Courtney Melba Barnett (born 3 November 1987) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician. Known for her
deadpan
Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...
singing style and witty, rambling lyrics,
she attracted attention with the release of her debut EP ''I've Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris'' in 2012. International interest came with the release of her EP ''
The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas'' in 2013.
Barnett's debut album, ''
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit'' is the debut studio album by Australian indie rock musician Courtney Barnett, released on 20 March 2015. The album received wide acclaim and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2015 by ...
'', was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the
2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
at the
58th Annual Grammy Awards
The 58th Annual Grammy Awards was held on February 15, 2016, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognizes the best recordings, compositions and artists of the eligibility year, which was from October 1, 2014, to September 30, 20 ...
and
International Female Solo Artist at the
2016 Brit Awards
Brit Awards 2016 was held on 24 February 2016 and was the 36th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London and were presented by Ant & Dec. Award nominations wer ...
. She released ''
Lotta Sea Lice
''Lotta Sea Lice'' is a collaborative studio album between Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, released on October 13, 2017, on Matador, Marathon Artists and Milk! Records. The album has received positive critical reviews.
Recording
Barnett and Vile ...
'', a collaborative album with
Kurt Vile
Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during li ...
, in 2017.
She released her second album, ''
Tell Me How You Really Feel
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, released on 18 May 2018 by Barnett's Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music, and Marathon Artists.
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' receiv ...
'', to further acclaim in 2018.
Barnett's third studio album ''
Things Take Time, Take Time
''Things Take Time, Take Time'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music and Marathon Artists.
At the AIR Awards of 2022, the album was n ...
'' was released in November 2021.
Early life
Courtney Melba Barnett
was born in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
on 3 November 1987. She was given her middle name after opera singer
Nellie Melba
Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano (three octaves). She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th centur ...
. She grew up in Sydney's
Northern Beaches
The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the entra ...
area. Her mother was a ballerina.
When she was 16, her family moved to
Hobart
Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...
. She attended
St Michael's Collegiate School
, motto_translation = For the Church of God la, Beati Mundo Corde(Blessed are the Pure in Heart)
, established =
, type = Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school
, ...
and the
Tasmanian School of Art.
Having grown up listening to American bands, she discovered Australian singer-songwriters
Darren Hanlon
Darren Hanlon is an Australian singer-songwriter from Gympie, Queensland. Prior to becoming a solo artist in 1999, Hanlon was a member of Lismore indie rock band The Simpletons, with whom he released four albums and several EPs prior to thei ...
and
Dan Kelly, who inspired her to start writing songs. While pursuing a music career, she worked as a pizza delivery driver.
Career
From 2010 to 2011, Barnett played second guitar in Melbourne grunge band Rapid Transit. They released one self-titled album on cassette, which is now a rare collector's item. She also recorded many early versions of her songs with a band called Courtney Barnett and the Olivettes, which was later shortened to the Olivettes. They released a live EP demo CD, with only 100 copies being produced which were hand numbered. Around this time Courtney also featured on a track by Melbourne singer-songwriter Giles Field called "I Can't Hear You, We're Breaking Up" which was released in late 2011.
She also has a credit as co-writer on the song.
Between 2011 and 2013, Barnett was a member of Australian psych-country band
Immigrant Union
Immigrant Union is an Australian-American psychedelic folk/country band from Melbourne. It consists of Brent DeBoer (from The Dandy Warhols), Bob Harrow, Peter Lubulwa, Ben Street and Paddy McGrath-Lester. Courtney Barnett
Courtney Melba B ...
, a musical project founded by
Brent DeBoer
Brent DeBoer is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He is in the bands The Dandy Warhols, Immigrant Union, and Fathead and released a solo studio album, ''The Farmer'', in 2010. DeBoer now lives in Melbourne, with his wife Sarah ...
(of
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1994 by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström. They were later joined by keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford ...
) and Bob Harrow. Along with sharing vocal duties, Barnett predominantly played slide guitar and is on the band's second studio album, ''Anyway''. DeBoer also played drums on Barnett's first
EP, ''I've Got a Friend called Emily Ferris''. It appeared in 2012 on Barnett's own label,
Milk! Records.
