A welcome return for Wendy

This has been a bumper year for fans of Australian female singers: in recent months, Kate Ceberano, Tina Arena and Canadian-born songstress Wendy Matthews have all released their first albums of original material in more than a decade – each one a stunning return to form after years of cover albums.

“My record company told me, ‘Do you realise two of your friends are releasing records at the same time with the exact same backstory – ‘First original album in a decade’?” Matthews told the Star Observer.

“Maybe something’s in the air these days telling people to delve a bit deeper and do some original stuff again – people are ready!”

Matthews’ The Welcome Fire couldn’t be more fittingly titled. It features a diverse list of songwriting collaborators including fellow performers Megan Washington, Josh Pyke and Mark Sholtez, all of whom help the singer rediscover her artistic fire.

“I knew it was time to do something different and delve a bit deeper, to commit to an album of originals again. It was all about taking the time to meet some people who I could feel like a fool in front of.”

For Matthews, the collaboration process was akin to a series of first dates – some more successful than others.

“For some of them, I was just grabbing time between tours and hotels – I would arrive feeling quite shattered, but I had to do it regardless of what was going on. It shows in the songs I think – you get a sense of whatever was going on at the time.”

The Emmylou Harris-esque highlight Amelia came from one particularly fruitful session with Washington.

“Megan gave me this simple bit of advice: she told me to give myself another name, and sing it in the third person, but actually sing it to myself. So that’s what I did, and out came Amelia in about 10 minutes. It was a lovely bit of advice.”

Matthews shows an entirely different side on the bluesy Feel Like Takin’ Your Man – sample lyric: “Just for fun, because I can/Just for fun, I feel like takin‘ your man.” Wendy Matthews, superbitch?

“That’s funny, because my mantra nowadays is ‘Keep calm, bitch!’ Look, I got pissed off about something and I let it go. You do get nervous – can I actually stand up there and sing “I am no man’s wife, I’ve given no child life”? Well, yes, I can. If you want to be an artist of any kind it’s not about holding back, it’s about opening up.”

Elsewhere, on the infectious Josh Pyke co-write Everything I’ve Done Wrong, Matthews writes with a perspective that only comes with age. The song is an ode to living without regrets, to trusting that the mis-steps in your life will right themselves eventually.

“It’s great to have a reminder not to be so hard on yourself. But I must say, when I arrived at Josh’s place, he told me he had a song title he wanted us to explore – ‘Everything I’ve done wrong has turned out right’. I said, “Really? That’s a very brave statement on your part!”

info: The Welcome Fire out now. Wendy plays Brisbane’s Old Museum on November 15 and Sydney Opera House on November 23. Full tour details at wendymatthews.com