Australian singer/songwriter Jess Ribeiro will release her fourth studio album Summer of Love on April 12. Written and recorded while living in nine different share houses across a two year period – including a six month sabbatical in a church located outside of Melbourne, it’s been a wild ride of sorts -all of which inform the bigger picture on this new album.
Summer of Love captures Ribeiro’s sense of isolation, love encounters and expectations versus reality mindset – all while healing herself during a pandemic.
She’ll tour Europe and the UK in April, and embark on the Friendship Tour in May around Australia which sees her co-headline a string of dates with Leah Senior.
Jess Ribeiro talks to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series.
MY CITY
I live in Naarm/ Melbourne. I love the quality produce we have here and the many different cuisines.
FAVOURITE RESTAURANT
At the moment it’s the Mauritian restaurant, Manzé in North Melbourne. It’s exciting tasting a variety of dishes in one sitting, so the set menu with extras is perfect. Their food is nourishing and satiating.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
When I was a teacher on Galiwinku in the Northern Territory, sometimes we would work and eat on the beach. The children would catch salmon, lobster, and snails and cook them up on a fire. We’d sit in a circle in the sand and eat together.
FAVOURITE BAR MEMORY
At 19, I worked at a bar in Brisbane and was Prince’s assistant before he performed a secret after show. He asked me for Green Tea – we had none – so I offered him a rum and coke. He politely declined the drink I’d hastily pre-poured for him so I drank it, then ran around China Town after midnight to find him a Green Tea. The drink was terrible but the night was legendary.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
Don’t get one.
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
A funky, weird, natural wine.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Franks Wild Years in Thirroul, NSW is a live music venue and record store. The staff are friendly and serve food as well as making the very best seasonal Pina Colada using fresh pineapple.
FAVOURITE WINE
At the moment I’m enjoying William Downie’s 2023 wines. I once interviewed him for a magazine and he was so interesting to speak to, and suggested a great documentary called Shut Up Little Man!, which may have inspired his wine making process.
FAVOURITE WINERY
If William Downie has a winery I think we should all visit it. Other than that, I have no idea. My winery experiences have been the wineries I’ve performed at. I’d love to visit a biodynamic winery.
NEXT DESTINATION
I’m tossing up between the beach or the river. – I like to swim.
TELL US ABOUT MAKING SUMMER OF LOVE
I wanted this record to be sparse and quiet. It was slow to make and was created in an unusual way because of the restrictions during that period of time. It was recorded in Point Lonsdale with producer Nick Huggins at his beach side studio during lockdown which was a very peaceful place to work.
TAKE US ON A JOURNEY OF THREE SONGS ON THE ALBUM
Wake In Fright was written in the inner city during lockdown then composed on a friend’s piano in Castlemaine. It’s child-like and dreamy.
Everything Is Now was sketched outside of Apollo Bay in a little shack in the bush. The song was inspired by nature. I didn’t know who it was but i could hear the sound of train tracks in the song so created them with an old analogue tape recorder.
Howl was written at The Grampians, inspired by the animals and the headlines in the news at the time. I wanted to create a repetitious piano line. The song is part poem part prayer.
BEST ADVICE YOU LIVE BY
Live and Let Live.
Summer of Love is released April 12 – with a tour of the Europe, UK and Australia.
