By Tyler Wright
Selby musician Anya Hynninen is set to hit her biggest stage yet as she prepares to perform at the upcoming Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.
AKA Anya Alchemy, Hynninen reached the final six contestants in Australian Idol’s 2023 season, representing the Hills with her soulful voice and ballads.
“I think I’m writing a lot more, so I feel like the songs are definitely getting better,” Hynninen said.
“During Idol [my] writing went to a whole other level because it was so competitive, we did all these rehearsals during the day and then I’d go back to the apartment and just write because I was like ‘I could get booted off anytime, I might as well have some good songs.’
“I feel like it’s definitely a lot more thought out now and I want every song to be great instead of just a filler, so I think I definitely have higher standards now…but that’s a good thing I think.”
On Saturday 2 March, the 20 -year-old will perform a 40-minute set at the Caribbean Gardens, with acts including The Veronicas, The Temper Trap, Pete Murray, Bliss N Eso and Brad Cox also set to take the stage, with close to 10,000 people set to flock to the venue on the day.
“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever played and I’ve never done a festival that big, but I’m very, very excited,” Hynninen said.
“We’ve been rehearsing our butts off, so hopefully it sounds good…we’re doing all originals and I’m trying to lean a little bit country, I think it kind of suits the vibe with Brad Cox and Pete Murray.”
As for performing alongside such big names, Hynninen called the experience “crazy”.
“My manager keeps saying ‘I want to introduce you to them,’ and that part of me is like ‘yay’ and part of me is like ‘no, don’t do it,’ I’m like ‘what do you even say?'” she said.
“I’m going to be, I think, very awkward, but I’m excited to just shake their hands and say, ‘oh my God, I love you so much,’ and then cry.”
Preparing to release new music in April, Hynninen said she has been rehearsing on her drummer’s parents’ property in Richmond.
“My dummer has this old converted classroom, portable classroom on his parents’ property…twice a week we’ll go down and we’ll stand up for five hours in this classroom,” she said.
“Obviously I live in the Hills and the drummer and bassist live in the Cranbourne area, so we all try and meet up twice a week and go through everything.”
While she is in a “healthy and long-term relationship,” Hynninen said she has sourced inspiration from her brother’s “huge break up” for song material.
“There’s not a lot of heartbreak songs I can write from my perspective, so it’s easy to get his opinion and what he’s going through and then write that down from his perspective, because it’s a lot easier I feel like to write about a character that isn’t you.
“He hates it, and I think I dig in a little bit as well, I get really honest; he’s like ‘whoa’.”
Hello Sunshine Festival organisers announced Hynninen would be joining the line up via social media on Tuesday 30 January.
“We’re so excited to announce that Anya Alchemy has just been added to the Hello Sunshine 2024 line up!” the post read.
“You’ve probably heard her powerful vocals on last years Australian Idol or through her soulful singles.
“We’ll see you there.”
The festival is set to inject millions into the local economy.
For tickets, visit Oztix.
