A creative soul who has manifested memorable musical experiences for a generation, APRÓ has many lessons to teach those who can listen. Pause, breathe and reflect on her story here, with Down Under Sound.
Q. APRÓ, you have been a mainstay as a DJ in Brisbane and greater Queensland for nearly a decade now. You originally moved to Queensland many years ago from New South Wales. In recent times you have relocated to the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane. Can you share with us your feelings about travelling back to play in Brisbane, and what has drawn you up the coast?
A. Yes, I have been creeping my way further up the east coast of Australia from Sydney for the past 15 years, with the majority of that time spent in coastal regions - at my core, I am seemingly drawn to the ocean and sunshine! When I ended up in Brisbane, I honestly didn’t think I would stay long - after 11 years in Sydney, I had vowed to never live in a big city again and for someone without a car at the time, the beach was just too far away. However, I called Brisbane home for a little over five years and consider those to be some of the most poignant years in discovering, developing and defining my creative and artistic passion, purpose and potential. Whilst I had many successes and opportunities, that less than 10 years ago I never even imagined would be a reality, I also bit off a bit too much than what I could actually chew and burnt myself out. A little over three years ago, with my partner based near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, I decided it was time to be closer to him and to retreat back to the ocean, nature and a slower pace of life - a decision I am thankful I made every day since.
It took a couple of years to recoup my energy, heal some wounds, reflect, reset and re-engage with my creativity. The past 12 months have certainly been the most exciting with more gigs, more connection with community (old and new!) and most importantly, more personal creative engagement… that which I have learnt is integral to feeling balanced in this crazy (and expensive!) world we live in. As does nature! For me particularly, the ocean and the lifestyle that beachside living evokes is an endless source of inspiration, reflection and growth - and for that I am truly one lucky gal!
Thankfully, the Sunny Coast is just a hop, skip and a jump back to Brisbane. I don’t believe I could have moved any further away as I feel blessed to still be able to pop down to Brissy for events, gigs and wholesome hangs with the many beautiful life-long friends I was so fortunate to cross paths with. Having made a bit of a mark as an artist in Brisbane, I would be disappointed if I could not return for the odd gig here and there. I don’t think I will ever lose my connection to Brisbane; it is so much more than a place I called home for a while. Magic was created there by me and all the people I connected and collaborated with… magic that still lives within me every day of my life.
Q. In one such sojourn back to Brisbane, you played the opening and warm up set for Melbourne’s Anthony Pappa, at the second Berry Juicy launch event for Strawberry Moon Festival. What did you learn from that experience? What did you think of the festival’s following debut at Eatons Hill Hotel in June?
A. Aah yes, easily one of the most significant gigs to date for Apró. I was super impressed by the music curation, production and energy of Berry Juicy’s first iteration, so to be asked to warm up the second event… and Anthony Pappa!! well gee whizz, mind blown. It had been a hot minute though since I had been tasked at this level, so I dedicated a lot of time to prepare accordingly. And as a preface to the much-anticipated Strawberry Moon Festival, it really was a “put your big girl pants on and get it done, good and proper” moment for me.
What did I learn?? A few things… firstly, my music collection is ridiculously vast, haha! I actually didn’t buy any new music because simply, I didn’t need to! I also learnt (on the fly!) how to mix on the Pioneer V10 mixer of which certainly was a fish-out-of-water moment initially, but a challenge accepted and achieved, nonetheless. Most notably though, the biggest lesson I take away from the whole experience, is don’t underestimate the impact you feel you have had on other people on your creative journey, because it is real and will eventually resurface in the most surprising ways 😉
Strawberry Moon’s debut at Eatons Hill Hotel in June was absolutely incredible. All the dancing and foot stomping physically broke me (haha) but I had the best day, which I am not quite sure how you couldn’t with the super stacked lineup of international and local artists, next level production and carefully thought-out experience extras. There is also something to be said for the strong, passionate female at the helm - Karyna has certainly made a powerful mark on the scene and I am excited to see what she has in store for us next!
Q. Which artists are some of your greatest sources of inspiration? If you could warm up for anyone (besides Anthony of course!), who would that be?
A. I am most inspired by soul-filled, organic sounds that feature live instrumentals…and if there is a featured sample of a bird (hello Kookaburra!) well you have won my heart over! As amazing as synthesisers are, they fail to capture the emotion and essence of the human touch on an instrument. I classically trained quite seriously on the clarinet in high school and collaborated with Wilma quite extensively (who is easily one of the best instrumentalists I know!) so I understand this human element factor first hand. After TOO MANY years of not playing my clarinet, I can say picking it back up gradually over the past 4 years, has contributed to the styles and sounds I have found the most joy in listening to, collecting and playing as a DJ.
