Interview + Album Feature | Kathleen Halloran
On the spectrum of human emotions and the guitar as an extension of the voice
Kathleen Halloran joins Tempo to talk about the excitement and nerves involved in the rollercoaster ride of making her debut album Nobody’s Baby, as well as feeling incredibly lucky with the team that got her there. Halloran is heading on tour to celebrate the release with May 29th’s hometown show at The Northcote Social Club being the highlight.
Hello Kathleen, firstly, congratulations on your debut album, Nobody’s Baby. After 15 years of making your mark playing with others in the rock world and also in jazz and blues circles you are now stepping into your solo era with fully fledged work. How does it feel to have it out in the world?
Thank you! Stepping out into the unknown like this brings up so many different emotions all at once. I was describing to a friend just yesterday how the spectrum of human emotions with this more often than not, feels like a constant juxtaposition. There’s immense pride but also naturally a lot of self doubt, there’s equal measures of excitement and nerves, the feeling of anticipation, but also like you’re not quite ready (who really is!)
Every day as an artist is truly like a rollercoaster ride and I think the challenge is just being able to accept all of it (the good, bad and ugly) as it arrives to you.
But above all, is the overwhelming feeling of gratitude. This record was only possible because of the incredible people around me — their talent, generosity, and belief. I couldn’t have done it without them, and I feel very lucky to be putting it out into the world.
Can you tell us a bit about the journey you have had to making your solo material and if it’s been a dream for a long time or something more recent?
This really started with early creative conversations with the album’s producer, Roscoe James Irwin. We’d crossed paths over the years, and he approached me about working on my own material. I’d admired him since I was a teenager, watching him perform at Generations in Jazz in Mount Gambier, so the idea of collaborating in this way felt pretty surreal.
When we first spoke coming out of COVID,
I had no songs, I’d never really sung in public, and I didn’t yet have a clear vision of what this project could be.
A lot of that early momentum came from Ross, and my boss Kate Ceberano — They really encouraged me to step into it. I started writing more, collaborating with others, and slowly growing into the idea of myself as an artist, not just a guitarist.
By 2023, I had my first three songs — Free With Me, Find Me Again and Cost of Living — all of which ended up on the album. That’s when we began recording with engineer Ben Edgar at his home studio. As those first tracks were being released, I continued writing and recording the rest of the record.
It ended up being a very natural, gradual process. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing — I grew so much over those nearly three years, and I can really hear that evolution across the album. I honestly can’t imagine it coming together any other way.
Nobody’s Baby is predominantly a rock record where your guitar soars and lyrically you explore self-discovery, freedom, and the emotional push and pull of creative life delivered with your strong vocals filling out the sound. What are you biggest influences in making this record?
I’ve always been drawn to players and artists where the guitar feels like an extension of their voice — that sense of feel, control and intent over just playing for the sake of it. That definitely shaped this record. From a songwriting and craft perspective, I am hugely into artists like Madison Cunningham, St Vincent and Joan Armatrading — people who balance musicianship with really strong, intentional songwriting.
I wanted my guitar playing to have authority, but always in service of the song — knowing when to push, and when to hold back. That balance became a real through-line across the album.
The production on Nobody’s Baby is really something. It’s a quality recording and you have some big names involved in the making of it including it being produced by Roscoe James Irwin (The Cat Empire, The Bamboos, Paul Kelly) and it was engineered and mixed by Ben Edgar (Gotye, Angus and Julia Stone). How do you think they have complemented what you do?
I feel incredibly lucky to have had the team I did on this record. Working with Roscoe James Irwin was such a defining part of the process — he brought a level of depth, perspective and openness that really allowed the songs to become more than I’d imagined. He has this ability to zoom out and see the bigger picture, while still protecting the core of what makes something feel honest.
With Ben Edgar, his studio became the home of the record. There’s such a sense of care and detail in the way he works — sonically, but also in how he creates an environment where you can actually relax and do your best work. He’s immense knowledge of the guitar and pulling great sounds also added so much - I fully trusted him, which meant that I could really just focus on my performance. I learned a huge amount from working alongside Ben.
And then my trio, Jonathan Zion and Darryn Farrugia, along with all the musicians who played on the record — they brought so much feel, instinct and trust to the process. It never felt like people were just playing parts, everyone was really invested in the songs.
At every stage, it felt like people were adding something meaningful, while still supporting the vision. I don’t think the record would sound the way it does without that balance.
The album is being released on Vinyl, CD and digital and from what I can tell you are putting it all out yourself. I am interested in hearing about how you manage all this and if you have some help along the way?
Yeah, it’s all been independently released, which has definitely been a learning curve — but also really empowering.
There are new challenges and new things to learn about every day. You’re across every part of it, from the creative through to the logistics, and while it can be a lot, it also means everything feels very intentional.
I’ve had some incredible people around me helping bring it to life. I have to shout out Glen Wilkie (Wilk) in particular — he’s been a huge creative force behind the visual world of the record, and has now stepped in as co-manager as well. From the artwork through to the broader aesthetic, he’s helped shape how this project is seen and felt, not just heard. Having someone like that who really understands the vision — both creatively and on the business side — makes a massive difference.
Beyond that, it’s been a real team effort — leaning on people when I need to, but also figuring a lot of it out as I go. It’s a juggle, but I’ve genuinely loved that side of it.
To celebrate the release of your album you are going on a national tour in early May which must be super exciting. Can you tell us if you have a live band or will it be solo? Also, the focus gig for me is your hometown Northcote Social show on May 29 and I would love to know your connection to that venue and who is supporting?
Yes! I’m heading out on a national tour in early May, which I’m really excited about. The shows will be with my band, except Perth - where I’ll be solo.
The Northcote Social Club show on May 29 is a big one for me. I’ve always wanted to play there — I’ve done support slots at the venue over the years and seen so many great gigs in that room, so to be heading back for my own headline show feels pretty special.
I also ran a competition to find an opening act for that night, which was a really nice way to connect with other artists coming up. And Loretta Miller will be supporting, which I’m really excited about — We have been trying to line something up for ages! She’s fantastic.
Finally, who are your favourite local Melb/Naarm bands at the moment and who would you like to see interviewed for Tempo?
Hannah Cameron, Loretta Miller, Clio Renner, Fools.
KATHLEEN HALLORAN ‘NOBODY’S BABY’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR
