on that old-style, classic rock and it has basically been my music throughout my life, like when I was about nine, I was obsessed with ACDC, that was a really big thing for me, which is funny for such a small little girl,” said Lily.
“But I usually go with songs a bit softer; I play a bit of Tom Petty — Dad really likes Tom Petty and so I've gotten into that a bit — Pink Floyd, and I like a bit of grunge music as well, so the Foo Fighters and everything like that. There would be a little bit of Adele, but nothing too big or over the top. It is a pretty big list. If I like a song, I try learn it and play it.”
Lily completed her HSC last year and is planning to spend six months in Canada as an au pair, before returning home for further studies.
“I'm not sure about music being a career thing,” she said. “I think I'd rather get a career, do something at uni and have music as something in the background. I mean, I can keep doing gigs for the rest of my life for fun. It is something I just get enjoyment out of and something I'll keep doing, but just for fun.”