‘It’s an absolute honour’: Gabriella Cohen on her new album and playing Bendigo’s Burning Love music series
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17.05.2022

‘It’s an absolute honour’: Gabriella Cohen on her new album and playing Bendigo’s Burning Love music series

Photo credit: @madebysarayael
Words by Benjamin Lamb

Off the back of the exclusive ‘Elvis: Direct From Graceland exhibition’, Burning Love at Bendigo is a new contemporary music series celebrating the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley.

We’ve seen a bit of a trend over the last few years. Old school is back. TV, Fashion and Music are all mixing the old with the new and creating some pretty cool stuff. It’s been a massive part of the music world, with even today’s biggest acts bringing classic styles into their huge tunes.

Closer to home, we’ve seen it with performers like Gabriella Cohen, who brings elements of the 1960’s into her indie rock stylings. She recently dropped her new album Blue Love, and is a part of Bendigo’s Burning Love concert series, lighting up regional Victoria with some great music.

“It’s wonderful everything happens at once,” Gabriella says. “I’m super grateful to be part of it all.”

Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here

Her music brings styles of 60’s rockers like “Lou Reed”, but it’s important not to limit influences, things have come from everywhere over the years and things have stuck with her.

“There are not really particular artists, it’s just mainly a world of eclectic things that have stuck with me over the years.

This idea of not being limited being something that follows through to Gabriella’s songwriting, the track construction process being one that comes naturally.

“I never really think too much about genres and songs meeting each other, it all happens very organically, it’s just all the music I love. That’s the beauty of a record.

“I feel like the songs create a big salad,” Gabriella adds with a laugh.

Gabriella is part of the Burning Love live music series. As the name suggests, it’s an Elvis inspired event that is happening alongside the Elvis: Direct From Graceland exhibit, at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Each artist involved has a little something special about them that harkens back to an earlier time, while still keeping modern.

The King of Rock only coming into Cohen’s music world later in life, but she could immediately see why he meant a lot for so many people.

“I love Elvis, but I didn’t grow up with him at all. It was only in like the last 10 years that I was listening to him, I’ve got a lot of respect for his stagecraft and his whole signature thing going on.”

Alongside Gabriella, there’s a bunch of other performers hitting the stage for the series, like Freya Josephine Hollick and Cool Sounds to name a few. With acts like Emma Donovan hitting the stage in recent weeks.

“Freya Josephine Hollick is an absolute darling, I think she’s like the Dolly Parton of Australia, she’s exceptional.

“I would’ve loved to have seen Emma Donovan and the Putbacks too, I really think they are Australia’s best soul performers.”

Each performer in the series will be performing at The Engine Room, a former fire station that has been transformed into a live music and show mecca for the thriving Bendigo live entertainment scene.

Getting to play at such an iconic venue being an exciting element of being a part of this series for Cohen and other performers.

“It’s an absolute honour to get to play there.”

You can also be sure that Gabriella will be hitting the stage with a full band, giving a cool energy and power to her many amazing tracks from her

Shows and experiences like that of Burning Love don’t always come along, a sentiment that makes the calling of a musician an exciting one for Cohen.

“That’s part of being a musician, it’s never cookie cutter, it’s good to have a variety of events that you get to play in.”

For some artists, being back out on the road has a few hurdles to jump through, but Gabriella notes that she’s at a point where she feels things have gotten back to normal.

“I’m pretty used to it now, I feel like I’ve been back at it for a while. I think, yeah, it feels perfectly normal, which may be dangerous,” Gabriella adds with a laugh

For anyone who hasn’t seen Gabriella before and wants to know what to expect, she has three words. “A great time!”

Enjoy a great time with Gabriella at her show by buying tickets to Burning Love.

Burning Love will take place at The Engine Room, 58 View Street, Bendigo. Tickets and further information here.

Made in partnership with Bendigo Venues & Events