Bellusira are a band in form and gathering pace faster than Eminem can spit the lyrics to “Rap God”. Having moved to Los Angeles and received rave reviews for debut album Connection, as well as releasing the highly anticipated follow-up The Healing at the end of last year, Crystal and the rest of Bellusira are stronger than ever thanks to their powerful genre-defying sound. I caught up with Crystal at the start of their busiest and most exciting year to date…
Hi guys! For those that haven’t heard of Bellusira, how would you describe your story and the kind of music you play?
We are a hard rock band, but we can’t be pinned into one genre, as we also have some metal and pop influence in our sound. We are definitely a band with a message of hope; Bellusira means beautiful anger, and it’s about turning anger and pain into something beautiful.
You recently relocated to the states and, more specifically, Los Angeles. Was there a significant reason behind this big career step?
We got signed by a management team, and we felt this would be the next step to further our career. We had done so well in Australia already, so it was time to spread our wings, and that we did. We managed to get signed to a label and agent whilst over there, so it has been awesome!
There seems to be a huge breakthrough of hard rock bands emerging form your home country of Australia in the past few years, such as Parkway Drive and Thy Art Is Murder. What do you think is the reason for this revolution?
There is an amazing level of talent in the band scene in Australia, and while often it doesn’t get the global recognition it deserves, that has certainly been changing over the years. Bands are also branching outside of Australia because the industry in Australia doesn’t give the same opportunities that you could get, say in America. This could be due to the size and population difference.
You received huge praise for your debut album, Connection, back in 2013. Did you feel a lot of pressure to top it this time around with your latest release, The Healing?
Of course we definitely did; our debut album was so well received, so the goal was to beat that last album. That should always be the goal. We believe we have definitely done that with this album, and it definitely showcases turning the darkness into light. While it is in most parts heavier than the last album, it showcases what we are about a lot more.
Bellusira – Black Seed (Official Music Video)
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The Healing is a fantastically strong rock record. Tell us about your personal highlights from the album.
My favourites on this album are “Redemption Queen”, “Sister”, “The Healing”, “Dance with me”, “The Fight” and “Black Seed”. The great thing for me with music is that I am able to heal things both for myself and for others by writing. I often use my own experiences, and sometimes I am inspired by other people’s experiences. The reward is always at the end when you hear from people who tell you that your music is inspiring them or helping them to get through a hard time. For me, that is the real reason and drive behind why I have fought so hard for this…it makes everything I ever went through worthwhile.
How was it to work with producers [Dan Whittemore and Ulrich Wild] that have worked with the likes of Deftones, White Zombie, and Paramore?
It is always inspiring to work with people with that kind of experience; you always learn something, and it helps you to grow as a musician. Ulrich was a very funny guy who loves to have a laugh, and we had a great time with him. Dan was so talented for someone who is only our age, and he definitely taught me about growing as a song writer. It was an honour to have them both part of our record.
It’s refreshing to see more female-fronted hard rock acts out there. Are there any female vocalists that influence you personally?
I love Skin from Skunk Anasie; I have to say now after seeing Halestorm that Lizzy is a definite influence. It was an honor to tour with them in Australia. We would love to tour with them in the states!
You’ve supported some pretty huge acts, How did it feel to share the stage with cult legends The Misfits?
That was a real honor and our first international support. They were lovely people and great to their fans, which was awesome to see. It is always inspiring to watch or play with people that inspired an entire genre and had great influence on many bands in music today, so it was definitely a real “pinch yourself” kind of moment!
Finally, What does Bellusira have in store for 2016?
First, as soon as we get back to LA, we will be in lock down playing 4-5 nights a week and improving our live show. We will next do an LA showcase to show where we are at now after all of our 2015 experience. Next, we will be touring the USA hard; look out for us supporting some bigger bands in the states this year. There is so much on the cards. Europe may also be on the cards…this is Bellusira’s year. We have a strong team behind us, and nothing will stop us from reaching our goals – it is very exciting!
