Friday, August 14, 2026

Friday Flash(back) - Amy Shark - Soft Pop

Soft Pop is the fourth studio album from Gold Coast native, Amy Shark. In the early days, 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and performed under the name Amy Cushway

Her 2016 single Adore peaked at number 3 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was also listed at number 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2016. Her album Love Monster (July 2018) debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. 

Shark has won 8 ARIA Music Awards from 29 nominations, including winning Best Pop Release three times: in 2017 for her extended play, Night Thinker, 2018 for Love Monster and 2020 for Everybody Rise. 

In addition to her musical career, Shark has served as a judge on Australian Idol since 2023. She also performed new tracks from her album centre stage at my mums local Westfield recently. Westfield Tuggerah. Now that is a tough gig!

Soft Pop was announced back in March, alongside the album's lead single. The album was written entirely by Shark, with no co-writes and no collaborations. The album was recorded in a converted church in Wales with long-time producer Dann Hume (yes from Evermore!).

Some history from this week's feature. Amy Shark's birth father separated from her mother, Robyn, when Shark was just a baby. Upon the success of Adore, Shark replied to her birth father's attempt to re-establish contact.

In 2007 Shark met Shane Billings, a New Zealand-born Gold Coast financial manager; they married on 11 May 2013. The couple worked with the local National Rugby League football club, Gold Coast Titans: Shark as a video editor and Shane managing finances. She left that job in November 2016. Shane was also Shark's talent manager until she signed with Jaddan Comerford of UNIFIED Music Group, & continued as her manager for the local market.

The couple were residents of Broadbeach Waters. They relocated to Sydney by 2021.

In September 2021 Shane founded Rage More Records as a talent management company and recording label. The label's first release is a single "I'm not Giving Up" (Sep 2021) by IndyAnna Baby, which is co-written by Shark with that artist.

Shark cancelled a proposed American tour set for September 2023 due to hospitalisation for an unspecified illness in early August. The artist described having felt discomfort before seeking medical assistance and was due to undergo surgery with a month for recovery. By late September the singer performed at El Rey Theatre, LA.

Until next Friday, when we shine the spotlight on one of Australia's favourite bands. Wait till then to find out who is up next.


Friday, August 7, 2026

Friday Flash(back) - Charli XCX - Music, Fashion, Film

Music, Fashion, Film is the eighth studio album by former Album of the Year brat, Charli XCX.

The album features production by her longtime collaborators A. G. Cook and Finn Keane, who both co-wrote the album with Charli. However, don't expect brat part II. This is a totally different direction for Charli.

Prior to its release, four singles supported Music, Fashion, Film, all of which had accompanying music videos; Rock Music was the lead single, followed by SS26, Wink Wink & Camera. 

To further promote the project, Charli is embarking on the eponymous seventh concert tour from next month, through October.

More about Charli...

Charlotte Emma Aitchison was born 2 August 1992, known professionally as Charli XCX. She began posting songs on Myspace in 2008 before entering the London rave scene. Signing a recording contract with Asylum Records in 2010, Charli XCX released a series of singles and mixtapes in the early 2010s. 

In 2012, she co-wrote and was featured on Icona Pop's I Love It, which became her first number-one song in the UK and received global success, but her debut album, True Romance (2013), failed to meet commercial expectations.

In 2014, Charli XCX was featured on Iggy Azalea's single Fancy, which became her most streamed song and one of the year's best-selling singles worldwide. The same year, she released Boom Clap, which became her first solo top-ten single in the US. Her second album, Sucker (2014), spawned the singles Break the Rules & Doing It. 

She began working alongside producers associated with the UK collective PC Music in 2015, developing a more experimental sound and image. She released the EP Vroom Vroom in 2016 and the mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2 in 2017. 

Her third album, Charli (2019), produced the hit single 1999 with Troye Sivan. Her fourth album, How I'm Feeling Now (2020), was made during the COVID-19 lockdowns and received critical acclaim.

Charli XCX's fifth studio album, Crash (2022), became her first number-one album in the UK and Australia. 

She contributed the UK top-ten single Speed Drive as part of the soundtrack for the 2023 film Barbie. 

Her sixth album, Brat (2024), became her second UK number-one album and was named the best album of 2024 by various publications, such as Billboard and Rolling Stone. The album spawned the UK top-ten hit Apple & the remix album brought her second number-one song, Guess featuring Billie Eilish. 

Brat and its songs won three Grammy Awards: Best Dance Pop Recording for Von Dutch, Best Dance/Electronic Album, and Best Recording Package. The album sparked a cultural phenomenon dubbed Brat Summer, which served as an inspiration for Aidan Zamiri's film The Moment (2026) that she co-produced and starred in. 

During this period, Charli XCX also began appearing in independent cinema, securing acting roles in the 2025 films Erupcja, Sacrifice, and 100 Nights of Hero, as well as the 2026 films I Want Your Sex and Faces of Death. 

Her seventh and eighth albums Wuthering Heights and the below record, the Friday Flash(back) album, Music, Fashion, Film were released this year.

In addition to her solo work, Charli XCX has co-written songs for other artists, including Iggy Azalea's Beg for It (2014), Selena Gomez's Same Old Love (2015), Will.i.am's Boys & Girls (2016), Blondie's Tonight (2017), Shawn Mendes + Camila Cabello's SeƱorita (2019), Sigala and Rita Ora's You for Me (2021), and Katseye's Gabriela (2025). 

She was awarded the ASCAP Global Impact Award in 2024 and featured on the 2024 Gold House's most impactful Asian A100 list, making her the first woman of British Indian origin to be honoured.

Next week, we stay with the girl power, but local girl power. It's Australian Idol judge, Amy Shark. See you then.