Skii Harvey has been a life long singer/songwriter. Her early memories are of huddling over an old upright piano squeezed into her mother’s small semi in Redfern where their tiny porch had been converted into a makeshift bedroom. Like many artists she worked a couple of jobs by day and the gig circuit by night. It is an existence sustained only by passion and the love of music. Her voice has stopped the likes of Sting and Ricky May in their tracks but it is her song writing that she holds most dear. Her song writing has also raised many an eyebrow as she has recently been recognised by the Billboard music awards, the
These days she has taken a hiatus from the stage, and has been busy in the studio. Her second album Foolish Gir
l is a true journey, a journey in music and the story of a journey in life. How do you describe your music to people, Skii?
A fusion of nu-jazz, blues, rock and soul
Tell me about how you originally got into your craft.
My craft entails four distinctly different personas, developing incrementally: the writer, musician, singer and the performer. As a writer I started in my teens by writing poetry. The musician part of me tinkled melodies on the piano; it wasn't till my late teens when I discovered I could marry the two together. A bit of a late bloomer, I lived in my own little world, later described as my "Ivory Tower" by my future partner in life, my own Prince Charming. The singer was developing by attending rigid classical singing lessons by the renowned ABC soprano Shirley Flesfader. The performer, the final step, was established just out of my teens. This happened by accident as I was in the process of establishing the songwriter. A group of musicians that I was introduced to were going to record my first written attempt. The singer was having trouble interpreting the material and in my attempts to illustrate the band suggested I record the vocal instead. A top jazz band of the time in the throes of auditions to replace their highly-noted singer heard my tape and offered me the job.
What is your favorite thing to do in the whole wide world?
Christmas festivities.
(The kid in me waits and prepares all year from all the sparkle that comes with Christmas festivities to my constant hope for everyone to be kind and loving to each other).
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to running your business?
Doing photo shoots
When you were a kid, what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
A detective like Sherlock Holmes
In what way has your community impacted your development as a musician?
What other artists out there do you love?
Earth Wind and Fire
Hall & Oates
Maroon 5
Al Jarreau
Ray Charles
What does your future hold?
Continuing to challenge myself with each new written work and recognition for the work. Performing to a wider global audience.
