Addamo’s story is an unlikely one, although not so unlikely as to verge on the unbelievable. It’s a faux pas to bring up her reality TV past. Though so many moons ago, her appearance on that notorious talent show which cannot be named still seems to have left a residual effect. “Not too many people bring up ‘Australian Idol’ anymore. Usually in the cities I never get asked about it, but if I’m doing a regional tour I might get asked. I don’t mind it. Everyone has a back story and this is mine. I don’t regret it; I just take it with a grain of salt. Everyone has their dorky, awkward teenage phase… mine was broadcast live on national TV. The main thing that’s annoying about it is that it’s all over YouTube. Once it gets on there you can never take it away!”
Brooke finds herself in the developmental crossroads that often defines being in one’s early twenties. She tells me her age gets brought up quite frequently in interviews, that people like to remind her how young she is. She doesn’t feel that young. “I guess I’m still young, but I also feel quite mature and I feel like I’m finding myself as an artist more than I have in the past. I’ve been doing music for a long time now, so I don’t feel too young. There are so many up-and-coming artists, there’s producers who are only 16 that are making music and putting it on Soundcloud and getting signed. But I feel like I can still take risks and not be too harshly criticised because I’m in my lower twenties.”
In an interview for Tone Deaf, a slightly younger Brooke Addamo said that her creative process “never stops”. Nothing is ever finished. Is it possible that Owl Eyes has only ever released B-Sides and demos, all of them a work-in-progress?
“I don’t remember saying that! If I put a deadline on myself then I feel like I have to finish it. If I just say, ‘Oh, I’m gonna start writing soon’ and don’t give myself a time to finish I’ll just keep writing and keep starting new projects and not finishing the ones I’ve already started. This month I’ve set aside time for starting to come up with new material.”
Brooke also doesn’t remember talking about her political beliefs, mainly because she never does. Truthfully it’s no one’s business to ask… but hey, it’s an election year. Let’s hear it.
“I don’t really get involved in politics because it makes me quite mad. But my main policy would probably be to legalise gay marriage. I think it’s ridiculous that we’re living in the past. If you love someone you should be able to show that. I have a lot of gay friends and I feel quite passionately about that. I’m not too sure what my political party would be called. Probably something funny to do with cats.
“I don’t really take a stand on a lot of issues because I’m not an activist, I’m not a politician. But I do support the belief that if you believe something you should talk about it. Oscar’s Law came to me and asked if I was interested. I read about them and thought it was a good cause. I do believe in animal rights; I don’t think puppy farms are the right way to go. I didn’t know much about them before they contacted me but after looking at how dogs are being treated in those facilities I thought it was something worthy of my time… even if it was just for a photograph.”
BY JAMES PEARSON
