What’s My Scene: My Chérie finds strength in vulnerability
In our regular Q&A column What’s My Scene, InReview speaks to emerging and established local artists to get their take on the South Australian creative scene and their place within it. This week, My Chérie talks about building genuine connection ahead of her WOMADelaide appearance.
Where was your first gig, and how did it go?
My first official gig as a performer was with a band playing a 20-minute set at a venue that no longer exists. Early on, I remember playing places like The Ed Castle, Crown & Anchor and The Exeter, which became formative performance spaces for me. I don’t recall feeling nervous but just excited. That first taste of being on stage sparked an immediate addiction to performing, and that same excitement and commitment still drives how I show up today.
Looking back now, what feels both special and funny is how wholeheartedly I threw myself into performing from the very beginning. I always believed I was meant to make music, but when I watch old footage now, I’m shocked by how rough those early performances actually were. That contrast reminds me how much growth has happened and how necessary that awkward, fearless beginning really was. (You can probably scout some of old footage in Spoz’s back catalogue if you want to see some bad guitar solos.)
What is your artist origin story?
I was on stage singing and playing from a young age in South Africa, mostly through church – my parents were pastors of a multi-cultural Pentacostal church – and later attended a classical-focused high school where I spent a lot of time in choir ensembles and orchestral settings and even travelled Europe with a 100-piece choir singing concertos and reading sheet music and what not. I always felt out of place,musically, but I love the influence those years have had on my style.
Towards the end of high school, singer-songwriter, folk and rock performances started to feel more aligned with who I was creatively. I only started learning guitar towards the end of high school and I formed my first band under my full name – later called Ezra Hope – just before studying Pop Music and Creative Technologies at the Adelaide Conservatorium of Music straight out of high school.
About halfway through my degree, I started performing as My Chérie on the side. After graduating, I began experimenting with live looping and realised how much I loved performing solo, on my own timeline and being deeply vulnerable and experimental was my path. From there, the project gained momentum and evolved naturally alongside me – it’s grown because it really is an extension of who I am.
What was your impression of the local scene when you first started, and how has that changed?
This question always makes me realise how long I’ve actually been pursuing music. Although it’s taken different forms, I’ve been working toward a career in original music for over a decade. I’ve seen bands come and go, people step back for day jobs, and the reality of how unsustainable the industry can be at times. There are bands, like The Empty Threats, who have been consistently creating that whole time.
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There was a period where I felt embarrassed by how long I’d been chasing this dream, as if not ‘arriving’ yet meant failure. Now I see it as a privilege – to have found something I love and committed to it so deeply.
With the rise of social media, technologies, and shorter attention spans, being an artist isn’t just about making good music – it’s about adaptability, consistency and building genuine connection in a very fast-moving world. The local scene today feels more driven than ever. Artists know it won’t just happen for them, they have to work really hard. The community remains deeply creative, thoughtful, and kind. Or at least the artists and people I’ve surrounded myself with are.
How has your own project evolved since you first started?
My Chérie began as a side project during my studies, but everything shifted when I discovered live looping. Performing solo gave me a new sense of freedom and control and sparked my production brain in a live setting too, and the sound evolved organically from the live experience itself.
The project has continued to grow in response to how I want to feel on stage and how I want audiences to feel in the room. It’s where I find my spirituality and it’s where I remember that we are connected to nature and to a life so much bigger than our daily routines.
What is it about your next release or project that you’re most excited or nervous to share?
I have a music video coming out in the new year for my latest track ‘Box of Pencils’ from my EP Life Is Short & Life Is Long. It’s a piece of art I’m incredibly proud of and one that came together with a truly special team. Releasing visual work for my most vulnerable song yet is a deep feeling.
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I’ve also been knee-deep in writing over the past few months. Even though I’ve just released an EP, I’m excited to move into a season of more frequent releases. There’s so much music in my heart waiting to be shared, and I’m ready to let it out into the world! Let’s go!!
Who are the artists around you that inspire or challenge you?
I’m constantly inspired by femme artists in the local scene like Ella Ion, Grace Vandals, Jamie Lena and Stephi (who hasn’t released music just yet but seriously keep an eye out. Her songwriting and the music taste she introduced me to has really shaped my musical direction.) Their work pushes me creatively, and reminds me of the depth of talent in our community.
Outside of the local scene, I’ve been deeply moved by artists like Cassandra Jenkins, Saya Gray and Allegra Krieger for their emotional honesty and sonic bravery.
Favourite venue to play?
Nexus Arts has quickly become a favourite. It’s accessible, spacious, moody, and run by a genuinely caring team – it feels like a space that truly supports both artists and audiences.
Dream act to open for?
My ethereal angels: Florence & The Machine, AURORA and Billie Eilish. I’d also love to open for Wolf Alice, Julia Jacklin and Samia.
Favourite act to have open for you?
So many incredible artists — Nat Luna and Sofia Menguita, to name a couple.
Where is your next gig, and how do you hope it will go?
My next show is supporting Daryl Braithwaite in Goolwa on January 17, a community event responding to the recent algae bloom. The ocean is my happy place, so it feels meaningful to be part of something connected to care and healing.
I’m also heading out on a small EP tour, playing Melbourne at The Tote on January 31. I’m really looking forward to meeting new faces, reconnecting with familiar ones, and spending time with the community that’s grown around this project. It’s already shaping up to be a lovely and big year.
My Chérie plays WOMADelaide on Sunday March 8
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