Bertie Blackman
Encyclopedia
Bertie Blackman is an Independent Australia
n singer, songwriter
and guitarist
. She rose to fame with her debut album in 2004, entitled 'Headway' which came after years of prolific performances around Sydney's Inner city venues, where she developed a dedicated following.
and grew up in the Inner-East Sydney
suburbs of Bondi
and Paddington
. She began playing African percussion
at the age of twelve and guitar at the age of fifteen.
, Ben Lee
and Alex Lloyd
. She wrote music for Australian films including the title track to the 2008 production Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger
which saw her collaborate with prodigious Australian producer Paul Mac
.
After forming a new band with Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell and Cameron Deyell, she made her second album Black (2006)and received positive reviews and high rotation on Triple J
and demonstrated Blackman's move away from folk music to a focus on rock. This album was produced by well-known Australian producer, Paul McKercher (Augie March
, Little Birdy
)
In 2008, Bertie signed with newly formed Australian management company Forum 5 and began working on her third studio album, entitled Secrets and Lies which was recorded between Sydney and Melbourne. Musicians involved included Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell and Ben Hauptmann with producers Lee Groves (Goldfrapp
, Gwen Stefani
) and Francois Tetaz
(Architecture in Helsinki
, Gotye
)
Her first single from the album, "Heart" was released on 10 April 2009. The song was added on high rotation on Australian radio station Triple J
and nationwide on commercial radio network Nova
as well as on regional and community stations across the country. Altogether "Heart" was the 4th most added song on radio in the week of its release and entered the Australian radio airplay charts at #67.
The album Secrets and Lies was the Triple J Feature Album for the week commencing Monday 27 April 2009 and was officially released on 8 May 2009 on Forum 5 Recordings with distribution through MGM.
Secrets and Lies entered the ARIA
album charts at No. 72 and peaked at No. 49.
At the fourth annual AIR Awards, held on 22 November 2009, Bertie Blackman received four nominations for 'Best Independent Single or EP', 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year', 'Best Independent Album' and 'Best Independent Artist', winning 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year'.
At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards, she was nominated for 'Best Independent Release', which she ended up winning. In 2010, she released as a single a cover version of "Peek-a-Boo
" from Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. She rose to fame with her debut album in 2004, entitled 'Headway' which came after years of prolific performances around Sydney's Inner city venues, where she developed a dedicated following.
Early life and influences
Bertie is the daughter of renowned Australian artist Charles BlackmanCharles Blackman
Charles Blackman is one of the best known Australian artists still living today, especially for the famous Schoolgirl and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s...
and grew up in the Inner-East Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburbs of Bondi
Bondi, New South Wales
Bondi is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bondi is located seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council. The postcode is 2026.-Location:...
and Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
. She began playing African percussion
Music of Africa
Africa is a vast continent and its regions and nations have distinct musical traditions. The music of North Africa for the most part has a different history from sub-Saharan African music traditions....
at the age of twelve and guitar at the age of fifteen.
Career Achievements
Bertie appeared on the Australian music scene in 2004 with the single "Favourite Jeans" taken from her debut album, Headway (2004) a folk-inspired acoustic album featuring musicians Cameron Deyell, Laurence Pike and Cameron Undy and was co-produced by Richard Belkner. This album established her as an Australian headline alongside contemporaries Something For KateSomething for Kate
Something for Kate are a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Members include songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Paul Dempsey, drummer Clint Hyndman and bassist Stephanie Ashworth...
, Ben Lee
Ben Lee
Benjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
and Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. His most popular album Watching Angels Mend, which includes the songs "Amazing" and "Green", was released in 2001 went double platinum. His third album Distant Light released in 2003 featured three songs that made the Australian top 40 singles charts...