In 2013, Barnett played lead guitar on
Jen Cloher
Jen Cloher (born 9 October 1973) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and record producer, currently based in Melbourne, Victoria. Cloher's 2017 Jen Cloher (album), self-titled fourth studio album peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts. From 200 ...
's third studio album, ''In Blood Memory'', which was also released on
Milk! Records. Following the release of her first EP, Barnett signed to
Marathon Artists
Marathon Artists is a London-based independent record label founded by Paul-René Albertini, Philippe Ascoli and Jimmy Mikaoui in 2012. The label also runs its own publishing and management divisions. Artists on the label include Courtney Barn ...
(via its imprint House Anxiety). In August 2013, Marathon Artists released ''The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas'', a combined package of Barnett's first EP and her second EP, ''How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose''. ''The Double EP'' brought Barnett international critical acclaim, with "Avant Gardener", the lead single, named Track of the Day by ''
Q Magazine
''Q'' was a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1986 by broadcast journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, who were presenters of the BBC television music series ''The Old Grey Whistle Test''. '' ...
'' and Best New Track by ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' in 2013. It was named the album of the week by ''
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
'' The track "History Eraser" was nominated for the
APRA Song of the Year. ''How to Carve a Carrot into a Rose'' was released on a limited run by
Milk! Records as a standalone EP in October 2013.
Marathon Artists
Marathon Artists is a London-based independent record label founded by Paul-René Albertini, Philippe Ascoli and Jimmy Mikaoui in 2012. The label also runs its own publishing and management divisions. Artists on the label include Courtney Barn ...
and House Anxiety partnered with
Mom + Pop Music for the U.S. release of ''The Double EP'' in 2014.
Milk! Records released a compilation EP, ''A Pair of Pears (with Shadows)'', on 10" white vinyl in September 2014, following a crowd-sourcing campaign in July that year. The EP included a Barnett track, "Pickles from the Jar", the song was voted in at number 51 in
Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2014.
On 30 January 2015, Barnett released details on her upcoming full-length album, recorded in April 2014 with
Burke Reid
Burke Reid is an Australian–Canadian record producer/musician.
Career
After migrating from Canada to Australia in 1994 at the age of 14 years, Reid became one third of the band Gerling in 1997. Following the announcement of a hiatus by Gerli ...
, along with two singles, "Pedestrian at Best" and "Depreston" and accompanying music videos. The music video for "Pedestrian at Best" features Cloher and Fraser A Gorman. Her debut album, ''
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit'' is the debut studio album by Australian indie rock musician Courtney Barnett, released on 20 March 2015. The album received wide acclaim and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2015 by ...
'', was released worldwide via Milk! Records (Australia), / House Anxiety (UK & Rest of World), and
Mom + Pop Music (US) on 23 March 2015, and was accompanied by tours in the UK and Europe, America, and Australasia.
''Sometimes I Sit and Think'' was met with critical acclaim, ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'', ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' and the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
''. Up until the release of ''
Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit'' is the debut studio album by Australian indie rock musician Courtney Barnett, released on 20 March 2015. The album received wide acclaim and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2015 by ...
'', Courtney Barnett, Bones Sloane, and Dave Mudie toured as Courtney Barnett and the Courtney Barnetts.
In August 2015, Barnett's UK label, , in partnership with
Mom + Pop Music and
Milk! Records, launched a global, guerilla campaign for the release of her single ''Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party''. Billboards and posters bearing the song's title went up in London, New York, LA, Melbourne and Sydney. The campaign garnered a lot of interest online and across social media and culminated in a surprise busking gig in Camden, London.
In concert,
Dan Luscombe (of
The Drones) has often played lead guitar and keyboards, having featured on both, ''How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose'' and ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit'', the latter of which he also co-produced. When Luscombe was not available, the band performed as a
trio, with Barnett handling all guitar duties. Luscombe did not play on Barnett's 2015 tours, however, and she now refers to the band as the "CB3" on her Facebook page. The CB3 moniker also features prominently on drummer Dave Mudie's bass drum.
Barnett was nominated in eight categories at the
ARIA Music Awards of 2015
The 29th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) are a series of award ceremonies which include the 2015 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine ...
, and won four trophies:
Breakthrough Artist,
Best Female Artist,
Best Independent Release and
Best Cover Art for ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit''.
[ARIA Music Awards for Courtney Barnett:
* Search Results 'Courtney Barnett':
* 2014 winners and nominees:
* 2015 winners and nominees:
* 2015 winners:
* 2016 winners and nominees:
* 2018 winners and nominees: ] At the end of 2015, Barnett was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
in the
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
category. She was later nominated for
Best International Female in 2016 for the
Brit awards
The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
. On 21 May 2016, she was the musical guest on the season finale of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
s
41st season, hosted by
Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series '' Portlandia''. ...
.
In January 2016, Barnett appeared on the cover of Australian music magazine, ''Happy Mag''. And on 27 May 2016, she was the musical guest on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
''.
In 2017, Barnett and
Kurt Vile
Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during li ...
recorded the collaborative album ''
Lotta Sea Lice
''Lotta Sea Lice'' is a collaborative studio album between Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, released on October 13, 2017, on Matador, Marathon Artists and Milk! Records. The album has received positive critical reviews.
Recording
Barnett and Vile ...
'', released via
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City apart ...
,
Marathon Artists
Marathon Artists is a London-based independent record label founded by Paul-René Albertini, Philippe Ascoli and Jimmy Mikaoui in 2012. The label also runs its own publishing and management divisions. Artists on the label include Courtney Barn ...
and
Milk! Records on October 13.
Some of the album collaborators include
Stella Mozgawa
Stella Mozgawa is an Australian drummer, best known as a member of the indie rock band Warpaint, with whom she has recorded four studio albums. Alongside her work with Warpaint, Mozgawa has contributed to recordings by musicians Kurt Vile, Ada ...
,
Mick Harvey
Michael John Harvey (born 29 August 1958) is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his long-term collaborations with Nick Cave, with whom he formed The ...
and the
Dirty Three's Mick Tuner and
Jim White.
The lead single "Over Everything" was released on August 30, 2017 accompanied by the music video directed by Danny Cohen. "Over Everything" initially sparked the pair's collaboration, after Philadelphia-based Vile wrote the song with the Melbourne-based Barnett's voice in mind.
The second single "Continental Breakfast" was released on 26 September 2017. In June 2017 Vile and Barnett announced a North American tour. The duo was backed by the Sea Lice, a band featuring
Janet Weiss
Janet Lee Weiss (born September 24, 1965) is an American rock drummer, best known as a former member of Sleater-Kinney and a current member of Quasi. She was the drummer for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, leaving after the album '' Mirror Traffic ...
(
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney ( ) is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The band's current lineup features Corin Tucker (vocals and guitar) and Carrie Brownstein (guitar and vocals), following the departure of longtime member ...
,
Wild Flag
Wild Flag was an American four-piece indie rock/post-punk supergroup based in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The group consisted of Carrie Brownstein (vocals, guitar), Mary Timony (vocals, guitar), Rebecca Cole (keyboards, backing vocals ...
),
Rob Laakso (The Violators,
The Swirlies,
Mice Parade
Mice Parade is an American shoegaze band from New York City, led by percussionist Adam Pierce. ''Mice Parade'' is an anagram of Pierce's name.
Biography
Adam Pierce started Mice Parade as a solo project while he also played in groups including ...
),
Stella Mozgawa
Stella Mozgawa is an Australian drummer, best known as a member of the indie rock band Warpaint, with whom she has recorded four studio albums. Alongside her work with Warpaint, Mozgawa has contributed to recordings by musicians Kurt Vile, Ada ...
(
Warpaint), and
Katie Harkin
Katie Harkin (born 12 April 1986) is an English musician and songwriter, originally from Leeds, England. She was the vocalist and guitarist for Sky Larkin and a touring member with Courtney Barnett, Sleater-Kinney and Wild Beasts. She has since ...
(
Sky Larkin
Sky Larkin is an English indie rock band from Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, who formed in 2005.
