When Melbourne singer songwriter Tamas Wells released his debut album ‘A Mark on the Pane’ Inpress Magazine described it as ‘one of the year’s most beautiful records’ and it reached number 16 in Australia’s AIR charts. It also received much praise internationally - with Savio Records in Italy declaring that it was ‘destined to become a cult record for many’.
Yet not long after the 2004 release, Wells left Australia - moving to the isolated country of Myanmar (Burma) to take up a long term position with an aid organization.
That could have been the end of the story.
But instead, he continued to write and record - and after three subsequent albums Wells has sold tens of thousands of records, signed label deals in Europe, Japan, China and Korea, headlined shows in Paris, Tokyo, Sydney and Shanghai and enjoyed a period in the international charts in Japan (HMV Shibuya) - all while remaining relatively unknown in his home city.
His songs have also been used in a number of films including Australian producer Marc Furmie’s award winning ‘Dark Horse’ and ‘The Houses there Wear Verandahs Out of Shyness’ from Italian film producer Fabrizio Polpettini. Polpettini also collaborated in making the stunning film clip for Wells' 2011 song ‘Thirty People Away’ - which was filmed in Paris and stars French actor Denis Lavant.
On the Volatility of the Mind
In 2012, Wells returned from Myanmar and in various homes around Melbourne began work on a new studio album. While previous recordings have drawn on Wells’ ‘beautifully broken’ use of acoustic guitar and piano (Daily Telegraph), the new album takes a different path. As Wells says, ‘I am a believer in using the instruments you have around you, and while I was writing these songs I found an old Casio synthesizer at my parent’s house and a friend had left his electric guitar at my house. So the songs started to focus on melodies, jangly guitar parts and dreamy synthesizer instrumentals’.
In the project, Wells also collaborated for the first time with Melbourne producer Nick Huggins (Kid Sam, Two Bright Lakes) and drew on the songwriting smarts of Mark Lang (Skipping Girl Vinegar). The result is ‘On the Volatility of the Mind’ - which will be released internationally in March 2014 (and in Australia through Popboomerang Records). Wells will tour internationally in May and June 2014.

In 2003 Missy released a self-titled EP that spent an incredible nine months at the top of Australia's independent charts. Her next release, 'The Scar EP', was even more successful. Not only did it debut at #1 on the singles charts, it notched up ten weeks at #1 on the airplay charts, earning official recognition as the most played song on Australian radio of 2004. Her success at the ARIA Awards (Australia's Grammy/Brit Award equivalent) confirmed her stardom as she won Best Pop Release for 'Scar' and was nominated in a further three categories. She has also won Breakthrough Artist at the MTV Australia Music Video Awards as well as four awards in the Rolling Stone (Australia) readers' poll.

Having already conquered her homeland with a string of hit records and awards, Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins releases 'Scar', the song that kick-started her amazing success, as a UK single. Taken from her debut album The Sound Of White, 'Scar' not only topped the Australian charts but also spent an incredible ten weeks at the top of the airplay charts and put Missy Higgins on the road to becoming her nation's fastest rising star. With evocative vocals, emotionally honest lyrics and one of the most immediate choruses around, 'Scar' personifies exactly why Missy Higgins has already achieved so much. The title track is backed with 'Greed For Your Love'. Reprise. 2005.

Missy higgins kept a very low public profile in 2006 but that doesn't mean she hasn't been keeping busy. In fact with her typical lack of fuss and fanfare the former triple j unearthed winner spent the second half of last year in los angeles recording here brand new album 'on a clear night'. The highly anticipated release is currently scheduled for the end of april in Australia. The album was recorded with acclaimed producer mitchell froom who helmed the recent finn brothers cd and the first 3 crowded house albums plus discs for such acclaimed singer-songwriters as ron sexsmith, elvis costello and suzanne vega. The first song to be lifted from the album is 'steer' - a positive and life affirming song which missy previewed live during the us and uk touring she did in mid-2006. EMI. 2007.

The Australian success story of 2004, 21-year-old singer-songwriter Missy Higgins had her critically acclaimed album The Sound of White certified quintuple platinum in her homeland and won an ARIA (Australia's Grammy) for Best Pop Release. Now The Sound of White, produced by John Porter (Ryan Adams, Los Lonely Boys, The Smiths), and the sincere, earthy, passionate sound of Missy Higgins arrive to conquer America.

MISSY ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM & BOOK
It’s Australian stories for the ears, the eyes, the head and the heart.
Missy Higgins’ OZ is something different … an eclectic album of Aussie cover versions and a quirky book of related essays. The music and the prose are best experienced together in a beautiful clothbound CD/Book edition but they can also be enjoyed separately in physical or digital forms, and all are released on September 19.
The OZ album features Missy re-imagining 15 Australian songs that were originally recorded by a diverse set of artists including The Angels, Slim Dusty, Something For Kate, Warumpi Band, Paul Kelly and The Drones. In the accompanying OZ book, Missy uses each of those recordings as the starting point for a sprawling series of essays; reflecting on life, love and how not to wear high heels.
“I wanted to try something different this time around”, explains Missy. “I couldn’t decide between making a covers album or writing a book so I decided to do both at once. Musically it’s intended to be a real mixed bag of lollies.
“Obviously part of the reason I called the whole project OZ is that it’s all about Australian songs. Plus, for the first time, I recorded the whole thing in Australia. However the title has a second meaning. I like the idea of songwriters being like the Wizard in “The Wizard of Oz”. Some people think we’re special people who have special powers but really we’re just scared little people hiding in a backroom somewhere, working like crazy to make sure we don’t get found out.”
There are four main threads that bind this disparate collection of tunes. The first is obviously the lyrical and vocal combinations that allow Missy to truly inhabit each of these works as if she had written it herself. The second is the strikingly live production by Missy and American orchestrator Jherek Bischoff (Amanda Palmer, David Byrne, Kronos Quartet).
The third thread that runs through the OZ recordings is the presence of contributions from various friends of Missy’s. Not only does she cover Dan Sultan’s timeless “Old Fitzroy” but the Deadly Award winner (and “Bran Nue Dae” co-star) also adds his unmistakable voice to an ol’ timey rendition of “The Biggest Disappointment”. Kate Miller Heidke and Amanda Palmer are among others to feature prominently.
Finally, the entire collection was mixed by multiple Grammy recipient Jay Newland who also mixed Missy’s breakthrough album The Sound of White.
In other major news, Missy revealed over the weekend that she is due to give birth to her first child in January.
Over the last decade Missy has become one of our most beloved singer/songwriters. Her three previous albums, The Sound of White, On a Clear Night and The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle, have sold more than a million copies. They’ve each gone to #1 on the Australian charts and each has also been recognised with ARIA Awards.