She says she has been singing as long as she can remember, but has only taken it seriously since around the age of fifteen. After a quick google of her name, you may be astonished by what she has achieved at her young age of just 21. Angie McMahon is a marvel.
On stage, this Melburnian singer-songwriter sways to the beat, interacts with the audience and smooths over any technical difficulties like any other seasoned professional. And with the experiences she’s had, it’s easy to understand how she is so confident. In addition to being the vocalist of jazzy nine-piece The Fabric, her solo career has seen her supporting the likes of Matt Corby and Bon Jovi.
As the only girl in The Fabric, she is affectionately viewed as a “motherly figure” by her bandmates, aged between 19-23. She admits that she does worry about coming across as “a diva or too bossy”; rather, with time she has learnt to simply “ignore that shit”. With a similar assuredness, her message for those trying to find their way in the industry is to just “stop caring what people think”. In August this year, the band had a residency at The Toff in Town. Each Friday, the tiny bar space was packed to the brim as the crowd revelled in the beautiful vocals of Angie and the dance-inducing rhythms of the band. It would seem that not caring what people think is a viable strategy.
Off stage, Angie’s rockstar qualities radiate into a quiet confidence as she is happy to have a chat to anyone who will listen. Her happiness is infectious and something that remains evident over our crackly long-distance phone call. Angie describes her dad as being her “biggest supporter”, saying that he has made it clear that she need never sacrifice her passion for music in exchange for a stable career – laughing, she adds, “As long as I’m working hard and enjoying myself”. Her father has also contributed to her own music taste; she shares memories of singing along to Meatloaf, Bruce Springsteen and indeed Bon Jovi during road trips. She’s also inspired by the likes of Banks, Lianne La Havas and fellow Aussie, Meg Mac, describing them as “epic girls”. She pauses for a moment to think, the crackle of our international call filling in sound before she goes to explain: “They are poetic and brave lyricists who write unique and original pop songs.”
Angie has her sights set far and wide. Currently in London completing a semester of her Arts degree, she is immersing herself in the music scene of the “vibrant city”. Yes, she has managed to balance this music career with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.