INTERVIEW: Sammy Honeysett Is Casting A Spell With Her EP ‘Queen Of Wands’

Sammy Honeysett. Photo supplied.

Sydney singer Sammy Honeysett has been releasing some blistering singles recently, and she’s just dropped her debut EP, Queen Of Wands. It solidifies her rising star status in the Australian rock scene, and there’s something for everyone on the EP.

I spoke to Sammy about the meaning behind the EP, as well as how she sees the Australian rock scene at the moment. Check out the EP below, and read on to check out my chat with Sammy.

Firstly, can you introduce yourself and your music?

Hi, I’m Sammy Honeysett! I’m taking you on a journey of being the main character. I turn indie-esque chords into landscapes of pop indulgence with melodies and hooks to match, with witty-plaintive reflections of my life spelled out in writing that will sink its teeth in as a direct line to your feels. 

The name Queen Of Wands was influenced by a Tarot card – if you had to make a Tarot card for the EP, what would it be? 

There are only 78 cards and the most feared one is the fool...so I would want to make a tarot that would cancel out that card and that fear for anyone.  

The tracks on the EP are quite varied in sound, but your lyrics tie them all together. When you’re writing lyrics for a track, do you draw from internal or external influences? 

I most definitely draw on both. My work is a reflection of who I am, and I think I’m very honest with the whole thing, it’s really no secret! When writing lyrics, they come from journaling things every day, from multiple places & times. Some songs start off with one word that someone could have said to me and it sunk in and made it onto paper. 

When listening to music I pay closer attention to the lyrics because they wrote them for a reason & they are there for a reason, so I admire that & want to do the same.

The EP has a real sense of authenticity to it, and I know this is something you strive for in your music. Why is it so important to you, and have you ever had moments where you’ve wavered on that authenticity?

It’s important to me purely because of I’ve worked too hard to get where I am now, I know there’s a lot of artist in our community who feel the same, we all have a message, we all have a story & it might be the case that we will be the voice for other individuals. Everyone should strive to bring out the best in themselves, and I love what I do. 

You’re releasing the EP on April 1st – are you a fan of pranks, and if so, what’s your go-to prank?

I grew up in a house full of boys, so pranks were a life skill taught the hard way at times. My favourite prank would have to be simply when you hide and jump out on someone... I’m 23 and still do it to my family. 

The Australian rock scene seems to go from strength to strength. As a member of the scene, why do you think Australia consistently produces such great rock music, and who are some acts you’re digging at the moment? 

I like to think of our community as well diverse but it’s forever growing & changing. The rock scene has definitely changed since I began & it’s changing now once more. I feel like there’s no better time to be a female in our industry though, there’s a lot of well-written & produced work by female-fronted groups. I’m really digging The Flowers, Greta Ray & Middle Kids’ new album!

You’ve spoken about your interest in cooking before – if the EP was a meal, what meal would it be and why?

The EP would have to be like a cheesy potato bake...everyone will enjoy it & hopefully it’s something you can’t get sick of.

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Finally, what are your next few steps, both personally and music-wise?

Here’s my current list to do:

1. Play the EP launch at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney!

2. Play some support shows head up & down the coast for some shows as well.

3. Take some me time & write/jam with the band.