Bellusira

While Australia is seen as the golden country for many, for Melbourne rock band Bellusira the States is where they’re making a name for themselves in the industry.
“We’d only been there eight months and we’d got a record deal. It just goes to show there’s so much more opportunity for our genre of music over there. We got a booking agent right away, we got a label right away, I guess in this country no one really knew what to do with us, we were either too heavy or too commercial,” lead singer Crystal Ignite says.
“Australia is great for us obviously but there’s only so much you can do with a small population. Over there they love their rock, it gets played on commercial radio and there’s just more of it and more of a market. We can kind of tour and play five to six nights a week, which is what we’re doing – it’s the dream I guess.”
Rock bands leaving Australian shores to set up camp in America isn’t an uncommon occurrence, and especially when Bellusira is a female fronted band – something that is yet to become a normality in Australia – the opportunities are far greater overseas.
Though while the band are pursuing green cards to call Los Angeles home, Crystal assures me they won’t forget about Australia or their fans and regular tours will be scheduled.
“We want to keep coming here to keep everything up in Australia and not forget about Australia either. We’ll definitely try and get back at least once a year and then we can visit our family and friends and tour the country,” she says.
Aside from the next tour we can look forward to a new release from the band with six new tracks and some already released in Australia. There are already plans with a follow up and something that Crystal says has a lot more dynamics than in their previous tracks.
“I think the album after this one – which we’re writing now – will be a little bit more influenced by what we’re surrounded in. I think that one that we did – which is coming out this year – is a little bit influenced, like we wrote synth parts and put a bit of an electronic sound in there too,” Crystal says.
“The next album is more developed and even better again. We’ve been listening to a lot of new music and it’s great to be exposed to so many new styles and genres that you can’t access in Australia.”
After their few shows in Australia the band are set for a mammoth tour throughout America, beginning only a few days after landing back in the continent.
“I just wish we had a little bit more time because we’re just going to be so busy, it’s going to be so rushed to try and see everyone. We’re just going to do it all and say meet us here, there’s just so little time to see everybody,” she says.
We wish the band luck in their American endeavours, until next time.
When&Where: Musicman Megastore, Bendigo – March 19 & Prince Band Room, Melbourne – March 20
Written by Amanda Sherring