Alyce's dream comes true at Griffith Musicians' Ball

Instrument/s played: I am primarily a vocalist, but I play piano and ukulele as well. I sing in a band called 'Twice Shy'. We play as an acoustic duo or trio depending on the venue.

What was your first experience with music?

The first instrument I played was the keyboard, starting lessons at the age of five. My Pa bought me my first keyboard. For as long as I can remember, he and I would sing along to musicals together, probably from the day I was born.

He introduced me to Mary Poppins, which was the first musical that I absolutely loved and would walk around singing the songs from around the age of two. This was probably my first experience with music.

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Who inspires you?

My Pa was a great lover of music and would try and give me pointers on my singing and keyboard playing, as his mother was a piano teacher and he was an accomplished singer. He was a great inspiration in the beginning of my music career and continues to be today.

My Dad played in a band when he was younger, so I've grown up with the dream of following in his footsteps, although, I'll never be a bass guitar player. I also admire Broadway singers such as Ben Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Being on Broadway would be an absolute dream! So, I look up to them and learn from their singing techniques and incredible ability.

Do you have a favourite song or style to play?

I have a strong background in musical theatre, so if I'm singing around the house, it is usually a song of that genre. If I'm playing piano and singing, it is normally a ballad of some kind, something fun to improvise around.

For gigs, I love singing the songs people don't expect. When playing with 'Twice Shy', we perform some rock classics such as songs from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. It's always fun catching people off guard with those ones because it's the last thing they'd expect a shy young woman to sing.

Who do you listen to?

I tend to listen to artists like Ben Platt, Harry Styles, YUNGBLUD, Lewis Capaldi, and Darren Criss, or anything on the unusual side. If it has a fun rhythm and feel to it, I'll happily listen.

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Favourite gig and why?

My favourite gig that I've played would have to be the Griffith Musician's Club Ball last year. It was my first experience performing with a full band which has been a dream of mine since I was little. Playing to such a large, enthusiastic audience and having everyone dancing and enjoying our music, was such an incredible feeling. Nothing beats knowing people enjoy the music you love to play.

Griffith Groove and Graze Festival was an amazing opportunity that I also loved singing at. I have wanted to sing Fleetwood Mac's The Chain for so long and was grateful to be able to sing it alongside extremely talented local musicians. Singing alongside Mahalia Barnes was something I never thought I would be lucky enough to do so that too was absolutely incredible!

How do you feel about the music scene in Griffith?

Griffith has such an expansive range of talented musicians, and it is great to see so many of them performing. There are numerous people who haven't had the opportunity to join a band or get started in the industry but would like to.

The open mic night at the Vic Hotel is a great way to get exposure and find other musicians looking to form a band and start playing gigs. Many local venues have bands playing every weekend, so no matter where you go, you're certain to find talented musicians entertaining a crowd.