Sarah Blasko

Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow (born 23 September 1976), known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band Acquiesce between the mid-1990s and 2001. She had performed under her then married name, Sarah Semmens, and, after leaving Acquiesce, as Sorija in a briefly existing duo of that name. As a solo artist, Blasko has released seven studio albums: The Overture & the Underscore (11 October 2004); What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have (21 October 2006), which peaked at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart; As Day Follows Night (10 July 2009), which reached No. 5; I Awake (26 October 2012), which made No. 9, Eternal Return (6 November 2015); Depth of Field (23 February 2018); and I Just Need to Conquer This Mountain (1 November 2024).

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2007, Blasko won Best Pop Release for her second album. Her third album won the Best Female Artist in 2009 and her fourth album was nominated for the same category in 2013. In October 2010, As Day Follows Night was listed at No. 19 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums; the authors noted that it "turned on emotional subtlety and instrumental clarity. It sounded like little else in 2009, or most any other year".

Early life Sarah Blasko is the stage name of Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow, who was born on 23 September 1976 and grew up in Sydney. Her family had just returned from French-speaking Réunion, where both of her parents were Christian missionaries. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2003 she received her first nomination: as Best Female Artist for her work on Prelusive and "Your Way". Of the album's 12 tracks each of the artists had an equal share of four tracks, however Blasko takes lead vocal on five tracks including "Rely on Me" written by Throsby, Blasko described "I was reluctant to do it but the girls kept asking me. I couldn't hear myself singing that one until Holly made me do it. I enjoyed it because the song has real generosity to it". The album of the same name was issued in May 2015 by Blasko and Wales. On 6 November 2015 Eternal Return was released. The album debuted on the Australian ARIA charts at #6. In the same week of Eternal Return's release Blasko announced a tour in support of the album that would take place in April 2016. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2016 Blasko was nominated for Best Female Artist and won for Best Adult Alternative Album.

2017–present: Depth of Field & I Just Need to Conquer This Mountain On 10 November 2017, Blasko announced her sixth studio album called, Depth of Field. This came with the announcement of the first single from the album "Phantom" and accompanying video directed by Mclean Stephenson. Much of Depth of Field was written and recorded during a two-week artist residency at Campbelltown Arts Centre in Sydney, Australia, alongside long time collaborator Nick Wales, David Hunt, and Ben Fletcher.

During the writing and recording process of Depth of Field, film maker Brendan Fletcher filmed the process and turned the footage into an upcoming documentary called Blasko, Narrated by Blasko herself, the documentary is an intimate portrait of the artist as she composes the new album. The documentary aired on 14 November 2017 on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Blasko provided original songs for the soundtrack of Bell Shakespeare's 2023 production of Twelfth Night. She was initially hesitant to approach the comedy play; however, upon reading it, "[she] realised that characters like Sebastian and Viola are experiencing a huge amount of grief" and that "the treatment of Malvolio" is "really intense".

Touring alt=36-year-old Blasko is shown in centre of a stage. She holds a microphone in her right arm raised high above her head while singing into another microphone on its stand. She wears a dark dress and has a single-stranded necklace. On her extreme right is a piano with the player's head just visible as he leans towards the instrument. To her left and behind is a drummer at his kit. A guitarist is further to her left. Other stage equipment is visible. The fourth backing band member is out of shot. Blasko performing with her backing band in July 2013. They are Ben Fletcher (ex-Bluebottle Kiss, The Devoted Few) on guitar and other instruments; David Hunt on piano and ukulele; Fredrik Rundqvist on drums; and David Symes on bass guitar. Sarah Blasko has toured extensively in Australia, as well as the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Although the exact configuration varies, she performs with a five- or six-piece band usually consisting of drums, electric and synth bass, acoustic and electric guitar, plus keyboards and various samplers/effects units. Due to the breadth of arrangement, most of the touring musicians are multi-instrumentalists.

She also performed in a duo with Cranny accompanying on guitar and keyboards. In both formats, Blasko plays acoustic guitar and occasional keyboards. She has toured with folk/roots artists such as Ray LaMontagne and played outdoor rock festivals. In March 2005, she appeared at the South by Southwest festival where she wanted to "give some people who don't have a clue who you are, or those who have maybe heard a little about you, the chance to see what you do with their own eyes & ears. More than anything, you've just got to be yourself".

Personal life Blasko married Cameron Semmens in 1997, having been with him for two years prior. Semmens is a performance poet and, She has had periodic bouts of depression and stopped writing during 2016. She considered ending her music career but resumed for Depth of Field. "We Won't Run" 2014 "God Fearing" (Sarah Blasko and The Slavey Folklore Quartet) Song of the Year ARIA awards Blasko has won three Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Music Awards from 19 nominations. Krozm (Chris Hill, Ewan Macleod and Lachlan Dickie) - "Bird On A Wire"

Eternal Return Australian Music Prize

Australian Women in Music Awards The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018. 2018 Sarah Blasko Songwriter Award EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards The EG Awards (known as Music Victoria Awards since 2013) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006. 2009 Sarah Blasko Best Female

J Awards 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. 2006 As Day Follows Night Australian Album of the Year 2012 I Awake Australian Album of the Year Other awards Year Award-giving Body Award Result 2006 Jack Awards Best Female Live Performer