Jen Cloher: Authenticity and embracing her origins

Australian musician Jen Cloher, who is of Ngapuhi and Ngati Kahu descent, talks to Anika about embracing her whakapapa and finding her authenticity in the music industry.

Jen Cloher is a pretty big deal in Australia, where she's released half a dozen albums and won lots of awards, including Best Solo Artist at the 2023 Music Victoria Awards. She was also nominated for a 2023 Aria Award.

But she is less well-known here in New Zealand, the home of her Māori whanau. She talks to Anika about finding her roots and being authentic in the music industry.

Watch the video version of the episode here

Jen's start in the music industry

"The major labels were starting to lose their power. They still had power. They were still giving out deals. But we slowly started to see the digital world rise up and it took a lot of power away from those gatekeepers. So it was an interesting time, for artists and particularly, wahine takatapui to navigate those worlds. And I think I just came through at a time where I was able to find independent partners in the music industry. Had it been 10 years earlier, I probably would have been signed to Sony or EMI, if they'd even look at me. I think that I'm not an easy face or body to market into a predominantly heteronormative landscape. So, I think my intersection with the music industry was well timed in order for me to even get a look in."

Her music

"There's always been a storytelling, quite a personal sort of approach. There's always been a very folky element. It's been 20 years. Twenty years of writing music, of being a part of different communities. As I gained more confidence, I'd always loved rock. I'd grown up listening to rock. Perhaps I didn't have the chops to pull off those rock signifiers. But as I became more confident as a musician, I was able to relax into bringing that side forward more."

"I love Velvet Underground and Patti Smith and just so many bands, I guess, from that sort of like, New York, 70s era, that sort of came through as well. So I think it's just been like an evolution. And where I am today is, I just feel like everything that I write and perform obviously comes through so much influence. But also it's my story. It's always my story. That's what I've always lent on."

'If you're authentic, you are timeless'…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details