Singer-songwriters are a special kind of people. The concept of expressing one’s self, one’s ideas, emotions and convictions through song risks a level of vulnerability many of us would find unnerving. Yet, they do it. Night after night they take to the stage alone, accompanied only by their instrument, and lay bare their soul to strangers, inviting judgement of themselves and their music. Despite the risks, they are driven to it and we should be grateful.
It takes courage. A lot of it. 18-year-old local singer/songwriter Piper Butcher has it in spades. Not only that, she has a voice that is powerful and rich, carrying emotion in every note. From the soft, intimate tones of her debut single Before The Thunder to the mighty roar in her anthemic latest single Unconscious Mind, Piper Butcher has what it takes.
Butcher’s first ever live performance took place when she was aged just 11 at The Hood Milk Bar at The Junction. Since then, she has opened for the likes of music legends Russell Morris and Kasey Chambers, from whom she learnt valuable lessons about humility and kindness. She has written and released her own music and formed her own band, The Warning. To celebrate her 18th birthday in September of 2022, she even organised her own music festival called ‘Bout Time featuring a stellar cast of local artists.
Most recently Butcher auditioned for Australian Idol and not only made the cut but was one of those chosen to automatically go into the Top 50. American superstar Harry Connick Junior surprised Butcher by turning up at her rural Hunter home, and her live performance for him was beamed across screens nationwide. Last weekend, Butcher celebrated her first hometown show since the Idol experience at the Stag & Hunter Hotel.
Listening to her catalogue of four fine singles and an exceptional EP, Butcher defies categorisation. Some songs like Before The Thunder and her 2022 single Read Between The Lines have a hint of country and pop, while others such as Soul Into Sand from the September EP, are darker, more foreboding and Butcher captures the dramatic nuances perfectly. In a recent interview with Bonnie Anne on the Newcastle Live and Local Music Show (link below), Butcher says that she is ‘genre-fluid’, letting the music take its own course and not be limited by a definition given to one musical style or another.
In spite of her tender age, Piper Butcher’s talent and maturity is undeniable. Her 2021 single Haunting Your Thoughts (also on the September EP) is an exceptional work, and it exudes qualities as if it was written and sung by someone with more years of world-weary experience. Just have a close listen to Unconscious Mind, her latest single. It sounds like an artist far beyond Butcher’s 18 years. Her ability to write such powerful and well-crafted songs is just one of the compelling attributes that makes Piper Butcher a star of the future.
Go and see Piper Butcher live or check out her music, videos and interviews below. You may find much more than you expect.
NEXT GIG:
Touring In May. Details coming soon
FOLLOW:
instagram.com/piper_butcher/
WATCH:
youtube.com
STREAM:
spotify.com
INTERVIEW:
spotify.com
