Few artists experience the kind of meteoric rise that Courtney Barnett has over the past two years. Since taking the stage behind a pair of EPs at the Empty Bottle in 2014, the Australian singer-songwriter has gone on to play the Pitchfork Music Festival and (most recently) Lollapalooza. Her debut full-length record, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, garnered critical acclaim and landed her a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Now, she’s embarking on a North American tour and planning the cover of her next LP—which sounds like it’s coming soon.
What did it feel like to be nominated for a Grammy?
It’s kind of a surreal feeling. It’s such a high honor. We had just flown from Paris to Melbourne, so we were on a plane for 100 million hours and got off. We instantly turned on our phones and Dave, my drummer, was flicking through and said, “Oh my god, you’re nominated for a Grammy!” We were a bit tired, so it was weird.
You spent most of the past year on tour. How have you adjusted to life on the road?
I read my book a lot. Being a musician, I traveled a lot anyway. In America, you jump on the plane or bus every day and find yourself in a different place. It’s pretty intense, but it’s great to be able to go to a new place and sing your stories to people.
You've said you're a fan of Chicago. Why do you love our city?
I think it’s a bit of nostalgia. The first time we [toured] as a full band, the first place we played was the Empty Bottle. There was this crazy snowstorm and we were there for a couple of days. Every time we come back we play these great shows to great crowds. Sometimes we don’t get much time to explore the city, so that’s pretty much our only point of reference.
Your songs cover topics like finding a place to live and eating instant ramen. What inspired you to write from such a relatable place?
I just did it, I didn’t think about it. I was just writing stuff about the stuff I was doing, the things I was stressed out about and the things I was having emotions about. I guess it’s kind of mundane and boring, but the fact that everyone knows what I’m talking about makes it seem like a much bigger, interesting thing.
There’s an almost therapeutic quality to your latest record. Have you learned more about yourself through your own music?
Yeah, heaps. That’s an interesting side of songwriting that I never really thought of when I was a bit younger. I’ve come to figure it out as I’ve written more and when I play old songs off of the first album, from years ago, they take on a slightly different meaning. As time goes on, you see things differently. I’m always learning stuff about myself every time I play a show.
You co-own and run Milk Records. Why have you remained involved in the business side of the music industry?
It kind of goes hand in hand. I really enjoy making music, playing in bands and playing in my friends’ band. It allows us to be able to do whatever we want—if we want to make a CD and release it, we can. We don’t have to worry about finding money or doing something you don’t want to do. It’s a platform to release things from—it’s really as simple as that. You don’t always need a million people telling you what to do and how to get things done.
What are your plans for 2016 outside of your tour?
Writing a bit, mostly writing. A bit of time off. Reading, swimming, hanging out. Doing a bit of art stuff as well. I’ve been doing lots of drawing but I think I’m going to start painting some stuff.
Like the cover of your next album?
Maybe! You heard it hear first.
Courtney Barnett + Bully play the Riviera Theatre on April 28