Who Is St. Vincent? All You Need To Know Before Her 2024 Australian Tour

The art rock chameleon is headed to Victoria as part of statewide concert series Always Live. In partnership with Visit Victoria, we chat to programmer Emily Ulman about what makes this tour so special.

In the modern musical pantheon, few shine as brightly as St. Vincent. The artist, born Annie Clark, has been described as a genre-defying virtuoso, a consummate performer and one of the best guitarists of the 21st century. But to Emily Ulman, executive program director of Always Live (and self-confessed “super fan”), she’s simply “Annie” – an artist whose vulnerability is as striking as her talent.

With St. Vincent about to return to Victoria for a series of exclusive performances – including An Intimate Audience With St. Vincent, presented by Crown – Ulman’s enthusiasm is palpable, and for good reason. The gig at Crown’s rooftop venue, Aviary, in particular will be a chance to see the artist in a unique setting, as she plays a stripped-back set to an audience of just 250. Ahead of the event, we sat down with Ulman to find out how to join the exclusive ride, what to expect and what makes St. Vincent such an intriguing performer.

Listening to Ulman speak about her admiration for St. Vincent is a pleasure. It feels like she’s speaking from a place of true fandom, born of sheer respect for the artist’s wide-ranging skills. “She’s sort of the ultimate multi-hyphenate,” Ulman explains. “She’s a singer, songwriter, actor, producer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist – you know, one of those people who can do it all.

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“Her lyrics and her delivery are absolutely special. She’s a musician’s musician. She co-wrote [2019 sleeper hit] Cruel Summer with Taylor Swift. She co-wrote [top 10 single] Obsessed with Olivia Rodrigo. She did an album of duets with David Byrne, she’s played guitar with the Chicks and she co-wrote Young Man [from the trio’s 2020 comeback album Gaslighter].”

Her resume also includes three Grammy awards, eight studio albums, producer credits for riot grrl icons Sleater Kinney, and turns as an actor and director. And it’s this chameleonic nature that really sets her apart.

“She’s absolutely genre-defying,” Ulman says. “On the one hand, she presents these industrial, distorted electro themes and synth, and then she’ll present these shredding, trippy, fuzzy, dirty guitar sounds. It’s new wave, it’s art rock, pop, it’s synth punk, it’s retro jazz, it’s chamber music. You can’t pigeonhole her.”

That fluidity is on full display in St. Vincent’s latest album, All Born Screaming, which slides between proggy riffs, industrial noise and off-kilter art pop. Like the artist herself, it seems perpetually in motion, always seeking new horizons.

But for all her Bowie-like shapeshifting, there’s a throughline of authenticity in St. Vincent’s work that resonates deeply with fans. “Despite having this moniker, despite being called St. Vincent, she’s really authentic,” Ulman says. Beneath the technical prowess and carefully constructed visual aesthetic – an element she’s paid special attention to since 2014’s self-titled record in particular – “her music is very raw and vulnerable”.

It’s this vulnerability that promises to make An Intimate Audience With St. Vincent so special. It’s a chance to experience St. Vincent’s songs in their most basic form, complete with a Q&A session led by music journalist Sosefina Fuamoli. Typically, St. Vincent tours are lavish affairs, with carefully thought-out sets, costumes and even choreography. But at Crown, Ulman muses, “I imagine that we’ll get to see a side of her that’s incredibly honest and transparent.”

For those lucky enough to secure one of these very limited tickets, the night also promises a gastronomic element. A three-course meal created by Crown chefs showcasing Victorian produce and wine will set the stage for St. Vincent’s performance, transforming the event into a full sensory experience.

As for the setlist? Ulman has her hopes. “The Melting of the Sun from [2021 album] Daddy’s Home – which, incidentally, has the most ripping guitar solo if you want to hear Annie shred,” she says. “I’d also really love it if she played New York from her 2017 album, Masseduction. It’s the most exquisite song. It actually started as a text message to a friend of hers, [with the opening lyric] ‘New York isn’t New York without you.’”

Whichever songs make the cut, Ulman is certain of one thing: this will be a night to remember. “It’s exclusive. It’s very special,” she says. “The whole idea is to present these memorable music moments that you just had to be there for and will never happen again.”

In a world where music is increasingly consumed in bite-sized, digital chunks, there’s something refreshingly analogue about the intimacy and exclusivity of this event. Of course, for consumers, there are some benefits to streaming technology, but to truly appreciate an artist of St. Vincent’s calibre, you need to be in the room where the magic happens.

After all, how often do you get the chance to see a living legend up close, unscripted and personal?

As Ulman puts it, “Seeing St. Vincent in this setting is once in a lifetime.”

Tickets to An Intimate Audience With St. Vincent are on sale now. St. Vincent also plays Melbourne and Ballarat with a full band – check out the program at alwayslive.com.au.

All Born Screaming Tour dates:
Mon November 25 – Palais Theatre, St Kilda
Tue November 26 – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
Wed November 27 – The Forum, Melbourne New date added due to demand
Thu November 28 – Crown Aviary, Southbank

These events are part of Always Live, a 17-day statewide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria.