Native Tongue signs Northern Rivers singer-songwriter Stephanie Cherote

Native Tongue Music Publishing has signed singer-songwriter Stephanie Cherote.

The deal comes as Cherote preps for the April 1 release of her debut album Some Holy Longing.

The record includes singles, ‘Summer Love’ and ‘What Becomes Of The Things I’ve Seen?’

“It is a milestone as an artist and songwriter to be appreciated on the basis of very personal work, by a publishing company such as Native Tongue,” Cherote said.

“Our conversations have been about music, songwriting craft and process. I’m thrilled.”

Native Tongue’s head of creative Matt Tanner said he was hooked on the first listen.

“Sometimes, you hear an album having no idea about what you’re about to hear – no context, no background, no expectations,” Tanner said.

“That was how I first heard Stephanie Cherote’s debut album and I can hear the same magic I heard that very first listen every time I’ve listened since.

“We’re proud to be working with Stephanie, and excited for the world to hear her debut album.”

The road to the album was a long one for Cherote.

She has an Australian Songwriter of the Year and Unsigned Artist of the Year award under her belt, and raised over $20,000 to record Some Holy Longing with a 12-piece orchestra comprised of members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

The album was written when she was living in the United States.

During that time in Los Angeles and New York, high profile music exec Jimmy Iovine described her as “a bunch of nostalgic threads, Stevie Nicks in her early years”.

She gave up the opportunity to sign with a major label and opted to release Some Holy Longing independently, returning to Australia for a summer breezy lifestyle in a beach house with ocean views and surrounded by nature in New Brighton, Northern NSW.

‘Summer Love’ was the first song written for the LP, and the first time she’d written string parts.

The song, she said, refers to the “absence of enchantment” while writing the album.

“We set out of childhood with a very pure imprint in our heads about what love looks like, and it becomes this very elusive horizon.

“I suppose writing the song was my path to reconciling the longing with the reality.”

Watch ‘Summer Love’ here.