Recent singing sensation Merril Bainbridge may be tasting the fruits of her labor with the success of her top 10 single "Mouth", but life wasn't always easy for the 28 year old Australian. As happens with most vocalists, Bainbridge got her start by joining various cover bands.
"It gave me a wide range of experience - one night I'd work at a piano bar performing jazz, the next night I'd be singing top 40 music at a function, which exposed me to many kinds of situations", recalls Bainbridge. Though those days offered their share of security (in the form of a steady paycheck), the cover band path offered little in the way of creativity or future growth and after a while, "I started being choosy about what I had to say - I wanted more than just to be a singer, I wanted to develop".
Realizing that "there's no set path in this industry; you have to come up with innovative ways to fulfill the goals you set for yourself," the Melbourne native established her first break by offering her services as a backup singer - not for money, but bartering in exchange for studio time with the man who would end up producing her debut record (_The Garden), Siew.
Initial interest in her homeland was minimal - in fact, the only significant nibble came from Gotham, a label established by Australian superstar John Farnham ("You're The Voice") and his producer, Ross Fraser. The quest of establishing a label driven by successful artists, rather than one hit wonders, drove these two men to not only sign Bainbridge, but give her the time - more than a year - to write and record a strong album, The Garden.
The first single from that album was "Mouth", a catchy pop tune with a vintage ragtime and swing background feel - but success wasn't sweet the first time around, as the track crashed and burned. However, persistent perseverance paid off, and on its second go-round in early 1995, the song went to the top of the charts. Better than that, it stayed at the number one slot for six weeks.
The entire experience of having a huge hit single affected Bainbridge. "It was unreal," she remembers. "For the longest time, I felt detached that it was happening - but every now and then, I would think 'Oh God', and feel pressure. I finally got comfortable with it, and became more determined to be myself and enjoy it."
The success of "Mouth" was followed up with three future singles - "Under The Water", the rocking "Sleeping Dogs" (which borrows a bridge from the Bee Gees 1969 hit "I Started A Joke") and a piano based ballad, "Power Of One".
These songs are indicative of the rest of The Garden. Bainbridge playfully teases the listener, with cheery, bouncy songs interspersed with ballads, while incorporating an intriguing combination of instruments and influences to create a sound not quite like anyone else. "Miss You" is quite similar to "Mouth" and on other ballads, Bainbridge sounds vaguely reminiscent of Madonna. Those beautiful vocals are highlighted on the touching acoustic cover of the Pet Shop Boys "Being Boring".
"(Being Boring) was a spontaneous thought to perform. I really liked that song and Mark (Domony, guitarist) was in the studio, working with another band. I asked him if he was free to put some songs down. He had never heard (the original), so he wasn't influenced by it. I gave him the chords, and we just clicked."
According to Bainbridge, the songs on The Garden are filled with her experiences and personal interpretations of things that have happened to people around her. But is "Mouth" about sexuality?
"(Any sexuality on "Mouth" was) not deliberate - it was definitely not a sexual song. It's just honest - about a relationship, how you feel in a relationship. Sometimes you feel you're in control and the next thing, you're insecure - it's the role playing thing. To me, it's not about straight up sexuality. It doesn't bother me if people connect with that, because obviously it's there, but it wasn't something I was aware of."
And how about "Garden In My Room"? After all, the title track's lyrics, while never directly screaming of lust, contain lyrics such as "Rest your body on my velvet roses / once you've tasted my delights / many days will turn to nights / there is nothing you won't do / for the garden in my room."
Bainbridge responds, "It's not *specifically* about sexuality - but yet it is. To me, it's everything that's around sexuality. Yes, it's a sexual song - there's no denying it - but there's a lot more in there such as the different emotions. I prefer to let people take from it what they want."
One aspect which has gone unmentioned is Bainbridge's striking good looks. If she was a couple inches taller, a career in modelling wouldn't be out of the question. But, while some women use their looks to offset their lack of musicianship, Bainbridge has no such worry - the music speaks for itself.
"Mouth" has opened up worlds outside of Australia for Merril Bainbridge, and The Garden should plant fertile seeds in the minds of radio listeners everywhere. And, on Jill Sobule's next album, expect *her* to be compared to Merril Bainbridge.
