Local singer/songwriter Carinda Christie has been wowing punters all around North QLD for a few decades now. Gracing stages at festivals and venues with her impressive vocal skills and catchy original tunes, she has become a fixture on the local scene. Carinda will be making her Panda Room debut this Sat 18th Feb, so we though we would catch up with her for a little Q/A..

Ok.. lets go right back to the beginning of the Carinda Story.. right baaaack.. What inspired young Carinda to get into music in the first place?

“My parents were musicians and my mums dad was a musician. At around 7 years old I learnt guitar then stopped for a bit, mucked around on piano as my dad was a piano tuner and also played a mean trumpet. I picked up the guitar again around 15 years old because I wanted to sing and was let down by people not showing up to gigs so I thought, hell I will just play that thing and support myself.

Now I feel weird without an instrument in my hand!”

Are there any artists in particular that inspired you to pick up the guitar again at 15?

“I think music was just so much in my blood. My mother told me that my grandfather played piano in the old silent movies and some were dancers. I do love all kinds of music and musicians. I was raised with Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby to Charlie Pride and Chad Morgan so a variety is where I come from. My dad was a jazz musician and mum loved country, rock and blues. I myself around that time was listening to Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading , Fleetwood Mac, Melissa Ethridge, and countless more”

When did you start finding your own voice with originals?

“I wrote originals right from the start, as I loved writing poetry as a kid. It was just natural to write my own songs. I have 69 songs with APRA as of a few months back. When preparing for my original show recently I thought I would listen to my albums on the way to mission beach, I couldn’t believe that I got there – a 2 hour drive and it was my songs all the way!”

Whats the best piece of advice you have been given either by another musician or someone in the industry?

“Gargle an aspro before my gig lol. I think that was Billy Thorpe but can’t remember, as I have done so many support acts its hard to remember lol”

Let’s zoom forward ot the present.. What have you been working on musically lately?

“I released ‘Gotta let go’ at the end of last year and it has been doing well on radio. People love it really gets them going at gigs. I played a gig few weeks back and someone was holding up their phone , I was thinking whats that say and it said ‘Gotta let go’. That made my day! Life is so busy but I do enjoy writing so watch this space”

And lastly .. if there’s anyone that hasn’t seen you perform yet in Cairns, what can they expect from your Panda Room set with the band?

“High energy rockin slide and acoustic guitars with big vocals, solid drums, bass and spine tingling lead guitar”.”

Carinda Christie plays the Boatchella gig at The Panda Room (61 Tingira st Portsmith) on Sat 18th Feb along with Finding Time, Benny & The Clones, Hidden Pillars and The Brazilians. Tickets available through Trybooking.

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