Karen Harding
Updated: May 21, 2021
For Melbourne, Australia based artist, Karen Harding, music is not only an outlet for expression of her feelings and emotions, drawn from a lifetime of experiences.. music is a soul conversation, that allows the masks that we hide behind to fall away for a moment of sharing.. a moment of mutual understanding.. in a language that does not discriminate in any form.
To picture the sound of Karen Harding’s music, imagine for a moment.. you are sitting outdoors at a private, casual tea party... it’s early in the morning and there is still a thin layer of fog lining the ground and the sun is just beginning to break for the first morning light. While sipping our tea, we are joined by guests, Sarah McLaughlin, Sara Bareilles, and Eva Cassidy and comparing stories about the depths of life.
Music has always been a part of Karen’s life, learning piano from the age of 6, beginning singing lessons from the age of 14, and more recently learning to play the guitar... Throughout the years, Karen has played at many cafes and bars around the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in a combination of solo, duo, and band performances, that have contributed to the sound that you hear today. Her true love of the art comes from the creativity of writing her music.
For fans who have never heard your music, can you pick three words to describe it?! If three words just aren't enough then tell us more!!
I see my music as an authentic, raw and deep inner reflection.. it is designed to make you feel and see something within yourself and it faces the real happenings both outside and within ourselves.
What is your favorite part about being an artist? Is it songwriting, performing, recording, something else?) Tell us why.
I absolutely love music in general.. I love to hear it, play it and experience it in any way I can. My favourite part about being an artist is those moments where it is just me, my voice and my guitar or piano.. when I am in the creative zone and the music just flows out of me.. where there is no end goal.. no expectation.. no one to impress.. just pure creativity. Beyond that, I love to share my music and the connections that I make with people through sharing, but there is something truly magical about creating the music.
Can you tell us what being in the recording studio is like for you?
I have been so honoured to work with the most incredible producer, Joshua Hennessy of Pivotal Music.. He has a way that makes you feel so calm, yet so excited about what we are creating. The best part of being in the recording studio is working with someone to see a song come to life.. the sharing of ideas.. trialling different ways of doing things.. it's a real partnership that leads you on a journey to song completion.
Okay, this a fun question. When you are not doing music, what else do you enjoy doing?
I manage to consistently fill my life with so many experiences.. A fun fact is that beyond my music, I also work within the accounting world.. I know that many of you would think that this is probably the furthest you could possibly get from creativity or excitement, but I feel like I get the best of both worlds! I manage a team of incredible women that inspire me daily and am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with them. I also run a platform called Sounds On The Couch, where I have artists perform weekly and I have the opportunity to regularly interview artists and music experts. Running this platform has connected me with so many talented people and provided me with so much opportunity to learn so much. To relax, I also love yoga and meditation, I love to paint with acrylic paints and spending time in nature.. at the beach, the bush or in a forest.
Who do you admire most in the music scene today and why?
This is a really tough question because the music scene is filled with talented and inspiring artists.. I think to answer this question honestly, I am most inspired by the emerging "little" independent artists around the scene.. the ones that will not give up, no matter how hard it gets.. that take rejection in their stride and continually build themselves up.. that spend their days hustling and their nights playing to rooms that may not be filling yet, but refuse to give up on their dreams.. these are artists with real stories to tell and I get so excited when I hear about them.
Can you tell us what song you've written that is the most emotional and describe the meaning behind it?
I feel like the majority of my music is very emotional and my latest release, 'I Didn't Realise' is very heartfelt, surrounding a breakup that I experienced. I do, however, have an unreleased song that I wrote when a friend received some heart-breaking news about their health.. I wrote it as a way to process the news and the feelings I felt, myself.. I find it very difficult to sing this song without tearing up but it really helped me personally to be able to sing and play this.. These experiences have a way of creating their own unique musical footprint.
Are you working on any new material right now or what's in the works for the upcoming year?
I am.. I have written so much music over the last 6 months and I have a lot that I really cannot wait to share.
I have another single that I plan to release in the next couple of months.. This is a song that I wrote during the first Covid-19 lockdown in Melbourne, Australia.
I'm also in the initial stages of putting together an EP with my producer.. definitely stay tuned!
Tell us where fans can access your music.
Stream on Spotify
Follow on Instagram
Connect on Facebook
Learn more on her website!