Chloe reaches for the stars

Newcastle singer, songwriter and musician Chloe Gill has released her debut single, hoping it will skyrocket her into a shining music career.

Paper Stars is Chloe Gill’s debut single, and within a week of being released it hit Triple J Unearthed’s overall charts at number 21. The following week it climbed to five.

The 17-year-old’s song was inspired by a photograph she saw at NSW Art Gallery by William Yang called Stars in my Hand.

“It deeply inspired me. From the first moment I saw it, I knew it had potential to be something more, and I felt that it was my duty to make it so,” the Belmont High School Year 12 student said.

“My songwriting takes inspiration from art, pieces of music, nature and other people’s words. My music emotionally explores a lot, and I truly hope people find a deeper meaning in my lyrics and connect them to their experiences and lives.

“A lot of my writing process is sitting down at the piano or behind my guitar, turning on my voice memos and pouring my heart out. I like to mess around with lyrics and chords until I like the sound of something and run with it.

“I have a lot of unfinished songs in my phone’s notes and riffs I’ve recorded in random places in my voice memos. Sometimes it’s also a shower thought or a thought at work that I need to write down or a riff in my head in the middle of the night,” Chloe said.

Chloe likes to think she’s created her own genre, somewhere between contemporary and indie rock.

Listeners will find hints of jazz chords, scatting and unpredictable melodies entwined in her music. And inspiration is drawn from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Elton John and Missy Higgins.

“My favourite part about my music is the way it evolves and is manipulated over time to sound so different,” Chloe said.

“Lyrics and chords change, runs are added and subtracted. They are something that is forever changing, and I love the excitement behind that!”

Chloe has always been musically attuned. As a toddler, she sang along to Missy Higgins in the car, began piano lessons at four, and started writing her own music at six.

It’s almost like her passion for music was written in the stars.

“I have grown up in a musical family. Both my parents, John and Alison, are high school music teachers. They have both encouraged my older sister, Emily, and I into music from day dot,” Chloe said.

“My parents made sure I was enrolled in the band program. Both my sister and I started trumpet lessons.

“I started guitar in Year 7, and I haven’t put it down since. I still play trumpet and piano too. A few years ago, I started to dabble in bass and drums, and I will probably continue learning new instruments for the rest of my days!”

Chloe has performed in Newcastle’s Star Struck as a featured artist for the past seven years and a dancer for two. She has toured internationally with the Marching Koalas.

“I owe a lot of the opportunities I’ve had to my parents!” Chloe said.

“They’re so incredibly supportive of what I do and have never stopped fuelling my passions for music.”

Chloe’s journey into a music career began when she entered herself into one of Australia’s most prestigious talent training and development programs for high school students, the Talent Development Project (TDP).

The Sydney-based project caters to the young and inspired who want a career in the music industry. As part of the program, students are mentored by professionals in the music and entertainment industry worldwide.

“The Talent Development Project has really been a massive stepping stone in my career over the past three years,” Chloe said.

“I auditioned for the core program in 2019 and was unsuccessful in the process. Nevertheless, I returned for the Open Talent Workshop in the October school holidays of 2019.

“I had never played my music in front of anyone before, until the third day in where they asked if I wrote my own music. All I had was an unfinished song that I thought was rubbish.”

Chloe finished the song with another artist, Imogen Clarke, titled Ropes and received an overwhelmingly positive response. This instilled in her a newfound confidence that she was where she was meant to be.

“I returned back to Newcastle feeling inspired and refreshed. I wrote every single day for eight months straight and spent this time perfecting my craft until the first round of auditions that next year. I auditioned for the program and was accepted into the first phase,” she said.

“Throughout, I struggled heavily with issues of performance anxiety, confidence and lack of self-belief in my abilities and talents. It took me a long time to realise that we all had our own individual fears.”

Chloe said performing in front of Sony and APRA management industry professionals was confronting and emotionally ruthless.

After making it through to the next round, she felt reassured. She also made some lifelong connections along the way, including with her mentor and Artistic Director of TDP, Peter Cousens.

“I owe a massive thank you to Peter. He helped me see my potential in my music through his support and push for me to do better every time,” Chloe said.

“Through the support, I enforced a huge amount of self-discipline into my thought process. As a result, I broke the vicious cycle of negative pressure and turned it into something positive.

“Towards the end of phase two, we were tasked with hosting our own pop-up cabaret show. This was my first ever proper solo show. I held mine at the Dungeon Adamstown, and it sold out!”

The final phase was made up of the top 14 singers, songwriters and instrumentalists in the state. Chloe was pushed even further to perfect her craft and artistic identity.

“This was where I recorded my debut single, Paper Stars, at Sony Music in Sydney as well as another one of my originals written in phase one of the TDP called The Alchemist, sung by my friend Aliyah,” Chloe said.

“We spent a week together doing a photoshoot and recording an album for our graduation, which was to be held on the 4th of June at Qudos Bank Arena.

“We really were treated like superstars. It was something I will cherish forever. The show was a perfect collaboration of talent, amazing music and fun vibes. I had never felt so proud and alive on stage than when I did that night!”

Paper Stars debuted as part of the Talent Development Project 2021 graduation album, which includes another 14 tracks from the rest of the group.

Along with her success in TDP, Chloe has been mentored by Australian singer-songwriter Gretta Ray after winning a Green Music Australia songwriting competition in December last year.

After completing her HSC, Chloe will officially immerse herself in a music career.

“After I graduate, I hope to get my Diploma of Music in Sound Production and record, produce and release more of my own music. I am currently working on an EP, so I would love to release that soon,” she said.

“I just really want to be able to give back to the world through my voice and my music. I would love to be an influential female figure in the industry and show the world what women are capable of!”

No matter where her career takes her, Chloe said she would always make sure to use music as an outlet for herself and others to express and enjoy.  

“Thank you to anyone who has been there for me in my journey and to those who continue to support me in my passion and my achievements every day,” Chloe said.

“There’s no way of knowing where this is going to take me, but I’m so excited for what’s to come!”

Paper Stars is now available on Apple Music and Spotify. To keep track of Chloe’s musical journey, follow her on socials @chloegillmusic or check out her Linktree.

Hayley McMahon