It’s fair to say, Elly-May Barnes is an artist who has always been ahead of her time.
So eager to join the ranks of her prolifically musical family, Elly was born 14 weeks premature with the odds of survival not on her side. But she didn’t just survive, she arrived with unwavering strength that continues to shine though her music and performance to this day.
At 12 years old, Elly-May started singing and touring with her father, Jimmy. For decades, Elly worked hard honing her craft with the family band to become a certified professional, though barely old enough to buy a drink at a bar.
With a lifelong love of writing and performing music, her debut solo album, No Good began taking shape behind the scenes for many years, writing at her father’s studio with friends like Davey Lane, Shane Nicholson and the enviable list of collaborators you’ll find in the album’s tracklisting; as well as quietly working on her own material as her vision took shape.
“Music has as always been my greatest source of joy and has got me through my darkest times. Creating my own music, my own little world has been such an amazing, fun and emotional process and I can’t wait to share it with the world. I hope people connect with it.”
No Good brings together an A-Team of Elly-May’s family, loved ones and huge musical influences - who just happen to be the crème de la crème of the Australian and New Zealand music industry. It’s extremely fitting that the people who have influenced Elly throughout her life were by her side to bring the vision of her unique debut to life.
Neil Finn, who rarely writes with or for other artists, also wrote a song with Elly-May for the album. She’s A Thought has a shimmering melody, harmonies and words to match and if it already wasn’t special enough, Split Enz keyboard player, Eddie Rayner, adds his magic touch to the song.
In continuing with the theme of music legends, a special mention must be made to the one-and-only Don Walker, who gave the ‘Chisel’ classic 20th Century a modern makeover titled 21st Century.
Twice named Producer of the Year (CMA) and singer/songwriter Shane Nicholson (Suze DeMarchi, Alex Lloyd, Catherine Britt) has produced half the songs on No Good, with Elly-May.
Mark Lizotte (Diesel) produced the other half of the album, as well as contributing a number of songs.
Elly-May’s music mates of many years have come together to work on and record her debut album, including Charley Drayton, Jack Moffitt, Clayton Doley and Jackie Barnes, just to name a few.
Davey Lane (You Am I, The Pictures, The Wrights, The Stems, Chris Bailey & The Saints) who has appeared onstage with Elly-May at a number of her cabaret shows, contributed four songs on No Good, including the title track No Good and Baby Don’t Slow Me Down which were co-written with Elly.
To paraphrase Phil Spector, to know Elly-May is to love her.
