There is a giant lily that grows, slowly, in the Himalayas. For most of its life, it appears to be a rather unassuming collection of heart-shaped leaves - until one day when it miraculously sprouts to three meters tall and unfurls in to fragrant angel-horn flowers. For queer Australian artist Heirloome, a self-confessed ‘weird kid and late bloomer’, this flower is more than just an analogy - it’s a prophecy.
In the chaos of a turbulent youth, they found sanctuary in the carefully crafted other-worlds of ‘mothers’ Kate Bush, Björk & ANOHNI. In the secret language of birds and spirits, they found the courage to embrace their inherent liminality - and to sing.
The resulting sound is aural magic realism - shimmering chamber pop, beats made from salvaged fox furs and grasses, harps, ukuleles, and Heirloome’s ethereal yet powerful voice at the centre of it all. It’s music that is simultaneously fantastical, whimsical and vulnerable - enchanting while being heart-achingly honest.
Although a newcomer to the scene, Heirloome has already lent their voice to collaborations with rising Australian artists such as Nardean and Himalayan Beach Ensemble - and enchanted audiences in the underground at avant-garde Sydney events such as Subkulture Vulture, with their combination of captivating presence, artistry, and open-hearted mysticism.
With a voice as curious and tender as it is melancholic, their self-produced debut “Body of Water” is a delicate mourning-song for the catastrophic fires that devastated the Australian bushland in 2019. Their follow up single, “Brave Enough”, is a surreal and touching ode to coming out as queer & nonbinary, and leaving behind the people you may once have thought were family.
Heirloome is currently based in the lush, mountainous rainforest of Dorrigo (Gumbaynggir land) on the mid-north coast of NSW, and previously fronted Sydney indie-soul band Levingstone, releasing 2 EPs and winning the affection of tastemakers at home and abroad (“velvety, delectable” THE MUSIC, “fearlessly different” FLAVOURMAG UK), and indie-folk trio Andaman.
