LUCY PARLE BIOGRAPHY
Few storytellers can distil raw emotion into melody like Lucy Parle. The golden-haired songbird’s authentic take on Country music, pageants wisdom beyond her years.
Lucy Parle’s journey unfolds like a dance – literally. Inelegantly pirouetting across the back rows of her ballet class, she sensed she was twirling down the wrong path. “Every concert I was put in the back row. My mum used to tell me it was because I was taller than the other girls, but looking back at the videos, it was because I was really bad at dancing,” laughs the young singer-songwriter.
At 8 years old she stumbled onto her true calling; trading the tutu for a violet acoustic guitar. “I told my mum that I wanted to do singing lessons instead of dancing,” she recalls. The only caveat being that she learn to accompany herself on an instrument too.
From that moment she was hooked. After all, music was in her blood; her great-grandfather, an avid banjo player, would sing with Lucy as a toddler, famously noting “that kid can hold a tune”.
Her home was constantly filled with song, largely due to her mother’s affinity for Country music. “My singing teacher always said I had a natural twang to my voice, so she would teach me early Taylor Swift songs and Kasey Chambers songs.”
Like many starry-eyed singers she started small, playing to whoever would listen. Attending school during the week, then frequenting every market, café, restaurant – or even pub – that she could on the weekend, the talented 12-year-old was well and truly hustling. “My mum would always be close by and I remember sometimes I would just be playing to her.” Lucy took every opportunity to hone her craft. “Sometimes I would even busk outside Coles while I waited for my mum to do the shopping.”
Her commitment paid dividends. Two years later, the singer-songwriter was crowned the victor of Central Coast Discovered and was accepted into the prestigious Academy of Country Music in Tamworth, where she received mentorship from some of Australia’s brightest and most enduring stars.
The Australian Songwriters Association named her Youth Songwriter of the Year in 2017 and 2020 as well as Folk/Acoustic Songwriter of the Year in 2018. She won the ‘Youth Songwriter’ category at the Tamworth Songwriters Association Award’s in 2019 and 2020, and took out first place in the coveted International Songwriting Competition (ISC), ‘Teen’ category in 2020.
In the space of 4 years Lucy had gone from aspiring musician to bonafide star on the rise. “I have seen Lucy develop into an artist who, I believe, has the potential to be one of Australia’s and the world’s finest writers and performers,” admits veteran producer and songwriter, Rod McCormack.
As a standout performer in Triple J’s Unearthed High (2020, 2021), Lucy attracted the attention of boutique indie label, Double Drummer and ORiGiN Music Publishing. Joining the label roster, she released her stories to the world; eventually clocking over 1 million streams on DSPs and earning her the moniker, “the Australian Taylor Swift”.
“When I hear Lucy Parle sing, I get chills! Lucy is full of fire and drive. Her songs have so much wisdom and grace from someone so young. Her voice is effortless, powerful and vulnerable” – Sally Barris, songwriter (Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood).
Eventually the market stalls and crowded restaurant corners were traded for vibrantly lit stages and theatres around the country. As opening act for Greta Stanley (2022), Casey Barnes (2022), Ash Grunwald (2023), Alex Lloyd (2023), 1927 (2023), Mahalia Barnes (2024) and The Whitlams (2024), she more than earned her stripes. Experiencing Lucy’s live show is like having a chat with your best friend; relaxed, fun and uninhibited.
Accolades and opportunities came swiftly, but in 2022 the singer-songwriter found herself at a fork in the road. “I took a conscious step back to reflect on the direction my music was heading.” Waving goodbye to both her publisher and label, Lucy began work with Australian producer, Rod McCormack (The Wolfe Brothers, Lee Kernaghan, Paul Kelly), whilst collaborating with a host of ace writers in Nashville.
Returning to her Country music roots, Lucy’s most recent release ‘Best of Me’ scored playlist recognition on Apple Music and was added on full rotation to Kix Country, iHeart Radio, ABC Country, Australian Country Radio and CMT Australia, among many others. This is no small feat for an up and coming artist.
Lucy’s latest offering, ‘Love Yourself Better’, is story telling at its finest. Leaning on a traditional country landscape, the song features Lucy’s cozy vocal, anchored upon a wash of banjo and timeless guitars.
“I wrote Love Yourself Better as a letter to my best friend, who was going through a tough breakup at the time. I remember going over to her house after it happened and sitting on her bed talking it out. I just vividly remember thinking that if only she could see herself the way I do, she’d know how much better she deserves. So, I decided to write this song for her and anyone else who’s felt heartbroken, to remind ourselves who we are when it feels like everything’s falling apart.” – Lucy Parle.
“Lucy is truly an unbelievably talented songwriter and performer with talent well beyond her years” – Gina Jeffreys, multi award winning artist and songwriter. Lucy’s songwriting is fearless; her voice, self-assured; and her sound, equally authentic and fresh.
MARKETING PLANS
I am currently working with Mardi Caught, Sarah Hamilton and Elfira Vania from The Annex to develop a strong presence on streaming services and social media platforms with a focus on audience growth. Specifically, strategic content creation, digital marketing strategy, media advertising, digital analysis to determine efficiency of marketing and playlisting. I also regularly work with publicist Jules Delemare from Wildheart Publicity.