Ali Barter

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Ali Barter
Three-quarter shot of a woman playing an electric guitar in front of her is a microphone on a stand.
Barter, April 2013
Background information
Birth nameAlison Barter
Born1986 (age 37–38)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresPop rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2012–present
Labels
  • Ronnie/MGM
  • Independent/Inertia
Websitealibartermusic.com

Alison Barter (born 1986) is an Australian pop rock singer-songwriter. Trained in classical music, Barter began writing and independently releasing pop rock in her mid-twenties. She released an EP, Trip, in 2012 and was the winner of the 2013 Triple J Unearthed competition. An opinion column Barter wrote in 2016 for Junkee, on the need for representation of women in music history, attracted local and international attention. As of 2021, Barter has released one live and two studio albums. She married musician and collaborator Oscar Dawson in 2016.

Early years[edit]

Ali Barter was born in Melbourne in 1986. She was raised by an Irish Catholic father (who had a son from a previous marriage) and a Buddhist mother.[1] She spent her early years in Lae, Papua New Guinea, where her father worked.[2] The family moved to Cairns before returning to Melbourne where she attended a Methodist secondary school.[1][2] Barter was trained as a classical vocalist and spent eight years singing in the Australian Girls Choir.[1] She left music, at about 14 to 16,[1] and became a self-proclaimed 'rat bag': "I was just naughty. Drinking/partying too much and too often, behaving badly ... just bummed around being a pest. Not contributing!"[2] Her father unexpectedly died when she was 24.[2]

Career[edit]

Barter said she had a "taste of mortality" resulting from her father's early death. She returned to music soon after, feeling that if she "didn't do something then then I'd waste my life", and began writing and releasing music independently.[1][2]

Barter issued her debut extended play (EP), Trip, in August 2012. It was recorded and produced in Melbourne by local beat-maker Matik. It provided the single "Run You Down", which was co-written by Barter and Stephen Mowat.[2][3] She was a 2013 Triple J Unearthed winner, earning a spot on the line-up at St Jerome's Laneway Festival in that year.[4] She followed with support slots for Vance Joy, Cloud Control and the Rubens. Late in 2013 her second EP, Community, was released, which was produced by Oscar Dawson (of Holy Holy). She toured with the War on Drugs.[5]

Barter's third EP, AB EP, was released on 4 September 2015.[6] It was recorded at the Aviary, Abbotsford with Dawson producing and co-writing.[6] It provided the single "Hypercolour", with its music video, directed by Rhys Mitchell, being premiered on NPR.[7] Barter appeared in ABC1's TV mini-series The Beautiful Lie (2015), a modern adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.[8]

In April 2016 Barter performed on triple j's weekly Like a Version segment, where she covered Tame Impala's track "'Cause I'm a Man".[9] She released two singles in that year — "Far Away" in January and "Girlie Bits" in August.[10] Both were quickly added to high rotation on national youth broadcaster triple j. She was also invited by triple j to perform at the Unearthed 10-year anniversary show in November, where she was joined onstage by Melbourne musician Ecca Vandal for a special performance of "Girlie Bits".[11] In 2016, Barter also toured in support of the Rubens, City Calm Down and the Jezabels and held her single launches in Sydney and Brisbane.

In mid-2016 inspired by her experiences while studying 20th century music history at a university in Melbourne, she posted on her Facebook page "about how under-represented women were in the course material."[12] She was called to a meeting: "We had a horrendous chat and they hounded me to take down the post. I had so much anxiety going to class that I stopped going."[12] In December of that year Barter penned an op-ed, "It's About Fucking Time We Gave Female Musicians the Credit They Deserve" for Australian media website Junkee.[13] She discussed the importance of including women in music history.[12] The piece garnered a number of responses, including one from Yoko Ono, who re-tweeted the article.[14]

Barter released her debut album, A Suitable Girl, in March 2017, independently on Ronnie Records via Inertia Music. It peaked at No. 17 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[15] In February of the following year she performed at the Melbourne Zoo, for its Twilights Season, which Giselle Bueti of The AU Review praised: "There is something compelling about her stage presence, a certain awkward charm. The powerful chords mixed with delicate harmonies make for sweet listening. It's like biting into a sour lolly – that initial punch is quickly followed by sugary bliss, making your mouth water and plead for more."[16]

In 2019 Barter announced her second full length album, Hello I'm Doing My Best. Released in October, it was generally well received. It yielded the singles "UR a Piece of Shit", "Backseat" and "Big Ones". The release was followed by a tour of Australian cities.[17][18]

In March 2020, Australian radio station Triple J premiered a new song by Barter in collaboration with Oscar Dawson (from Holy Holy) titled "Four Days", as part of a COVID-19 self-isolation musical challenge nicknamed Quarantune.[19]

Personal life[edit]

In 2013 Barter began working with fellow Australian musician Oscar Dawson (ex-Dukes of Windsor, member of Holy Holy), as a songwriting and musical collaboration.[2] Dawson produced Barter's latter two EPs and debut album. Barter and Dawson married in early 2016. The couple run a small independent label, Ronnie Records, which issued Barter's material, as well as work by fellow musicians Ben Wright Smith and Miles de Carteret.[6][20] She has often visited India and has expressed a desire to live there.[1]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Title Album details Peak positions
AUS
[15]
A Suitable Girl
  • Released: 20 March 2017
  • Label: Inertia Records (IR5247CD)
 17
Hello, I'm Doing My Best
  • Released: 18 October 2019[21]
  • Label: Girly Bits / Inertia Music
 53

Live albums[edit]

Title details
triple j Live At The Wireless
  • Released: 29 May 2020[22]
  • Label: ABC Music