. She wrote music for Australian films including the title track to the 2008 production Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger
Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger
Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger is a 2008 Australian independent teen film written and directed by Cathy Randall. It stars Danielle Catanzariti, Keisha Castle-Hughes and Toni Collette. The film follows Jewish 13-year-old Esther , an outcast at her posh school, where she has no friends...
which saw her collaborate with prodigious Australian producer Paul Mac
Paul Mac
Paul Mac is a musician, producer and music remixer from Sydney, Australia. He was classically trained at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music. Paul Mac formed the bands Smash Mac Mac, Itch-e And Scratch-e, The Lab, and The Dissociatives, as well as releasing two records under his own name...
.
After forming a new band with Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell and Cameron Deyell, she made her second album Black (2006)and received positive reviews and high rotation on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
and demonstrated Blackman's move away from folk music to a focus on rock. This album was produced by well-known Australian producer, Paul McKercher (Augie March
Augie March
Augie March are an Australian indie/pop rock band. Formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria, the band currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, lead guitarist Adam Donovan, bassist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box...
, Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
)
In 2008, Bertie signed with newly formed Australian management company Forum 5 and began working on her third studio album, entitled Secrets and Lies which was recorded between Sydney and Melbourne. Musicians involved included Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell and Ben Hauptmann with producers Lee Groves (Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
, Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
) and Francois Tetaz
Francois Tetaz
François "Franc" Tétaz is an Australian film composer and music producer, who won the Australasian Performing Right Association / Australian Guild of Screen Composers 2006 'Feature Film Score of the Year' Award for Wolf Creek .-Biography:In 1992, François Tétaz with Charles Tétaz and Darrin...
(Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in Helsinki is an Australian indie pop band which consists of Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland...
, Gotye
Gotye
Wouter "Wally" De Backer , also known professionally by his stage name Gotye , is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. He has released three studio albums independently and one remix album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums...
)
Her first single from the album, "Heart" was released on 10 April 2009. The song was added on high rotation on Australian radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
and nationwide on commercial radio network Nova
Nova
A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a star caused by the accretion of hydrogen on to the surface of a white dwarf star, which ignites and starts nuclear fusion in a runaway manner...
as well as on regional and community stations across the country. Altogether "Heart" was the 4th most added song on radio in the week of its release and entered the Australian radio airplay charts at #67.
The album Secrets and Lies was the Triple J Feature Album for the week commencing Monday 27 April 2009 and was officially released on 8 May 2009 on Forum 5 Recordings with distribution through MGM.
Secrets and Lies entered the ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
album charts at No. 72 and peaked at No. 49.
At the fourth annual AIR Awards, held on 22 November 2009, Bertie Blackman received four nominations for 'Best Independent Single or EP', 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year', 'Best Independent Album' and 'Best Independent Artist', winning 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year'.
At the 2009 ARIA Music Awards, she was nominated for 'Best Independent Release', which she ended up winning. In 2010, she released as a single a cover version of "Peek-a-Boo
Peek-a-Boo (song)
"Peek-a-Boo" is a song by English alternative rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in 1988 as the first single from the band's ninth studio album Peepshow...
" from Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Albums
- Headway - Independent (BB3) (16 August 2004)
- Black - Independent (BB7) (18 September 2006)
- Secrets and Lies - Forum5 Recordings (F5BB09) (5 August 2009) (AUS #49)
Singles
- "Criminal of Desire" - Independent (9324690008193)(7 April 2003)
- "Favourite Jeans" - Independent (BB2) (2 February 2004)
- "You Kill Me Everytime" - Independent (BB4) (6 June 2005)
- "Television" - Independent (BB5) (5 December 2005)
- "Fast Bitch" - Independent (BB8) (2 June 2007)
- "Town of Sky" - iTunes release (18 March 2009)
- "Heart" - Forum5 Recordings (F5BB08) (10 April 2009)
- "Thump" - Forum5 Recordings (F5BB10) (7 August 2009)
- "Byrds of Prey" - Forum5 Recordings (F5BB11) (6 November 2009)
- "Black Cats" - Forum5 Recordings (17 December 2009)
- "Peek-a-BooPeek-a-Boo (song)"Peek-a-Boo" is a song by English alternative rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in 1988 as the first single from the band's ninth studio album Peepshow...
" - Forum5 Recordings (6 April 2010)