2005: Finding harmony in music career

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Tags: winter-2012

Harmony James, Bachelor of Applied Science

Harmony James

Industry leader Warner Music has just released Harmony James’s debut album, Handfuls of Sky.

Since completing a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in production animal science, Ms James has been pursuing two careers – one in country music and the other in the beef industry.

After graduating in 2005, Ms James worked for the Northern Territory Government for three years and then moved into recruitment for The North Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCO).

“Originally it suited me to live the rural life and have all those experiences and space to think, which is good for a writer,” Ms James said.

“Now the music career requires me to be in a major city centre so I have stepped away from the bush for now, but I like to think experiencing both a rural and urban life will give me a balanced view of my world,” she said.

Inspiration for her albums came from her time working as a jillaroo on some of the most remote cattle stations in south-west Queensland and working in the Northern Territory.

“Covered in mud and blood, roughing it with the guys and working so hard I had biceps made me think, ‘this is not what my mother pictured for me’,” she said.

Her new album features artists including Troy Cassar-Daley, The McClymonts, Shane Nicholson and Bill Chambers and was produced at Sydney’s Ramrod Studios with the legendary Herm Kovac.

“Sometimes I think ‘geez Harms, you’re being a bit too honest for your own good here’,” she said.

“Then I think, ‘no, it’s art. You don’t know which parts are true and which parts are just good stories.”

Ms James produced her first independent album, Tailwind, in 2009, and has received awards from VCMA and APRA, Golden Guitar nominations, has had eight Top Ten songs on the National Country Music Charts and first prize (for the title track) in Nashville’s International Songwriting Competition.

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