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Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Chelsea Berman (September 2024)

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This episode of my Spotlight interviews was one I was looking forward to for a long time. Australian Chelsea Berman is an artist I ran into rather early in the Flyctory.com history. At this time, she was more in modern country music. Nowadays, she is leaning more and more towards pop. This week, Chelsea is releasing a new song, Like Me Beter. A great opportunity chatting with her.

Flyctory.com meets Chelsea Berman

FLYC: Chelsea, thanks for sharing some time with me. You are about to release your new single, Like Me Better, on 20th September 2024. What will that song be about?

Chelsea: This song is about realizing you like yourself a lot better than the shitty person you’re dating! I’ve been guilty in past relationships of my standards being very low, and it’s been such a transformative time coming out of those relationships and learning to love myself for the first time.

FLYC: You already released some snippets of the song on social media. What have the reactions been alike so far? And what are your hopes and expectations towards it?

Chelsea: People seem to think it sounds really fun (which it is!) but also relate to it. I always want my songs to be relatable to other people, not just myself, so when I receive messages from people who have gone through the same things I have – it makes releasing these type of songs very rewarding.

FLYC: You website states that you fell for country music when you visited the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Why has country music been special to you in this moment?

Chelsea: Country music has always been very special to me, as it was the first place I felt like I truly belonged as an artist. Over the past few years I have been experimenting with other genres, but country music will always hold a special place in my heart and I’ll never stop being a country artist.

FLYC: Did you have an attitude towards music and performing before? Have there been any musical genres you preferred and still prefer?

Chelsea: I started out listening to pop music throughout my childhood, and only found country music when I was in my teens. But as soon as I found country music I fell in love with it! Pop has always been a big part of my life and I think now I am relating a lot more to pop music, but my playlist is very mixed.

First EP in 2018

FLYC: In 2018, you released your first EP, Better Than Ever. Which memories of releasing these five songs are still very present to you?

Chelsea: Wow, that feels like a lifetime ago now! I think the memories that stand out most to me are learning so much about the music industry and how to even release an EP. I did this EP all by myself (along with the help of my wonderful producers) so I was really working everything out as I went. Although I don’t relate to the songs at this stage of my life, they were very personal for me at the time and it’s fun to listen back and hear how I was feeling when I was so young.

FLYC: You rather quickly had quite some success, especially in Australia, with songs like Kiss Me Like You Miss Me, the first song released after that EP. How did that feel that your music became more and more appreciated?

Chelsea: It was amazing to receive so much support for my music when I was really still ‘starting out.’ I had just performed in the grand final of Toyota Star Maker before I released Kiss Me Like You Miss Me, so that definitely helped put my music in front of more people.

FLYC: Especially in recent times, you received quite some attention with modern country songs like Break Up With A Friend or Where Does That Leave Me. The Australian country music scene is rather large, but regarded being “traditional”. You had quite some trouble regarding your presence there, didn’t you?

Chelsea: I have struggled with the “traditional” aspects of the Australian country music industry. I have definitely never been a traditional country artist and have always had elements of pop in my music, so I have found it hard to be fully accepted in some areas. As a whole though, country music has been very welcoming and I think now I’m just finding my place and where I fit in.

Difficult Australian Country Music Scene

FLYC: I recently read that the Australian country music industry still did not make the transition Nashville did decades ago. How do you see that? Do you feel that there is movement towards more pop-alike country songs in “Down Under”?

Chelsea: It’s a tricky one, we are definitely getting better but we are still miles away from the Nashville country music scene. Their country music scene is so diverse and people aren’t seen as ‘lesser than’ or ‘not a real country music artist’ if their music doesn’t fit into the country mould. I would love to see Australia become more accepting of modern country music, and hopefully over the next few years we can get a lot closer to where Nashville is!

FLYC: You traveled to Nashville several times. Did you feel that your music is better appreciated there than in your domestic market?

Chelsea: I definitely relate a lot more to the country music coming out of Nashville. It’s what I listen to on a daily basis (as well as other genres) so it is a big influence on my music. The bad thing about Nashville though is there is SO much competition and everyone is so talented, so I get a lot more support in Australia.

Podcast by Chelsea Berman

FLYC: Did that situation also lead to you kicking off your podcast, We Are The Music Industry?

Chelsea: There are some great music podcasts coming out of Nashville, but Australia is really lacking! I wanted to create a space where people in the music industry could talk about what it’s REALLY like. As someone in the music industry myself, I think I can bring a unique perspective and hopefully educate people on how much really goes into a music career.

FLYC: Can you tell us a bit more about what your goals with the podcast are – and what the initial reactions have been, after you just released the fourth episode, featuring filmmaker and music manager Jeremy Dylan?

Chelsea: Honestly I don’t really have any goals, I just released it because it is something I want to listen to haha! But I’d love to have more unique guests from all genres and all areas of the music industry. I’m currently releasing an episode every 2 weeks, and have some super exciting ones already planned. Who knows where it will take me, but I’m having a lot of fun doing it!

FLYC: Coming back to your music, your most recent release has been the single Obsessed, released in April 2024. It is quite a push towards pop music. Is that the style of music you want to do in the near future?

Chelsea: My new music will be aligned with this sound for sure. My first real pop song was my single Going There which I released last year. I’ve experimented with a few different sounds since then, but I’m really loving how ‘Obsessed’ feels.

FLYC: Is the song rather a departure from country music or an enhancement of your musical portfolio?

Chelsea: I’d say definitely more of an enhancement. I’m having fun experimenting and trying out different elements of different genres. Country/pop is still how I describe my music, but genres are always such a hard thing to define.

Merchandise Success

FLYC: Obsessed had a very special additional feature. On the cover, you wear a shirt stating I love singing songs about assholes. The shirt got quite some feedback, as far as I could reconcile. Have you been surprised by that?

Chelsea: It was a risk for sure! I only decided to make and wear that shirt a few weeks before the shoot. The song is so fun and risque already, so I thought the shirt would add an extra element to it and tell everyone what the song is about in a very straightforward way. I love seeing people wear the shirts (after I released them as merch) and hope it continues to be a fun thing for my supporters!

FLYC: With that transition, you also physically transitioned from blonde to brown hair. Has that been some sort of kick-off to a “new” Chelsea Berman? Or was it rather just coincidence?

Chelsea: A bit of both! I had the idea in my head for a while to go back to my natural color after being blonde for many years, and personally I’ve entered into a new ‘era’ in my life so I thought the hair was fitting for where I am now. I also think it suits the era I’m going into musically, but we will see!

Looking Forward

FLYC: Due to the streaming platforms, music releases automatically become a “global thing”. What is the feedback on your music outside Australia? Are there some overseas fan bases of you?

Chelsea: There’s no massive ones that I know of, but I’ve had some lovely support from Nashville now that I’ve been there a few times and have met some great people. But I’d say I’m still focused on Australia for now.

FLYC: Before the Like Me Better release, you had a few shows in Australia and will have some more during the following months. Do you foresee to have an overseas tour in the near future? Maybe in North America or Europe?

Chelsea: I would love to! It’s not something that is easy to do, so I don’t know if it will happen anytime soon – but it’s definitely on the bucket list.

FLYC: In general, what are you planning to do after Like Me Better. Are there any additional song releases planned? Or maybe some more touring?

Chelsea: All of the above! I will have a project coming out next year and a few more songs before then. I’m touring quite a lot before the end of 2024 (with some more shows still to be announced) and planning some epic shows for 2025, too!

 

Follow Chelsea Berman Online

            

 

All pictures have been provided by the artist.

 

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