ali barter

Ali Barter

Ali Barter is a Melbourne singer-songwriter whose work draws on indie rock, folk and indie pop. She is classically trained as a soprano and has a decade of choral experience. After performing from an early age, she steps away from music in her late teens, spends time travelling, and later returns to songwriting in Melbourne in the late 2000s.

Early life and influences

Barter grows up with a wide musical background, hearing artists such as Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Patsy Cline. Her later influences include Jack Ladder, Fleetwood Mac, Cat Power, Warpaint, PJ Harvey and Loudon Wainwright. She is raised by a Buddhist mother and a Catholic father in a Jewish neighbourhood, while attending a Methodist school, and later describes finding in music the sense of community she has been searching for.

Recording and releases

She begins writing and recording her own songs and develops a distinctive guitar style through the Melbourne open-mic circuit. In 2012 she records her debut EP, Trip, with local producer MATIK. The release brings her to the attention of national radio broadcaster triple j.

Her follow-up release is the single Community, which appears on an EP of the same name. That EP is co-written and produced by Oscar Dawson, one half of Holy Holy. Barter and Dawson meet in early 2013, perform together around Melbourne, and travel along the east coast, where their collaboration develops from shared performances into co-writing.

Live work and recognition

Following Trip, Barter earns a place on the 2013 Laneway Festival in Melbourne. She also builds an audience across Australia’s east coast and shares stages with The Rubens, Cloud Control, Alpine, High Highs and Holy Holy.

Style

Her voice is noted for its clear, pure tone, and her songs are often compared with the work of Cat Power, Sharon Van Etten and Bat For Lashes. Her approach combines the discipline of formal vocal training with self-taught song writing and guitar work.