Globe trotting with Swift song

By Emma Sun
SINGING and having a social life do not mix.
At least that’s what Berwick singer/songwriter Andrew Swift feels.
The 28-year-old has been a professional singer for about 10 years, and while he enjoys the better part of what he does, he admits it’s not all fun and games.
“The worst part about doing what I do is that all my friends work during the week and I work on the weekend, so your social life sort of goes downhill a bit,” he said.
“It’s hard to try and juggle it all, and you stop getting invited in the end because people just expect you not to come anymore. I’m trying to juggle things a little bit better.” Andrew is always seen performing with his trusty guitar, which he learnt by himself when he was in Year 10.
He also learnt to sing, and spent long hours inside his room practising.
“I’d come out of my room and play mum a song, and she’d just say stop you’re wrecking the song – that’s how bad I think my singing was at the start,” he said.
“That just made me go back into my room and practise even more. She’s very supportive now though; I couldn’t ask for a more supportive mum.”
Eight months after he started, he was performing gigs at local venues because he loved music so much.
“I used to sit there in the corner and play for free pizza and as many tips as I could get – which was about $40 at most,” he said.
“I started writing songs at the same time and played guitar in a local band. I’d always been writing my own stuff and decided to start doing it as my own project.
“The band started to wind down, so I thought I’d just do my own thing and see how that goes.”
He described his genre as rock with a hint of alternative country, and draws influences from songwriters like Neil Finn from Crowded House, Chuck Ragan and Frank Turner.
“I love a good song with well-written lyrics,” he said.
Singing has taken Andrew all over Australia and to the United States of America.
With family and friends around the world, he has no qualms about using them as an excuse to visit more countries and perform in more places.
“I’ve done a few shows in Texas, and will be heading back early next year to do some more. They seem to really love my music; I’m not sure why. Maybe, it’s the novelty of the Australian accent, I’ll take it,” he said.
“I’d love to tour the world one day because I love travelling – any excuse to go somewhere I haven’t gone before, I’ll easily take it.
“I’m using my sister as an excuse to go to Sweden next year and do a show, and on the way I may as well do a show in London and visit friends there too.
“That’s the beautiful thing about music – I can go anywhere and do my thing.”
Andrew recently released a new album, which is available through his website at www.andrewswift.com.au