Settle Down Sisters
THE SETTLE DOWN SISTERS are a group of powerhouse women that have formed Darwin’s own all-female super group, featuring Caiti Baker, Stevie Jean, Serina Pech, Phoebe Wear, DJ Emily Rose and RachelRachel. MusicNT sat down with Caiti Baker to find out more about the formidable new sisterhood.
Tell us how Settle Down Sisters was formed!
The Settle Down Sisters are myself, Serina Pech and Stevie Jean. We are the artists signed to Settle Down Records, and have spent a lot of time together over the last five years. Due to the global pandemic and our inability to tour, we’ve all been home and been able to collaborate more and sing together.
When the opportunity to put on a group Festival show presented itself, we expanded our Settle Down Sisters squad to form the family that we have now. We all come from very different backgrounds, musically and culturally, but we bond through music, singing, food and laughter.
Your Darwin Festival show description emphasises the empowerment of females. Why is this important to you?
Our aim is to sing together and enjoy each other’s company. Supporting and empowering each other is a natural byproduct of that experience. I’m great believer in breaking the unhealthy cycle of toxic competitiveness amongst any artists in the music industry. Music is art. Art is subjective. The only competition we encourage is with ourselves to improve the standard of quality in our art.
Do you think female empowerment is something the wider music industry needs to embrace?
If there’s something to embrace, it’s the dismantling of the current overarching non-inclusive culture, that is a reflection of the greater patriarchal society.
I think it’s slowly changing and I hope to see some restructuring when a “new normal” evolves, post-COVID. The music industry needs to embrace all voices. There is room for everyone.
From opening for Kaiit in the 2018 Darwin Festival, to selling out your own show in 2020, what’s next for the Sisters?
A whole lot of writing, recording, creativity and laughter! With no certainty of the future, we are taking advantage of the time that we all have together to make awesome art and grow our community here in Darwin.
We plan on making our mark a lot deeper here in the NT – there’s so much untapped talent. Watch this space!
Settle Down Sisters
WHEN SAT 8 AUG | 8PM
AT SUNSET STAGE, FESTIVAL PARK
COST $26-$30
INFO darwinfestival.org.au | settledownrecords.bandcamp.com
L-R: Stevie Jean, Serina Pech, Phoebe Wear and Caiti Baker. Photo: Jett Street.
