Genevieve Chadwick
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Genevieve Chadwick

Genevieve Chadwick is a blues artist that has often been described as the love child of John Lee Hooker and Janis Joplin and from just one look at her YouTube clips it’s easy to see these comparisons at play. Having released her second full length album as a result of the Playing For Change initiative – which saw her work with Mark Johnson – she is set to play at the Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival over the last weekend in July and it’s easy to hear the excitement in her voice in being able to get back down to the river and up on stage again.
“It’s one of the most unique blues festivals in Australia. It’s all in the venues and so you don’t have this caged in vibe and there is such a great atmosphere through the streets,” Chadwick says.
“There is music everywhere and Echuca is such a lovely town as well – there are always a couple of fires burning and it has it’s own flavour and vibe. The audience that comes are also fantastic, and they are into the music and there are no dickheads in sight. It’s hard to have a bad time.”
Music has always been part of a massive part of Chadwick’s life and while her mum was still pregnant with her, she went to see Dire Straits. Ever since that day, even while in the womb, Gen has been set for the big time. Talking about the influence of the one and only Mark Knopfler, Gen describes it “as an education before she was even born”.
“I think the thing about Dire Straits and Knopfler is that it’s easy on the ears. It’s great song writing and beautiful guitar work. He has a particular style about him that is so tasteful and he is one of the greats that’s for sure,” she says.
Her debut album Riding The Wind, Forgetting Time, which was released in 2010, set the seed for the success that has followed – which included international touring and playing alongside the likes of Joan Armatrading, Allen Stone, Beth Hart and Ben Caplan. Yet despite all the success, Chadwick feels that the best aspect to playing music is being able to connect with people through it.
“Connecting to an emotion with the audience that is watching is very important to me and while I also get that recognition and be able to play alongside those big names, it’s not why I play music. I play because I like to feel that connection with people,” Chadwick says.
The Playing for Change project – which Chadwick was involved with – aims to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music.
“When I first met the Playing for Change guys, they asked me whether I knew the Maroon 5 song and so we YouTubed it, then we did some filming in May Lane in Sydney and a few months later, the film clip was in the Top 10 on MTV. It was pretty crazy to see myself in a Maroon 5 clip that’s for sure. Music has an unbelievable power and it always starts with one,” she says.
In the writing process for the third album, Chadwick is keen on road-testing new tunes at Echuca. “Although I won’t have a new album by then, it’ll be cool to play some new songs and see the reaction that I get from people. So if you’re headed up there for the weekend, come down and say hello!”
For your chance to see Genevieve Chadwick, plus a handful of others, head to www.winterblues.com.au and get your tickets to the Winter Blues Festival on in the last weekend of July.
When & Where: Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival – July 24-26
Written by Tex Miller