Starley: Streams to Success
In just over 12 months, Starley has gone from writing in her parents house to an ARIA nomination and over 500 million Spotify streams. While her story sounds like it was written in the stars, don’t underestimate the amount of work she’s put in.
If you’re looking for a textbook success story from modern music’s digital music age, you need not look much further than Australian singer-songwriter Starley Hope.
Her first single ‘Call On Me’ spent an incredible six weeks at the top of the TMN Hot 100 Australian chart, as well as peaking at #7 on the airplay chart – no easy feat for a fresh local artist, and one that has made many sit up and take notice.
It all came off the back of an addition to a Spotify playlist in Denmark – which is what makes the story of this now truly international superstar even more humbling.
TMN spoke with Starley to get her take on being an artist in the streaming age and the pressure of backing up after such a successful debut single.
‘Call On Me’ enjoyed some extraordinary success, including peaking at #1 on TMN’s Hot 100. What do you put that success down to?
That’s such a tough question to answer because there are so many things that came together in a way that allowed ‘Call on Me’ to become what it was!
I wrote that song when I was in a really deep depression as my way of trying to heal myself. I was talking to God and asking him how I ended up wanting to work in an industry and having a dream that was essentially breaking my heart. “Call on Me” just poured out of me.
From there a good friend of mine, Steven Manovski, took my little four-chord demo and played an incredible guitar part that was sent along with my vocal to P Money who produced it. Then Archie at Central Station Records in Australia believed in me and signed the record.
He brought in Ryan Riback who took the record to a new level with his remix. From there, Spotify really became a massive driver because a guy in Denmark liked Ryan’s version and put it on the New Music Friday playlist for Spotify Denmark and the record had a 0% skip rate. It went from there to me being #1 on Today’s Top Hits with no real push.
It was purely a fan-based response which was amazing. So, I guess you can say I put the success down to working my way out of depression, God, great producers, an A&R that believed in me, Spotify and, most importantly, to all the people the record touched – the fans!
Let’s talk being a musician in the age of internet streaming. The Ryan Riback remix of ‘Call On Me’ has clocked up over 500 million plays on Spotify. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having platforms like YouTube and Spotify to release music on?
I think the advantages are pretty clear. The music can actually speak for itself and do the work for you. If you have an incredible song, the fans will listen and the results will reflect that. YouTube and Spotify allow any artist anywhere the opportunity to have one of those success stories.
However, on the flip side, streaming is a very passive listening form. So “the industry” has noticed there is a disconnect when figuring out how to get listeners to pay attention to successful streaming artists as artists in their own right – as opposed to just listening to one song – so they can be invested in future work, as well as whatever record they’re loving at the moment.
Do you feel the pressure to have the same kind of success with the tracks you’ve released since ‘Call On Me’?
Yes and no. Not every record I create is going to become this massive thing. Sometimes I’m feeling something and I want to write or sing about it without that pressure. On the other hand, I know why ‘Call on Me’ affected so many people and I know I have more songs like that in me.
Not only is the beat of your songs infectious, but it also seems to attract DJs who want to do remixes. What does having someone remix your track offer you as an artist?
Remixes are incredibly fun. They are a reimagining of your work. A new version that has the potential to reach an entirely different listener base!
You’ve done interviews with an incredible array of international publications, from InStyle UK to Billboard, as well as just wrapping up a UK tour. Is it important for you to be successful in multiple regions, or do you think it’s just an organic part of being an artist today?
I definitely think it’s important to tap into all the different markets at your disposal. The US is actually my biggest fan base and I’m pretty much based there now. I also lived in the UK for five years and am from Sydney, so I care about all of those countries/cities.
Then you look at the back story of “Call on Me” and it was Denmark who can take credit for breaking the Ryan Riback remix. We live in a global world and success can come in many forms, so limiting yourself to one region is a bit short-sided in my opinion.
You’ve got a very distinctive fashion style. Is it important for you to have a strong aesthetic, or is it all part of the fun of being in the public eye?
I love fashion. I love experimenting with clothes and finding items that really speak to me on whatever level that is, and I try not to worry too much about what other people think. If I love it, I’ll wear it and because of that, I have my own style!
What’s your favourite song of 2017 so far?
‘Rockabye’ by Clean Bandit!
Any word on when we might be able to hear more music from you? An album perhaps?
*laughs* Naturally I can’t tell you everything just yet. But I can say, the album is being worked on and, most importantly, I have a record coming soon that is really personal for me. I’m simultaneously nervous and excited about it!