Early history
In common with many bands from Leeds, Sky Larkin released two singles on the Leeds-based label Dance To The Radio. Songs of their ...
, touring member of
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney ( ) is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The band's current lineup features Corin Tucker (vocals and guitar) and Carrie Brownstein (guitar and vocals), following the departure of longtime member ...
and
Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts were an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in Kendal. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have rele ...
).
On 12 February 2018, Barnett teased a new album on her social media accounts, featuring her trying out various musical instruments with the clip ending with the tagline "Tell Me How You Really Feel". Barnett released the singles "Nameless, Faceless", "Need A Little Time", "City Looks Pretty", and "Sunday Roast" from her sophomore solo album, which was launched at a private function at Sydney's Lansdowne Hotel in April 2018 and emceed by ex-
Go-Between
An intermediary (or go-between) is a third party that offers intermediation services between two parties, which involves conveying messages between principals in a dispute, preventing direct contact and potential escalation of the issue. In la ...
Lindy Morrison
Belinda "Lindy" Morrison (born 2 November 1951) is an Australian musician originally from Brisbane, Queensland. She was the drummer in indie rock group the Go-Betweens from 1980 to 1989, appearing on all of the band's releases from their first L ...
. The album was eventually released on 18 May 2018 and titled ''
Tell Me How You Really Feel
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, released on 18 May 2018 by Barnett's Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music, and Marathon Artists.
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' receiv ...
''. The album dealt, in part, with Barnett's thoughts about isolation in the social media age. "City Looks Pretty" was featured on the soundtrack of the video game ''
FIFA 19
''FIFA 19'' is a football simulation video game developed by EA Vancouver and released by Electronic Arts on 28 September 2018 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows. It is the 26th installm ...
''.
In 2019, Barnett was added to the bill of
Woodstock 50
Woodstock 50 was a planned American music festival originally scheduled to be held on August 16–18, 2019, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The event was intended as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Woodstoc ...
, but the festival was cancelled in May.
In December 2020,
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
reported that a documentary titled ''Anonymous Club'' exploring "the inner life of the notoriously shy
arnettamidst her significant rise to fame" is in the works after receiving $2.5 million in funding from
Screen Australia
Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
.
On 7 July 2021, Barnett released "Rae Street", the lead single from her third studio album, ''
Things Take Time, Take Time
''Things Take Time, Take Time'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music and Marathon Artists.
At the AIR Awards of 2022, the album was n ...
'', which was released on 12 November 2021.
On 3 July 2022. Barnett supported the Rolling Stones at their concert at
Hyde Park
Hyde Park may refer to:
Places
England
* Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London
* Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds
* Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield
* Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester
Austra ...
in London, UK.
Equipment and playing style
Barnett plays left-handed, using mostly left-handed guitars with standard tuning and string order for left-handed players (low strings at the top, high strings at the bottom).
She occasionally plays right-handed guitars flipped upside down, but does not prefer it. She learned to play on acoustic guitars, and developed her own method of
fingerstyle guitar
Fingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar or bass guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking (plucking individual notes with a single plectr ...
because she disliked the sound of a
pick; she later transferred this playing style to the electric guitar. She is capable of using a pick and claims she could probably play better with one, but prefers to play using her fingers, strumming with both her thumb and index finger on rhythm parts and using her index finger where she would otherwise use a pick for lead parts. She prefers to play in
standard tuning
In music, standard tuning refers to the typical tuning of a string instrument. This notion is contrary to that of scordatura, i.e. an alternate tuning designated to modify either the timbre or technical capabilities of the desired instrument.
Viol ...
, but has used
open G tuning
Among alternative tunings for the guitar, an open G tuning is an open tuning that features the G-major chord; its open notes are selected from the notes of a G-major chord, such as the G-major triad (G,B,D). For example, a popular open-G tuning ...
for
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...
.
Among the guitars Barnett has used for performance and recording are a
Harmony H59 and a number of
Fenders, including
Jaguars
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the thi ...
,
Stratocasters, and
Telecasters, which she strings with
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball (born Roland Sherwood Ball; August 30, 1930 – September 9, 2004) was an American entrepreneur and musician who developed guitar-related products. Ball began as a club and local television musician and entrepreneur, building an inte ...
