Alana Wilkinson

Alana Wilkinson
Background information
Birth nameAlana Joy Wilkinson
Born1991 (age 32–33)
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresFolk
OccupationMusician
Instruments
Years active2016–present
LabelsIndependent

Alana Joy Wilkinson (born 1991) is an Australian folk music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She released her first single in late 2018. She has released two extended plays and four singles. Wilkinson has supported national tours by fellow Australian artists Tim Freedman, Clare Bowditch and Kate Ceberano.

Biography

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Early life

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Wilkinson was born in 1991 in Malvern, Victoria, to Jenny (a singer) and Stewart Wilkinson (a keyboardist) and grew up in "the most musical family" in Seaford.[1] In September 2008, as a secondary student of Sandringham College, she took part in a musical play, Return to the Forbidden Planet.[2] She was providing solo and group singing lessons and song writing workshops by April 2014.[3] The singer described the live performances that inspired her to start her music career include Kimbra's "Settle Down", Sia's "Soon We'll Be Found" and Queen's "Somebody to Love".[4]

Music career

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Wilkinson uploaded a track, "Show You Mine", to her YouTube channel in December 2016.[5] She was the support act for a five-piece folk band, Davies West, in early January 2017.[6] The artist supported Eddi Reader (of Fairground Attraction) at her shows in Melbourne and Sydney in March.[7] She sold a four-track extended play at her shows in the following month.[8] She described the EP as "a little collection of oldies... They're really simple."[8] She has performed at festivals in Blue Mountains, Queenscliff,[1] Woodford,[9] and Nannup.[10][11] While singing she accompanies herself with acoustic guitar (made by George Lowden), piano or ukulele.[9][12]

Her debut single, "Closer", appeared in late 2018, which was produced by Hayden Calnin.[9] It was added to play lists at Triple J and on ABC Radio.[9][10] The Partae's writer observed, "A fragile yet fulsome narrative matches the poppier side to an folk groove."[9] She followed with a second single, "Partner in Crime", in April 2019.[10][11] Pilerats' Craig Corrigan felt it was "bittersweet" detailing "a one-sided conversation she is having with her childhood best friend who unfortunately passed away."[12] It was recorded with Calnin producing at an old church in the small community of Lauriston.[12] For the session Wilkinson was joined by Justin Lewis on electric guitar, Angus Robb on whistles and background vocals and Xander Theofanis on bass guitar.[12]

The musician took part in the Festival of Small Halls including an appearance at the Port Fairy Folk Festival in late 2019 alongside Scottish folk group, Paul McKenna Band.[13] Wilkinson launched her third single, "Good for You", in February 2020, at a Fitzroy apartment building. A staff writer for write, sing, repeat found the set list was, "a delicate balance of honesty, story-telling, and hard life lessons learned – paired with comedy, wit, and just plain having a boogie."[14] She issued her fourth single, "Rib Cage", in May 2020 ahead of her proposed album, Half Time Oranges.[15] The track was produced by Calnin, again.[16] She has supported national tours by fellow Australian artists Tim Freedman, Clare Bowditch,[1] and Kate Ceberano.[15]

In November 2023 Wilkinson won the Roddy Read Songwriting Award at the Maldon Folk Festival taking home a Maton guitar as the prize.

Discography

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Extended plays

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  • I Wanna Punch on with You (25 January 2017) Independent[17]

Singles

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Year Title Album
2018 "Closer"[18]
  • Released: November 2018
  • Format: Digital download
 Self-titled EP
2019 "Partner in Crime"[19]
  • Released: May 2019
  • Format: Digital download
 Self-titled EP
2020 "Good for You"[20]
  • Released: January 2020
  • Format: Digital download
 Self-titled EP
2020 "Rib Cage"[21]
  • Released: June 2020
  • Format: Digital download
 Half Time Oranges

References

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  1. ^ a b c Taylor, James (5 June 2019). "Alana Wilkinson Returns to Queenscliff". Bellarine Times. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  2. ^ Awadalla, Andre (16 September 2008). "Parody of the bard staged in Sandringham". Bayside Leader. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Industry: Fun Key Music". Pearl Magazine (26). April 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  4. ^ staff writer (17 August 2016). "Emerging Artists Share the Live Performances That Inspired Them". Tone Deaf. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  5. ^ Wilkinson, Alana (1 December 2016). "Alana Wilkinson – 'Show You Mine'". YouTube. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Davies West + Alana Wilkinson". Some Velvet Morning. 5 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Boukouvalas (8 March 2017). "Scene News: Melbourne's Alana Wilkinson to tour with Eddi Reader and Bob Evans". What's My Scene. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  8. ^ a b Heath, Larry (7 April 2017). "Alana Wilkinson talks songwriting, polar bears and her new EP". The AU Review. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d e staff writer (8 November 2018). "Alana Wilkinson to put a smile on a face with single 'Closer'". The Partae. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  10. ^ a b c staff writer (6 April 2019). "Alana Wilkinson tugs at heartstrings with new single 'Partner in Crime'". The Parta. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Folk :: Alana Wilkinson – 'Partner in Crime'". Australian Music Radio Airplay Project. 4 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ a b c d Corrigan, Craig. "Meet Alana Wilkinson and her touching new single, 'Partner in Crime'". Pilerats. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. ^ Brady, Anthony (5 December 2019). "News, views, reviews from Moyne Shire". The Standard. Warrnambool, VIC. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  14. ^ staff writer (1 February 2020). "Alana Wilkinson Truly Is 'Good for You'". write, sing, repeat. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  15. ^ a b Lim, Eddy (21 May 2020). "Alana Wilkinson shares new single 'Rib Cage'". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ staff writer (22 May 2020). "Alana Wilkinson Releases New Single 'Rib Cage'". Good Call Live. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  17. ^ Mullan, Luke. "Music Archives - Page 2 of 6". Luke Mullan Official Website. Archived from the original on 9 March 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Single – 'Closer' by Alana Wilkinson". Spotify. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Single – 'Partner in Crime' by Alana Wilkinson". Spotify. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Single – 'Good for You' by Alana Wilkinson". Spotify. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Single – 'Rib Cage' by Alana Wilkinson". Spotify. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
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