5 Things with Parvyn: soul, raga, late-night sessions and a candle in the forest

You’re reading this because you either downloaded Bespoke Folk Favourites magazine or took our What is Your Folk Listener Personality Quiz, possibly from a QR code on a poster stuck to the back of a door or a tent pole at a folk festival somewhere in Australia or NOLA.

Welcome! You found us!

Bespoke Folk is a newsletter for curious listeners: people who don't want to trust Spotify's black box algorithms with defining their music listening destiny.

We're a small collective of music obsessives who love pressing the good stuff into people’s hands and headphones. Not just “here’s a playlist, off you go,” but: here’s why this matters, here’s where it comes from, here’s the world it opens.

We thought long and hard about who would have the best recs for this first edition and concluded that it had to be Parvyn.

You may know her from the cult psychedelic band The Bombay Royale, or from her ARIA-nominated album Sa, or award-winning album Maujuda where classical Indian raga melodies and rhythms meet soul, rock and jazz.

This is the first edition of our 5 Things feature. I love this format because you get to know an artist through the music they have encountered and fallen in love with.

We ask each artist for:

• something old
• something new
• something sessionable: that is, music you can play or sing with other people
• something true: music that resonates deeply with the artist and their world
• and one bonus non-musical recommendation

Imagine the coolest girl sitting at the back of the bus opening her backpack to show you her favourite albums. Inside, Parvyn has soul music from Melbourne, a My Brightest Diamond record found through an ancient Facebook callout, a late-night session story involving members of Punch Brothers, and a piece of candle-lit advice from the late Bill Hauritz of Woodford Folk Festival.

Read on + listen below.

Erin

1. Something Old

“Be Brave” from All Things Will Unwind by My Brightest Diamond, 2010

This has been a staple album in my collection for a long time that I return to when I need a little inspiration and pick-me-up. I found Shara’s music by putting a call out on my Facebook eons ago for music recommendations from friends and this album was suggested to me.

I find it so bold, fresh and creative even now. I love her arrangements and sending of raw emotion through her songwriting and voice. It’s still very contemporary and a good one to listen to for any budding songwriters and composers.

2. Something New

“Let There Be Nothing” from Ripple on the Wind by Ella Thompson, 2024

Ah, let there be soul! I am so excited there is soul music like this being produced in our backyard.

Ella is from Melbourne, creating fresh vintage soul vibes that I love with a superhero band supporting her vocal tone and embellishments that feel so authentic to the style.

During my time with The Bombay Royale we were fortunate to support a national tour of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings from New York.

It was one of the most fun times with great shows, venues and audiences everywhere we went. This sort of music reminds me of that time so has a special place in my heart, and Ella and her band do it very well.

3. Something Sessionable

“Here and Heaven” from The Goat Rodeo Sessions by Aoife O’Donovan, Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan, 2011

Around the period of this release, Josh and I were spending a lot of time touring across the country and Europe with our trio BluGuru.

We would also regularly attend The Supper Club at the Tamworth Music Festival hosted by our third member Andrew Clermont. It was a great time and training ground with players (who are now lifelong friends) rehearsing during the day and then presenting what we had in concerts in the evenings.

I had only just started playing the mandolin back then so wouldn’t join in so much on the instrumental jams but always convinced them to do a few songs too and this was one of them.

In 2012, when the Punch Brothers came to Adelaide for the Guitar Festival a bunch of us attended the show and ended up having a session with Chris Eldridge, Gabe Witcher and Paul Kowert late one night at the festival bar.

I called this song and Josh and I sang it. Everyone knew the recorded arrangement and played all the parts, building slowly, and it was just magic.

After I finished the last note Chris Eldridge took his hand off his guitar and raised it up giving me a fist pump, saying “you sang the hell out of that song!"

4. Something True

“Divine” from Maujuda by Parvyn

I am very lucky to have had many mentors and teachers who have helped guide my way as a musician and just in life generally.

This song speaks to bits of advice that I have been given, or experiences I have had that have changed or had an impact on me on ultimately finding my truth and “divine”.

For example in the first verse, “Light a candle, let it show the space that you are in, and what’s around you” is from Uncle Bill Hauritz who ran the Woodford Folk Festival for many many years.

I was only a teenager when I asked him for advice on what steps I should take to build a career as an artist.

He said

It’s like you are in a dark forest, and all you have is a candle lighting up the immediate space around you and the path under your feet. But as you take a step forward, more of that path gets illuminated.

Know that there is a destination. Keep a clear idea of what you want that to be in your mind, and just keep taking those steps as they are shown.

In a world of chaos, I know that my path is the music. I will keep working and doing what I can to serve society in a positive and optimistic way, sharing the love that I feel through my art with others.

5. Bonus Rec

I really love architecture, interior and garden design so you’ll often find me in the library looking at or borrowing design and landscaping magazines and books.

Seeing cared for environments brings me peace. The light, shapes and colours inspired me to surround myself with beauty and intention.

What's next for you?

I’m off on TOOOUUUUURRRRR!!! :) With Emily-Rose and The Wild and Ofri.

Imagine three beautiful women's voices harmonising seamlessly together with piano, accordion AND a trio of violin, cello and double bass accompanying with intricate string arrangements.

The tour is coming to Warragul, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Bundanoon and Parramatta.

Find the tour dates and come hear the collaboration live here

See you next week for a new feature: Song Lore: The Songs That Built Ofri.

Erin

P.S. Missed the quiz? You can take it here. It’s quick, left-of-centre, and fun way to think about your listening taste.