A SAVVY approach to the music industry and a funky guitar-driven sound have put down-to-earth singer and songwriter Charmaine Bingwa, 24, on the map. The release of her debut EP in May was marked with a successful launch party.
Bingwa has aimed for diversity on the EP and describes her sound as funk rock with a jazz feel. She first picked up a guitar at age11 and will perform in Parramatta on August6. ``I quite like the musicality of it,'' she said. ``I grew up listening to a lot of soul and rock. I've also studied music so even though it's a bit geeky I love classical music as well.''
At the moment Bingwa is listening to Chrisette Michele (an R&B artist recently signed to Def Jam Records), Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Jackson and several local artists. ``I have a lot of different songs on my iPod. It's quite embarrassing at dinner parties because you don't know what's going to come on.''
Advised that a record label is not needed to succeed, Perth-born Bingwa produced and promoted her debut EP independently, through internet sites, well-chosen gigs and intimate acoustic performances. She said this approach has positives and negatives. ``I love it in terms of the creative freedom I have.''
She said in the absence of marketing dollars that alignment with a major record label provides, ``you really have to push it yourself it can be tiring''.
``I definitely have a lot more appreciation for local artists. There are so many amazing talents out there and labels just aren't signing a lot of people in the economic downturn, so I think we definitely should support them.''
She will be guest performer at the Roxy Hotel, 69George Street, Parramatta, on Thursday, August6, at 7pm and interviewed on FM90.5 on Saturday, August1 at 5pm.
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