Bertie Blackman

Beatrice "Bertie" Blackman (born ) is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. She rose to fame in 2004 with her debut album Headway.

Early life and education Beatrice "Bertie" Blackman was born in to parents who were visual artists, Genevieve and Charles Blackman. Their first family home was in the eastern Sydney suburb of Paddington Her parents divorced when she was four and she lived with her mother in Sydney, but saw her father frequently.

She attended International Grammar School in Ultimo. She began playing African percussion at the age of twelve and guitar at the age of fifteen.

Career

Blackman appeared on the Australian music scene in 2004 with the single "Favourite Jeans," taken from her debut album, Headway (2004), a folk-inspired acoustic album featuring musicians Cameron Deyell, Laurence Pike, and Cameron Undy, and was co-produced by Richard Belkner. This album established her as an Australian headliner alongside contemporaries Something for Kate, Ben Lee, and Alex Lloyd. She wrote music for Australian films, including the title track to the 2008 production Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger which saw her collaborate with prodigious Australian producer Paul Mac.

After forming a new band with Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell and Cameron Deyell, she made her second album Black (2006) and received positive reviews and high rotation on Triple J and demonstrated Blackman's move away from folk music to a focus on rock. This album was produced by Paul McKercher.

In 2008, Blackman signed with newly formed Australian management company Forum 5 and began working on her third studio album, Secrets and Lies, which was recorded between Sydney and Melbourne. Musicians involved included Neal Sutherland, Evan Mannell, and Ben Hauptmann, with producers Lee Groves and Francois Tetaz. The song was added on high rotation on Australian radio station Triple J and nationwide on commercial radio network Nova as well as on regional and community stations across the country. Altogether, "Heart" was the 4th most added song on radio in the week of its release, and entered the Australian radio airplay charts at No. 67.

The album Secrets and Lies was the Triple J Feature Album for the week commencing 27 April 2009 Secrets and Lies entered the ARIA album charts at No. 72 and peaked at No. 49.

Session and touring members

Awards and nominations At the AIR Awards of 2009, Blackman received four nominations for 'Best Independent Single or EP', 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year', 'Best Independent Album' and 'Best Independent Artist', winning 'Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year'.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Blackman won the ARIA Award for Best Independent Release. In 2010, she released as a single a cover version of "Peek-a-Boo" from Siouxsie and the Banshees. AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Best Independent Artist Breakthrough Independent Artist Secrets and Lies Breakthrough Independent Album "Heart" Best Independent Single/EP ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. 2009 Secrets and Lies Best Independent Release

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The commenced in 2005. 2009 Secrets and Lies Australian Music Prize

J Award The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. 2009 Secrets and Lies Australian Album of the Year

Pope Innocent X Australian Album of the Year "Boy" Australian Video of the Year Personal life In 2022 she published a memoir, Bohemian Negligence. Discography Studio albums Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS Headway Released: 16 August 2004 Label: Bertie Blackman Format: CD — Black Released: 16 September 2006 Label: Bertie Blackman Format: CD, digital download — Secrets and Lies Released: 27 April 2009 Label: Forum 5 Format: CD, digital download 49 Pope Innocent X Released: 12 October 2012 Label: Mercury, Universal Format: CD, digital download 54 The Dash Released: 31 October 2014 Label: Outpost, Warner Format: CD, LP, digital download — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays Title Album details Blue Sky Pueblo Released: November 2002 Label: Bertie Blackman Format: CD Town of Sky EP Released: 18 March 2009 Label: EQ Format: Digital download The Remixes Released: 5 July 2011 (AU) Label: Full Tilt Format: Digital download

Remix albums Title Album details B-Sides – Secrets and Lies Remixed Released: 16 April 2010 Label: Forum 5 Format: Digital download

Singles Title Year Peak chartpositions Album AUS JJJ 100 "Criminal of Desire" 2003 — — Blue Sky Pueblo "Favourite Jeans" 2004 — — Headway "You Kill Me" 2005 — — Black "Television" — — "Hold Me Close" 2006 — — "Fast Bitch" 2007 — — "Heart" 2009 99 120 Secrets and Lies "Thump" — 93 "Byrds of Prey" — 71 "Black Cats" — 184 "Peek-a-Boo"(Siouxsie and the Banshees cover) 2010 92 171 "Mercy Killer" 2012 — — Pope Innocent X "Boy" — — "Run for Your Life" 2014 — — The Dash "Kingdom of Alone" — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist Title Year Peak chartpositions Album AUS "Young & Dumb"(Chance Waters featuring Bertie Blackman) 2012 91 Infinity "Karmageddon Undone"(Abbe May featuring Bertie Blackman) 2014 — "This Game"(Odd Mob featuring Bertie Blackman) 2015 — Diverse Universe "Long Loud Hours"(Urthboy featuring Bertie Blackman) 2015 95 The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat

Promotional singles Title Year Album "War of One" 2014 The Dash

Guest appearances +List of guest appearances, with primary artist(s), year released, and album name shown Title Year Album Notes "Don't You Ever" 2006 Bad Education "The Futurist" 2007 The Murmur Years – The Best of Something for Kate 1996 – 2007 Backing vocals "The Only One" 2008 Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger – Original Soundtrack "Town of Sorrow" One Love – Mobile Disco 2009 "In the Air Tonight" 2009 Triple J: Like a Version Five "Heart" 2010 The Hi-Fi Live Highlights "Peekaboo" Bullet Train Volume One "Gold Dust Woman" 2011 When I First Met Your Ma "Do You Love Me?" 2012 Straight to You – triple j's Tribute to Nick Cave "The Mercy Seat" 2018 I'm Dreaming Guest vocals "Sweetest Love" 2020 Don't Sleep "Gold"

Music videos Title Year Director(s) "Favourite Jeans" 2004 "You Kill Me" 2005 Simon Wright "Television" 2006 Clemens Habicht "Fast Bitch" 2007 Beth Halon "Thump" (Viral video) 2009 "Heart" Danielle Zorbas "Thump" Don Cameron "Byrds of Prey" Marc Furmie "Black Cats" 2010 Miland Suman and Richard Thomas "Peek-a-Boo" Jonathon Lim and Andrew Smith "Mercy Killer" 2012 Chino Moya "Boy" Quan Yeomans "Stella" Andrew Kavanagh "Run for Your Life" 2014 Timothy Nash and Lucas Crandles "Kingdom of Alone" Nick Waterman "Strangers in a Moment" 2015 Radioactive Gigantism Films

As featured artist Title Year Director(s) "The Only One" (Paul Mac featuring Bertie Blackman) 2008 "Young & Dumb" (Chance Waters featuring Bertie Blackman) 2012 Craig Foster