As the anniversary of their debut full-length album Nightmares of a Stardom Dream approaches, Melbourne's R&B/funk trio Big Words continues to captivate the city's music scene.
Their music is a blend of soulful melodies and dreamy instrumentation that transports listeners into a realm of pure bliss. When I first encountered Big Words, it was like stumbling upon a hidden gem in a bustling music landscape. Their music is a blend of soulful melodies and dreamy instrumentation that transports listeners into a realm of pure bliss.
This May, they’re set to take the stage as headliners at Groove Tunes, a mini-festival with a focus on accessibility, held at Melbourne’s beloved Corner Hotel. I had the privilege of sitting down with Kieran Lee and Will Scullin as they shared their inspiring journey and insights into life and music.
Groove Tunes 2024
- May 18
- Corner Hotel
- Lineup: Big Words, Empress, Mathilde Anne, Miss Emilia and Mz Rizk
- Tickets are on sale now
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Will and Kieran’s friendship spans nearly 15 years, dating back to their formation of Big Words in 2017. In 2022, they welcomed Teon Catalano as their third member.
Reflecting on their journey, Will shares, “We met at this café in suburban Melbourne… started playing music when we were 16, and it’s been quite an interesting journey. We lived together for about seven years throughout our early 20s, and yeah, it’s just quite crazy that we’ve never stopped.” Kieran adds, “We love writing songs and performing together. It’s just kind of meant to be for us, really.”
Their deep passion for music shines through their album, though the process wasn’t without challenges. Will recalls, “We spent a long time working on the album… it was quite painful finishing it through COVID and not having any money.”
Kieran adds, “It was amazing to capture our 20s in a record.…now we’ve just turned 30, so we’re just ready to move to that chapter of our lives. But it really encapsulated what it was like to be in your early 20s all the way through. It’s not always easy, it’s not always great, but there are parts [that are] beautiful about it as well.”
Due to limited resources, they pieced together their album in various locations. “It was a super, super, super tight budget, you know, with pretty much next to no budget,” Will admits.
Some of it was recorded in a studio, and other tracks were recorded at friends’ houses or on the fly, but in the end it all came together seamlessly. Laughing, they share, “The strings were all quite funny. Like, the strings for Tell Me That You Love Me, the first song, were recorded off the back of a Dancing With The Stars string session. That was for free.”
With Groove Tunes coming up this May, the band has the honour of headlining. Hotels by Tibi Access, the mini-festival prides itself on being inclusive for fans of all ability levels, something we sadly don’t see enough at music festivals currently.
“Music is for everyone to enjoy, so it’s special at an event where people can be there and maybe in other settings they couldn’t, or they couldn’t get a good view or they couldn’t have the same access as everyone else,” Will muses. “And the Corner Hotel, in Melbourne, it’s one of the last Kingpin venues. It’s THE venue,” Kieran adds.
If you find yourself in the city over the next few weeks, keep your eyes peeled, because the trio will be playing a few pop-up shows around Melbourne, treating fans and passers-by to a free concert.
“I think it’s a really good way for us to showcase our art… These days it’s pretty expensive out there, so I think putting shows on is increasingly difficult. Just getting out there for free, I think it’s going to be really good for people,” Kieran says.
Kieran and Will have found the perfect balance between working their day jobs, making music and having a life outside of both of those things. “We both work in restaurants, the balance we’ve found is [to] work the least amount in the restaurant as you can,” says Kieran.
“Trying to get a paycheck to support your art is very important, but having time to do your art is equally as important… work the minimum hours that you’re gonna be able to pay your bills and rent, and that’s it… If you’re broke, it’s not the biggest deal, as long as you’ve got a passion to follow.”
Keep up with Big Words here.
