By ALANA MITCHELSON
Blues performer Sweet Felicia is broadening her horizons, taking on a Bachelor of Arts as a mature aged student while simultaneously pursuing her music career.
Exploring her interests in painting and creative writing, which has stemmed from songwriting, the East Geelong singer and bassist aims to one day write her life story.
Planning to detail a time when life was not so sweet, she hopes to provide a voice for other women.
“It’s amazing for me. I’d never dreamt I’d ever get to university,” Felicia told Geelong Indy.
“Music has seriously helped me get through difficult times and I think one day I’d like to tell my story.”
In early January Felicia will fly to Stuttgart to further her studies in art history.
Her musicianship has taken her to Germany previously, as well as Poland and the Netherlands, but she said the highlight of her career so far was meeting legendary American blues singer BB King.
“I felt like I was totally in the presence of royalty,” Felicia reminisced.
“His graciousness, kindness and enthusiasm for music and us as a band was so heart-warming. He had a good sense of humour too.”
Sweet Felicia, who regularly plays with her band, the Honeytones, has reaped much international recognition. She was a semi-finalist at a 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won Victorian Blues Performer of the Year in 2011.
She has even performed at Schlos Tremmsbuttel, a beautiful German castle. In a “very high honour”, she was chosen to play exclusively for 150 bankers who were music festival sponsors.
But her success has not come without a fight.
Being a female bassist was regarded as a novelty when she first cut her teeth in the music industry, Felicia said.
“I felt like I was often seen as a bit of fluff in the band; just something pretty to look at instead of being seen for my talent. It made me work harder and fight my battles or, rather, to pick my battles.
“Still now, in the recording studio I consistently feel like I have to fight for what instruments I believe are producing the best sound for a track.
“I’ve even had sound guys adjust the way I’ve set up my amp on stage before a show. It’s insulting.”
Felicia said she was concerned about her perception of a downturn in people attending live gigs.
“If people don’t go out to see music live, we’re going to lose it.
“I’d really like to see more people supporting the local live music scene. People might not realise it, but it means so much.”
Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones play Geelong’s Motor City Music Festival on 12 March.
