For Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Caisha Sprout, music isn't just a creative outlet — it’s a lifeline.
Her latest single, born from the emotional tangle of a friendship breakup, is as cathartic as it is quietly powerful. “Sometimes I just need to release what I’m feeling,” she says. “If I don’t put it somewhere, I absorb it, and it’s too much to carry. This song came out in a couple of hours. It just… fell out of me.”
Caisha Sprout – Misery Don’t Want Bad Company launch
- When: Friday 30 May
- Where: The Espy Basement, St Kilda
- Tickets: here
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Though deeply personal in origin, her music often connects across emotional landscapes. “This one was about a friendship ending, which can sometimes be harder than a romantic breakup, but people have told me they relate to it romantically too. That’s what I love about songwriting — once it’s out there, it belongs to whoever needs it.”
Caisha’s creative process is intuitive and fluid, rooted in melody and guided by feeling. “I’m a melody-first kind of writer. I’ll sit at the piano or with a guitar, just tinkering, and something will come. A word or a phrase will slip out, and from there it builds.”
With a sound that draws on soul, blues, and roots influences, her music feels both timeless and contemporary. “That style just feels like home. I grew up listening to a lot of that music — my parents played it constantly. But what really draws me in is the storytelling. Those genres take you somewhere and everyone resonates with it a different way.”
For Caisha, storytelling isn’t just an artistic choice, it’s a cultural thread. Her Indian heritage plays a quiet but powerful role in shaping how she views the world and her place in it. “My parents moved here in their twenties and worked so hard to give me this life. I carry that with me. My perspective is always filtered through the lens of what they’ve built. My family has a huge musical background too — a lot of singers, known in their communities in India. When we go back, we all gather and sing together.”
That connection came full circle when she played a Sofar Sounds show in India — in the very suburb where much of her family still lives. “It was my grandfather’s 90th birthday, and he’d never seen me perform live. To be there, performing in front of him and celebrating him at the same time, it was so special.”
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Closer to home, the music video for her new single is a love letter to Victoria’s natural beauty. Shot in and around the Dandenong Ranges and Melbourne, the video pairs her grounded sound with sweeping, serene visuals. “The Dandenongs are probably my favourite place in the world,” she says. “There’s nothing that makes me feel more at ease. That’s where I go when I need to reset — just walking around those beautiful spaces makes me feel so grounded.”
It’s that groundedness, that easy emotional presence, that defines her vocals as well. Rich, emotive, and full of nuance, her voice feels lived-in and effortless — but it’s backed by intention and deep craft. “I’ve been singing a long time. I feel a sense of freedom when I sing. I wouldn’t call it confidence exactly, more like release. I’m a vocal coach too, so I spend a lot of time developing my instrument, strengthening the muscles. But it always comes back to emotion. That’s what drives everything and I sit in it while I sing.”
As for what’s next? Caisha is set to play The Espy on May 30 with her full band — a show that will feature something a little special. “I’ve got a new song coming that includes a choir made up of some of my students. Most of my upcoming music is about relationships in all their forms — romantic, platonic, everything in between. Expect more stories, more emotion. I’m really excited for what’s coming.”
From deep personal reflections to universal truths, Caisha Sprout is an artist who invites you in — and leaves you feeling just a little more understood.
