Family trees & country keys: Savanah Solomon's emotional journey through 'Magnolias'

Savanah Solomon’s first musical foray was as the frontwoman for country-rock band Savanah and the Strays; the band released an album which saw them become finalists in the West Australian Country Music Awards. After four years Solomon went solo, releasing the EP Where the River Meets the Sea in 2023. Solomon then took a break from music and she has now returned in style, with the single ‘Magnolias’, which was inspired partly by the movie Steel Magnolias (which stars Dolly Parton, amongst others) and by her grandmother, Helen Sturgeon. ‘I just love the sentiment of a steel magnolia,’ says Solomon in our interview. ‘They're as tough as steel, but they're as beautiful as these magnolias.’When we spoke it became clear quickly that Solomon is herself quite a force; she is passionately creative and curious about the world, combining her musical life with her work as a grader operator at a remote ore mine, her FIFO work schedule allowing her to commit blocks of time to music.‘I'm always trying to live my best life because we've only got this one wild life, so why not?’ she says.Songwriting is at the core of Solomon’s creative life – ‘I take great pride in my songwriting’ she says ‘That's like my huge passion. If I could just get paid to do that all the time, I would just write songs.’She understands too the impact her creative work can have.‘You really don't realise how many people you're touching as an artist,’ she says. ‘There could be someone having a really bad day, and they might just flick it on and hear my song, and it might just give them that spark for the day to keep on going.’There is every chance that ‘Magnolias’ will be that song for many people, and Solomon’s previous releases are also worth exploring. It was a pleasure to talk to this talented artist who has quite a story to tell, in song and in this interview. Listen to Savanah Solomon on Apple MusicListen to Savanah Solomon on SpotifySunburnt Country Music:InstagramFacebook YouTubewebsite For more Sunburnt Country Music:InstagramFacebook YouTubewebsite Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.