By Luke Voogt
Geelong born-and-bred singer Adalita Srsen hopes to teach local musos how to “tap into their dreams” and everyday life to write songs in October.
“Something as mundane as going down the street and grabbing a sandwich can be transformed into a song, and elevated into this artistic piece,” she told the Independent this week.
“There are plenty of other techniques, but they’re a bit fiddly to go into.”
Known simply as Adalita onstage, the frontwoman of locally-formed band Magic Dirt hopes to lead a songwriting session in Geelong on October 14.
The workshop is part of Creative Victoria’s The Regional Sessions series.
“It will fun to meet songwriters at different levels of experience,” Adalita said.
“I find, doing mentoring sessions like this, I always take something away. As much as they’re learning from me, I’m learning from them.
“People can talk about their ideas and techniques, if they’ve got some, which is a great way to share and build skills.
“Mostly, it’s just going to be great fun. The pandemic and lockdowns have really splintered people – so it will be nice to get together and share music and songs.”
Adalita was also thrilled to return to her former hometown.
“I still don’t feel like a city person even though I’ve been in Melbourne since ’97,” she said.
“I know Geelong very well and it’s a part of me.”
She lived in central Geelong, Torquay, Barwon Heads and elsewhere around the coast before moving to the big smoke.
Her band, Magic Dirt, formed in the ”gorgeous little seaside hamlet” of Breamlea, she remembered.
“Then we progressed from our bedrooms to the Barwon Club – the punk rock cradle of Geelong,” she said.
The Regional Sessions are a spin-off of the Melbourne Sessions, which took place in 2018 and 2019 with support from state government.
The full-day program is tailored to each local area, featuring a keynote speaker, a songwriter panel and small-group workshops.
The program will culminate with a curated performance and post-event networking at a nearby venue.
Adalita is the keynote presenter for the Geelong event, at Platform Arts, which also features the talents of Alex Lahey, Craig Pilkington, Emma Donovan and N’fa Jones.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for songwriters to connect and experience new ideas and share in the creative process,” Adalita said.
State government is supporting The Regional Sessions through its $5 million regional and outer suburban live music initiative aimed at bringing sound back to local stages and helping the industry recover.
Details: apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/programs/the-regional-sessions
