This March, Macy Gray will be making her return to Australia for the first time since 2012, bringing her acclaimed new album The Way. The record is album number nine for the US singer songwriter, one which Macy says represented a definite progression for her creatively.
"I realised how much I’d grown as an artist, making this record." she says. "You know, I’m a lot more in control of my voice than I used to be. I’ve definitely gotten better, I’ve definitely graduated! That’s what I learned the most, from making the record. That inspired a lot of new things, you know?"
"The moment I realised I had something special and that I had found something that not everyone was doing at the moment was when we were in the studio making "Bang Bang". That set off the tone of the record and it got me excited to make an album. I remember that day, I was like, ‘Yes! I’m ready to make this album’."
On her studio process, Gray comments on the way she likes to work and how her ethic has changed over the last few years. For the material featured on The Way in particular, Macy remembers certain songs in particular and the way in which they came together.
"When I’m not in the studio, I rarely focus on putting a song together," she explains. "It’s weird because when I get in the studio, all of it just comes to me. Even if I was going through something and I didn’t know it was a song, once I’d get in the studio, I’d realise that it was a song. You know? Like, there’s a song on there called "I Miss the Sex"; the person who that song is about, I was with maybe four years ago. When I got in the studio, I realised then that’s something I had reawakened! In my everyday life though, I would never really have paid attention to the fact that that was on my mind."
Once Gray and her band get to Australia, they'll be touring right around the country, even heading through to Darwin for a spell. Enthusiastic about her return to this part of the world, the performer notes the dynamic between herself and her band, in terms of bringing this new material to life for her Australian fans.
"I haven’t been there in a while and we’re going to get to see parts of it that we’ve never seen! We’re going to be on a tour bus so we’re going to be able to drive through it, and I love that. The band and I have been touring for maybe the past six months, so by the time we get to Australia, it’ll be second nature almost! We’re still rehearsing, but we’re not struggling through it! I’m really excited."
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Macy Gray Australian Tour Dates
March 7th - Palais Theatre, Melbourne
ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
March 8th - Concert Hall, Perth
ticketek.com.au | 132 849
March 10th - Entertainment Centre, Darwin
yourcentre.com.au | 08 8980 3333
March 11th - The Big Slapple @ Adelaide Convention Centre - Adelaide Fringe Festival
ticketek.com.au | 132 849
March 13th - Lismore City Hall
lismorecityhall.com.au | 02 6622 0300 | 1300 066 772
March 14th - Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane
ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
March 17th - Lizotte's Newcastle
lizottes.com.au
March 18th - Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie
glasshouse.org.au | 02 6581 8888
March 19th - Enmore Theatre, Sydney
ticketek.com.au | 132 849
