We caught up with Ulladulla-come-Sydney, rapper-come-folk singer Cherry Earhart before he heads out on his debut national tour.

On the surface level there doesn’t seem to be much of musical crossover between hip-hop and folk music. One is traditionally a direct and in your face form of expression with a wider message, whilst the other is often a introspective, softly sung and highly personal. So we were keen to get to know Cherry Earhart and understand how the young indie-folk musician found his way to the genre after beginning his musical career as a rapper.

The Aussie balladeer has released two singles to date that spell out the struggles of a young man making his way into adulthood; ‘Proud To Cry’ challenging the notions of traditional ‘manhood’ whilst ‘April 17’ looks at addiction and the fallout effects of dependency. His voice is familiar and warm, and it’s easy to imagine the tunes connecting with young people around the country.

Cherry Earhart will be hitting the road for a national tour in January with Murray Darling in support of his debut EP Metal Head (info here), and check out our interview below.

Tell us about transitioning from rap through to acoustic/singer-songwriter?

It was the most natural thing in the world. I began writing, singing and playing guitar in primary school, but back then lyrics were always a stretch. I didn’t know how to express myself eloquently. It wasn’t until early high school when I fell in love with rap music that I understood the importance and beauty of language. From there the pendulum swung and I became immersed in a world of bootleg beats and 16 bar verses, but begun to stray from my beginnings as a songwriter.

Freeing myself of any set genre, whether it be punk or indie or rap allowed me to marry my love of song writing along with intricate story telling. This marriage resulted in the Metal Head EP.

Are there any crossovers between the genres?

So much crossover. At the end of the day it’s all art and communication. One of the main points of difference between the two comes in at rap music’s innate braggadocios attitude. Being tied to that label was a huge interference in trying to deliver the most honest and compelling portrait of myself and the world around me. Us Australians are far too self-deprecating. Having said that, I wouldn’t hate to hear Paul Kelly drop a hot 16.

Have your influences changed?

Through the process of writing this EP, my influences haven’t changed dramatically. I listen to the greats of every field and try and understand what it is they’re doing right, how it is that they are striking such a chord with the people. Sonically, I really admire what artist like Stella Donnelly and Alex the Astronaut are doing by bringing raw storying telling to the forefront of Australian culture. But to answer your question, I still listen to Jay Z before heading into the studio.

Your most recent single ‘Proud To Cry’ takes a look at modern-day ‘manhood’. when was the last time you shed a tear?

Besides finding out about the LWA feature? Gees that’s a toughie. Honestly, I’ve lost some of my dearest love ones in the most tragic ways over the last few years and that shit can be, and is, super depressing. I’d be a complete basket case if I didn’t take time out of my day to sit down and try and get in touch with that grief and sadness. That’s why Proud To Cry was a song that needed to be written. That track is poking at the flaws woven in to the traditional perception of masculinity, or moreover, the issues with pride and battling our own mortality. It’s about finding strength in vulnerability.

Your debut EP is on the way, tell us about some of the themes behind it?

The Metal Head EP is about working through the small and large grievances of everyday life to eventually end up in a place where we have the strength to be there to support the people we love. The tale of Ned Kelly was a huge influence on this project. The ‘metal head’ is a metaphor for the necessity of having an impenetrable exterior while remaining vulnerable and human under neither. The project follows the stages of working through pain from denial to acceptance, arriving at a destination where you can be the best version of yourself.

What are you looking forward to on the Murray Darling tour?

I’m looking forward to everything! There isn’t much better in life than playing music and sharing that experience with the people. I can’t wait to travel Australia, create memories and put on some great shows.

What can punters expect to see from your live show? Still bringing the hip-hop hype?

I guarantee one thing: good, honest, Australian music. That’s my promise to anyone that comes to one of our shows. It’s funny you mention the hip-hop hype though. Let’s just say I might just have a couple tricks up my sleeve ;)

What (outside of the Murray Darling tour) is on the cards for 2019?

More music, more shows, more stories, more experiences. Can’t wait to show the world what we’ve got in store.