Power Slinky strings in the 0.011−0.048 gauge. She plays through Fender Hot Rod Deville and Fender Deluxe amplifiers, with
effects pedal
An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing.
Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in ele ...
s including a Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal, a "cheap delay pedal", and a chorus pedal.
[
]
Personal life
Barnett is a lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
. She was in a relationship with fellow musician Jen Cloher
Jen Cloher (born 9 October 1973) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and record producer, currently based in Melbourne, Victoria. Cloher's 2017 Jen Cloher (album), self-titled fourth studio album peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts. From 200 ...
from 2012 to 2018, and the song "Numbers" was co-written by the pair about their relationship. Barnett's song "Pickles from the Jar" also details their relationship, and Cloher is mentioned in the first line of "Dead Fox". Barnett called Cloher a "huge constant influence" on her music. She also played guitar in Cloher's band from 2012 to 2018.
Backing band members
Current
* Bones Sloane – bass, backing vocals (2013–present)
* Dave Mudie – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2013–present)
Former
* Alex Hamilton – guitar, backing vocals (2012–2013)
* Pete Convery – bass (2012–2013)
* Dan Luscombe – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals (2013–2014; session/touring member 2017)
Session/touring
* Katie Harkin – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals (2018)
* Lucy Waldron – cello, backing vocals (2019–present)
* Stella Mozgawa
Stella Mozgawa is an Australian drummer, best known as a member of the indie rock band Warpaint, with whom she has recorded four studio albums. Alongside her work with Warpaint, Mozgawa has contributed to recordings by musicians Kurt Vile, Ada ...
– drums, percussion, keyboard (2021–present)
Discography
* ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit'' is the debut studio album by Australian indie rock musician Courtney Barnett, released on 20 March 2015. The album received wide acclaim and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2015 by ...
'' (2015)
* ''Tell Me How You Really Feel
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, released on 18 May 2018 by Barnett's Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music, and Marathon Artists.
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' receiv ...
'' (2018)
* ''Things Take Time, Take Time
''Things Take Time, Take Time'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music and Marathon Artists.
At the AIR Awards of 2022, the album was n ...
'' (2021)
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
History
The inaugural 2006 awards were held at ...
) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
, -
, rowspan="2" , AIR Awards of 2013
The AIR Awards of 2013 (or Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards of 2013) is the eighth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at Revolt Art Space, in Mel ...
, Courtney Barnett
, Breakthrough Independent Artist
,
, -
, "History Eraser"
, Best Independent Single/EP
,
, -
, rowspan="2" , AIR Awards of 2014
The AIR Awards of 2014 (or Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards of 2014) is the ninth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at The Meat Market, North Me ...
, Courtney Barnett
, Best Independent Artist
,
, -
, "Avant Gardener"
, Best Independent Single/EP
,
, -
, rowspan="4" , AIR Awards of 2015
The AIR Awards of 2015 (or Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards of 2015) is the tenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at The Meat Market, North Me ...
, Courtney Barnett
, Best Independent Artist
,
, -
, ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit''
, Best Independent Album
,
, -
, "Depreston"
, rowspan="2" , Best Independent Single/EP
,
, -
, "Pedestrian At Best"
,
, -
, rowspan="3" , AIR Awards of 2019
The AIR Awards of 2019 is the thirteenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at Freemasons Hall Adelaide, Australia on Thursday 25 July 2019.
The awa ...
, Courtney Barnett
, Best Independent Artist
,
, -
, ''Tell Me How You Really Feel''
, Best Independent Album or EP
,
, -
, "Nameless, Faceless"
, Best Independent Single or EP
,
, -
, rowspan="2", AIR Awards of 2022
The 2022 AIR Awards is the sixteenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards ceremony (generally known as the AIR Awards). It took place on 4 August 2022 in Adelaide.
The nominations were revealed on 18 May 2022 wi ...
, rowspan="2", ''Things Take Time, Take Time''
, Independent Album of the Year
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, Best Independent Rock Album or EP
,
APRA Music Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
(APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music
The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions of ...
. Barnett has won 6 ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
from 20 nominations.
