The Short Fall: Reflecting on Music, Migration, and the Future

Welcome to our interview with The Short Fall, an Australian-Filipino indie rock singer-songwriter, known for his latest single “Looking Over My Shoulder.” In this interview, we delve into his musical journey, inspirations, and future plans.

The Short Fall, whose stage name was inspired by a fortunate turn of events, reflects on his experience as a migrant growing up in Australia. “Looking Over My Shoulder” serves as a poignant reflection on the struggles faced by migrants worldwide, longing for a better life while being unable to escape their past. The single boasts a captivating rock sound, an energetic chorus, and an undeniable catchiness.

The artist’s early exposure to music, influenced by his Filipino heritage, shaped his deep connection to the art form. He found inspiration in various musicians, events around him, and his own songwriting process, which involves guitar melodies and meticulous lyric crafting.

When asked about his musical style, The Short Fall describes it as guitar-driven indie rock, characterized by rich vocal harmonies, infectious hooks, and a touch of melancholy. His creative process involves hours of guitar exploration until he discovers a melody and a memorable hook, followed by an extensive period of refining the lyrics.

The Short Fall draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Oasis, Powderfinger, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and many more. While he admires fellow musicians, he doesn’t see them as competitors, as each artist has a unique story to share with listeners.

Join us in celebrating the talent and passion of The Short Fall, and don’t forget to support independent artists like him on their musical journeys.

Listen to Looking Over My Shoulder

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What is your stage name:

The Short Fall

Is there a story behind your stage name?

It was many years ago (maybe 2007?) – we won a radio competition to support INXS in our home town of Rockhampton – our old band name sucked so our bass player at the time suggested it, and it’s stuck ever since.

Where do you find inspiration?

Listening to music, artists that I like, events that happen around me.

What was the role of music in the early years of your life?

Being half Filipino, music plays a huge role in that culture. There was always music playing in the house growing up, and I got into playing guitar at a young age.

Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?

Once I started writing songs I knew I always wanted to be involved with music somehow.

How did you learn to sing/write/to play?

I’ve always been able to sing, but I feel like after many years of writing songs I’m still learning and getting better at it.

What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?

I think it was The Butterfly Effect in Rockhampton, Queensland in 2005.

How could you describe your music?

Guitar driven indie-rock featuring rich vocal harmonies, catchy hooks and a hint of melancholy

Describe your creative process.

Noodling around on the guitar until I find a melody and a hook-line I like and then agonising over the rest of the lyrics for days/weeks/months.

What is your main inspiration?

Probably the bands I’m listening to at any point in time. For my recent songs it was Oasis, Powderfinger, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, The 1975, City & Colour, Fleetwood Mac and Crowded House.

Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?

In 2013 we won an Australian Independent Music award for best Folk song with our debut single, The Meadow. This shaped our sound for the next 5 – 8 years. My brother left the band in 2022 and I decided to shed the indie-folk rock for a more alternative/indie/rock sound.

Who do you see as your main competitor?

I don’t feel like I’m competing with other musicians as we all have a story to tell and it’s up to the listener to decide if they want to come along for the ride.

Maybe musicians who are signed to big labels and have a big marketing budget perhaps? It’s a struggle as an indie musician to get heard amongst the sea of other music out there.

What are your interests outside of music?

Family time with my wife and daughter, travelling, red wine & watching the cricket.

If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?

I own a graphic & web design studio as my day job!

What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?

Getting any financial returns on the money you invest in recording & marketing new music. It’s a real slog and you really need to want to do it because you love it and believe in your music.

If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?

Increasing the revenue payout from streaming

Why did you choose this as the title of this project?

The chorus of Looking Over my Shoulder was written in about 5 minutes – the main line in the chorus just came from nowhere and was what I built the song around.

What are your plans for the coming months?

The band have got shows in regional Queensland and I just want to keep promoting the song on digital platforms as much as possible to grow my listeners. I’ve got 2 more singles to release this year too.

Do you have any artistic collaboration plans.

Nothing as of yet.

What message would you like to give to your fans?

Thanks for listening – supporting indie artists is so appreciated. The Short Fall have more new music coming out this year so stay tuned on our socials!