Bec Sykes & Friends Christmas Concert
Event description
Join Bec Sykes and her mates for a special Christmas show at the Wesley Anne. There will be originals and a few not-very-traditional Christmas songs. Bec will be backed by a full band and there might be some surprise guests too. There might also be pyrotechnics (but probably not).
Support from Gaia Scarf.
Bio
From the outer suburbs of Melbourne/Naarm on Wurundjeri Land, dream folk songwriter Bec Sykes has been deftly carving her own melody into the Australian music landscape with her striking voice, songwriting, and success.
Having won iconic Melbourne record label Pieater’s Pie School competition in 2019, Bec Sykes’ sound began to swell before breaking onto the scene. Breathtaking debut single ‘Edithvale’ was undeniable in its minimalistic straight line to listeners’ hearts, with success following shortly after. The single saw rotation on Triple J and Double J, amassed over 750k streams, saw Bec named a Triple J Unearthed Feature Artist, and was labeled ‘absolutely stunning’ by tastemaker publication Pilerats.
In the wake of ‘Edithvale’, Bec Sykes’ remarkable trajectory continued – being named the winner of the Josh Pyke Partnership 2020, selling out her debut headline show, supporting a Josh Pyke national tour, and releasing sophomore single ‘Getaway’ which later featured in TV Series Love Me.
Latest single ‘At Least’ is a bitter-sweet ode to emotional validation, poignantly taking aim at toxic positivity and the societal expectations to maintain a positive mindset amidst moments of darkness.
Bec Sykes’ music is a powerful exploration of melody and use of voice as an instrument. Describing the goal of her songwriting Bec states that “I aim to sing to things I’m afraid to say”. Sonically this culminates in ethereal and atmospheric indie-folk pop punctuated by moments of catharsis.
The melody pivotal to Bec Sykes’ songwriting is one that has found a way to thread itself through her life. From an early memory of finding her voice in improvising melodies to her father’s prized Up There Cazaly cassette in the living room. To plucking the melodies from movies on the family piano by ear, only for Mum to realise it was time to book lessons. To today wandering the forests of the Dandenong Ranges fitting words to melody and celebrating the euphoria of finding a fit.
Influenced by film scores, songwriters Paul Dempsey, Regina Specktor, and Daughter, the soundscapes of Sigur Ros, and the suburban experience – Bec Sykes has found a sound unique to her own that ambitiously ties the sounds of her upbringing to those of the songwriters that inspire her.
Having worked with the likes of Tom Iansek (Big Scary, #1 Dads, Maple Glider, The Paper Kites), Wayne Connolly (Paul Dempsey, Boy & Bear) and recently pulling together a full band for both studio and stage, Bec Sykes’ career is just beginning; but already backed by a collective of collaborators and mentors that believe in her potential and undeniable path to bloom.