Extended plays[edit]

Title EP details
Trip
  • Released: September 2012
  • Label: Ali Barter
Community
  • Released: 7 November 2014[23]
  • Label: Ronnie Records (RON001)
AB-EP
  • Released: 31 August 2015[24]
  • Label: Ronnie Records (RON002)
Chocolate Cake
  • Released: 30 April 2021[25]
  • Label:

Singles[edit]

Year Title Album
2012 "Run You Down" Trip
2014 "Community" Community
2015 "Hypercolour"[26] AB-EP
"Blood"
2016 "Far Away"[27] A Suitable Girl
"Girlie Bits"[28]
2017 "Cigarette"[29]
"Please Stay"[30]
"One Foot In"[31]
2019 "UR a Piece of Shit"[32] Hello, I'm Doing My Best
"Backseat"[33]
"Big Ones"[34]
"Issues" (615 Sessions)[35] non-album singles
"Backseat" (615 Sessions)[36]
2020 "Four Days" (with Oscar Dawson)[37]
"Twisted Up"[38] Chocolate Cake
2021 "You Get in My Way"[39]

Awards and nominations[edit]

AIR Awards[edit]

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
AIR Awards of 2017[40] herself Best Independent Artist Nominated

J Awards[edit]

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
J Awards of 2017[41] A Suitable Girl Australian Album of the Year Nominated

Music Victoria Awards[edit]

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
Music Victoria Awards of 2017 Ali Barter Best Female Artist Nominated [42][43]

National Live Music Awards[edit]

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
National Live Music Awards of 2018[44][45] Ali Barter Live Pop Act of the Year Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Flynn, Holly (13 July 2015). "Ali Barter on Her Upbringing and Learning to Love Music Again". speakertv. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Ali Barter". Forté. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  3. ^ "'Run You Down' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 8 December 2018. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  4. ^ Denham, Sadler (14 December 2012). "Laneway Festival 2013 Add More Acts to Lineup". Tone Deaf. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  5. ^ Mikki, Gomez (15 December 2014). "The War on Drugs and Ali Barter at The Metro Theatre, Sydney". the AU Review. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Liberale, Michael (1 September 2015). "Ali Barter Playing Shows to Launch New EP". speakertv. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  7. ^ Katie, Presley (17 August 2015). "First Watch: Ali Barter, 'Hypercolour'". NPR Music. NPR. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  8. ^ Razer, Helen (7 November 2015). "Tolstoy's Anna Karenina adapted for 'The Beautiful Lie'". The Saturday Paper. The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  9. ^ Okine, Matt (7 April 2016). "Like a Version: Ali Barter – 'Cause I'm a Man'". triple j. ABC. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  10. ^ Craig, Mathieson (9 December 2016). "Ali Barter Hits All The Right Notes with 'Girlie Bits'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Here's What Went Down at the triple j Unearthed 10-year party!". triple j Unearthed. ABC. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  12. ^ a b c Valentish, Jenny (12 June 2017). "All-women's music festival Electric Lady shocks the system". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  13. ^ Barter, Ali (5 December 2016). "It's About Fucking Time We Gave Female Musicians the Credit They Deserve". Junkee. Junkee Media. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Ali Barter on Getting the Blue Tick of Apprival from Yoko Ono". ABC. triple j. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  15. ^ a b "Discography Ali Barter". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  16. ^ Bueti, Giselle (12 February 2018). "Live Review: The Preatures & Ali Barter Charm at Melbourne Zoo for Twilights Season 2018". The AU review. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  17. ^ Carr, Debbie (17 October 2019). "Ali Barter spins insecurities into gold on second album, 'Hello I'm Doing My Best'". triple j. ABC Australia.
  18. ^ Newstead, Al (24 June 2019). "Ali Barter announces tour for new album 'Hello, I'm Doing My Best'". triple j. ABC Australia.
  19. ^ "Ali Barter and Holy Holy's Oscar Dawson wrote us a quarantine song called 'Four Days'". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ^ Aza (27 May 2016). "Listen: 'Honey' by Miles De Carteret". The Lowdown Under. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  21. ^ "Hello, I'm Doing My Best". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  22. ^ "triple j Live At The Wireless (DD)". Apple Music. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Community EP". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  24. ^ "AB EP". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Ali Barter's new Chocolate Cake EP is a "a sonic mash-up of feeling"". NME. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Hypercolour - single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  27. ^ "Far Away - single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  28. ^ "ALI Ali Barter Us All About her "Girlie Bits" in New Singles". aaabackstage. August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  29. ^ "Ali Barter drops video clip for Cigarette, announces Oz tour". PileRats. February 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  30. ^ "SONG SPOTLIGHT: Ali Barter, "Please Stay"". Radio Today. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  31. ^ "ALI BARTER Reveals Video for "One Foot In"". amnplify. August 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  32. ^ "UR a Piece of Shit - single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  33. ^ "Ali Barter Backseat". airit. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  34. ^ "Big Ones - single". Apple Music. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  35. ^ "Isses - single". Apple Music. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Backseat - single". Apple Music. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  37. ^ "Four Days - single". Apple Music. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  38. ^ "Twisted Up - single". Apple Music. November 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  39. ^ "You Get in My Way - single". Apple Music. March 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  40. ^ "A.B Original dominates 2017 AIR Awards nominations". The Music Network. The Brag Media. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  41. ^ "The J Award 2017". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  42. ^ "Previous Nominees". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  43. ^ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  44. ^ "NLMA announce 2018 nominees and Live legend". NLMA. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  45. ^ "Winners of the 2018 NLMA". NLMA. December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ali_Barter&oldid=1191630762"