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was made by Australian Music Pri ...
(the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The commenced in 2005.
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, 2015
, ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit''
, Australian Music Prize
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, 2018
, ''Tell Me How You Really Feel''
, Australian Music Prize
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, -
Brit Awards
Grammy Awards
J Award
The J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...
are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
's youth-focused radio station Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
. They commenced in 2005.
!
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, rowspan="2", 2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, ''Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit''
, Australian Album of the Year
,
, rowspan="2",
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, "Pedestrian at Best"
, Australian Video of the Year
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, 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, "Elevator Operator"
, Australian Video of the Year
,
,
, -
, 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, ''Tell Me How You Really Feel''
, Australian Album of the Year
,
,
, -
, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, Courtney Barnett
, Double J Artist of the Year
,
,
Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating music from the Australian state of Victoria. They commenced in 2006 and are awarded in Melbourne Music W ...
, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2005.
, -
, rowspan="2", 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, herself
, Best Female Artist
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, herself
, Best New Artist
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, rowspan="2", 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, herself
, Best Female Artist
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, -
, "History Eraser"
, Best Song
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, herself
, Best Female Artist
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, -
, "Avant Gardener"
, Best Song
,
, -
, rowspan="5", 2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, herself
, Best Female Artist
,
, -
, herself
, Best Band
,
, -
, "Pedestrian at Best"
, rowspan="2", Best Song
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, -
, "Depreston"
,
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, ''Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit''
, Best Album
,
, -
, rowspan="5", 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, herself
, Best Female Musician
,
, -
, herself
, Best Solo Artists
,
, -
, herself
, Best Live Act
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, "Nameless, Faceless"
, Best Song
,
, -
, ''Tell Me How You Really Feel''
, Best Album
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, herself
, Best Female Musician
,
, -
, herself
, Best Solo Artist
,
, -
, 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, herself
, Best Solo Artist
,
, -
, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, "Rae Street"
, Best Victorian Song
,
, -
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the Australian live scene – recognising the best vocal talents and musicians alongside ...
(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2016
The National Live Music Awards of 2016 are the inaugural National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of ...
, herself
, International Live Achievement (Solo)
,
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2017
The National Live Music Awards of 2017 are the second National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the ...
, herself
, Best Live Voice of the Year - People's Choice
,
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2018
The National Live Music Awards of 2018 are the third National Live Music Awards. The event took place on 6 December 2018. The event moved its gala event to Brisbane – following events in Sydney and Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ W ...
, herself
, International Live Achievement (Solo)
,
, -
, National Live Music Awards of 2020
The National Live Music Awards of 2020 are the upcoming 5th annual National Live Music Awards.
The nominees will be revealed on 7 September 2020, which is when general public voting commences. The event is scheduled for 20 October 2020.
The 2 ...
, herself
, Live Guitarist of the Year
,
, -
Sweden GAFFA Awards
Delivered since 2010, the GAFFA Awards (Swedish: GAFFA Priset) are a Swedish award that rewards popular music awarded by the magazine of the same name.
!
, -
, rowspan="2", 2019
, Herself
, Best Foreign Solo Act
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, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2",
, -
, ''Tell Me How You Really Feel
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, released on 18 May 2018 by Barnett's Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music, and Marathon Artists.
''Tell Me How You Really Feel'' receiv ...
''
, Best Foreign Album
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, -
See also
* List of musicians who play left-handed
This is a list of notable left-handed musicians who play their instruments naturally. This does not include left-handed people who play (or played) right-handed, such as Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry, Mark Knopfler, and Gary Moore.
Guitarists ...
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnett, Courtney
1987 births
Living people
Alternative rock guitarists
Alternative rock singers
APRA Award winners
ARIA Award winners
Australian women guitarists
Australian women singer-songwriters
Australian indie rock musicians
Australian rock guitarists
Lesbian musicians
LGBT singers from Australia
Musicians from Melbourne
21st-century Australian women singers
21st-century Australian singers
21st-century guitarists
Immigrant Union members
Mom + Pop Music artists
Matador Records artists
20th-century LGBT people
21st-century LGBT people
21st-century women guitarists