Artists such as Dear Humans, Double Touch, Grouch in Dub Band and Monolink - amongst many, many others - have all at some point captured my attention and given me goosebumps with their live instrumental and percussion-infused beats. My absolute favourite and number one go-to for listening at the moment though, would be Melbourne based, The Oddness. I am possibly even a little obsessed haha! The thing is though, I get to hear a lot of the music I have in my collection and love to mix but interpreted in a different way - plus, a really great canvas for jamming on my clarinet!! The Oddness is a solo producer, live electronic artist and DJ that evidently shares my love of live music and “getting the band together” with his formation of The Oddness and Band alongside Timmus on drums and Dylan Jarrad on guitar. I would certainly be in my absolute element if I were to have the opportunity to warm up for this spectacularly groove-filled trio!
Q. You emerged as an artist through many local club events and festivals such as Dragonfruit, Earth Frequency and Elements, as well as being one of the founders of Melt. Do you have any advice for aspiring DJs currently trying to make it in our local scene? When you look back on those times, how do you think the scene has changed since then?
A. I actually credit a lot of my success to the extremely large network of industry professionals, established artists and like-minded humans I have collected on my journey. It’s been said a million times, but supporting the scene and connecting with the right people is paramount to getting your foot in the door. Hot tip: never leave home without a USB in your bag or your pocket - because you will want to kick yourself in the face if you end up at the right place at the right time to play some tunes amongst the right people and you are not equipped. Whilst establishing myself in Brisbane, I never left home without my USB - it was the right place right time moments that earned me bookings for the likes of Dragonfruit and brought me success as an event promoter.
It is also important to remain humble and leave the ego at home!
Be an attentive punter - there is much to learn from watching other DJs mix, reading the room and experiencing the multifaceted energies buzzing in and around you.
Brisbane’s underground scene has an interesting history that has had many ups and downs. For a city on the smaller scale, the electronic music scene as a whole really packs a punch. Initially, I saw there were many challenges that stemmed from the wider community’s misconceptions of electronic music, a lack of Government support and venues either limiting their music offerings or closing their doors. There was a time that I thought I could be part of the solution, and I probably was there for a moment, but it really calls for a collaborative approach and extreme dedication to the cause.
Since I have been gone, and post-Covid, I have been watching from afar the whole scene rally together to fight for the right to express themselves through music, art and community. There seems to be a renewed spirit, more collaboration and a collective passion to keep the underground dream alive. People have become more creative in how and where events are held, are joining forces to create new go-to’s for weekly music fixes and promoting community values.
With the Olympics on the horizon, I imagine that Brisbane’s “International City” status will continue to rise, and as such improve the city’s night life as a whole… well we would hope so, right?!
A. Yes, there is quite a lot of diversity in the mixes and sets I have played - and in my collection as a whole. I love to explore and experiment with different genres, and always aim to deliver something a little unexpected. I have been fortunate over the years to be slotted into a diverse range of lineups - from opens, closes, headlines and warm-ups for many local and international feature artists - all of which has helped me to develop my skills, expand my repertoire, and really hone-in to the art of DJing.
In recent years, as I have been easing back into a more regular DJ groove, I have focused my energies toward downtempo organic grooves - the music that makes my soul sing and dance its little heart out! The notion that music is the space between the notes and beats really resonates with me and is why I am so drawn to the slower tempos - because when you slow the tempo, that space becomes bigger so subsequently, there is more music. I also really thrive on the technical challenges that come with mixing slower tempos, which generally involve navigating broken beats, melodic intricacies and slight tempo changes. I truly feel I am putting all my skills to use in the downtempo realm.
Ultimately, I am going to continue being the most true and honest version of myself I can be - just a little more focused. As long as I am being challenged and having fun, then that is what matters the most to me. I also vow to play my clarinet more 😉
Q. As well as music, you have contributed to the scene with a variety of creative projects, such as The Apróthecary. What else do you have on the cards that you would like to share?
A. Currently I am working on some events in collaboration with Miss Honey Funk (@misshoneyfunk) and Artifakt (@artifakt_artstudio). Our collective magic brings together community through our love of up-cycled fashion, art, decor and music. Early September we are hosting our second Treasure Trove event in Coolum - stay tuned!!
Dipping my toes back into event promotion is also on the cards for this summer. Having established myself within a beautiful, artistic and diverse community of like-minded creatives up here, I feel like it is time to bring some more underground flavours to the area.
Renegade daytime beach session anyone??
Q. You have some big upcoming gigs in the pipeline, including a weekend in Sydney in October. What is next for APRÓ?
A. 2023 has been shaping up to be a very productive year creatively. I have something booked every month through to November currently. At the end of July, I am back in Brisbane for The Newstead Roots Festival at The Triffid on the 29th and Tempo Comodo at Echo & Bounce on the 30th. September 1-4 I will be making my debut with Wizards of Kingston for their 2023 Spring Campout located in Kilkivan, not far from me here on the coast. Currently all other events are unreleased - but they include, as you mentioned, a trip to Sydney in October, a local Sunny Coast event in November, and it’s looking like an art exhibition opening event in August also here on the coast.
I am particularly excited for my Sydney trip! It was a goal this year to lock down my first interstate weekend for gigs, so I am quite proud of myself to have been able to achieve this!!
Now bring on Summer already 😉
Blessings, love, magic and well wishes from the beach!
